** Biden officially announces climate and environment team
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Monday, December 21, 2020
Climate Team Nominees, Biden-Harris Transition Team ([link removed])

On Saturday, President-elect Joe Biden officially announced ([link removed]) his nominations to key environment and energy positions in his cabinet. In a press conference, he emphasized that he chose a team that will make clean energy jobs and environmental protection a cornerstone of his economic plans, stating ([link removed]) , "Today I'm pleased to announce a team that will lead my administration's ambitious plan to address the existential threat of our time, climate change." The announcement included Deb Haaland for Secretary of the Interior, Jennifer Granholm for Secretary of Energy, Michael Regan for Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, Brenda Mallory for Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality, Gina McCarthy for National Climate Advisor, and Ali Zaidi for Deputy National Climate Advisor.

Biden's selections signal the incoming administration's focus on environmental justice and follow through on Biden's promise to assemble ([link removed]) "a Cabinet that looks like America, that taps into the best of America, that opens doors and includes the full range of talents that we have in this nation." Several of the nominees are barrier-breaking ([link removed]) ; if confirmed, Deb Haaland will be the first Native American to lead the Interior Department, Michael Regan will be the first Black man to run the Environmental Protection Agency, and Brenda Mallory will be the first Black woman at the helm of the Council on Environmental Quality.


** What to expect when you’re expecting a Biden administration
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The latest episode ([link removed]) of
The Landscape features a conversation with former Deputy Interior Secretary David J. Hayes about Rep. Deb Haaland, nominee for Interior Secretary, and the rest of President-elect Biden’s climate and environmental justice team.
Quick hits


** In last rush, Trump grants mining and energy firms access to public lands
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New York Times ([link removed])


** Podcast: What to expect when you’re expecting a Biden administration
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The Landscape ([link removed])


** After decades of activism, the Navajo Generating Station has been demolished
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Vox ([link removed])


** Washington Monument shut after visit by COVID-infected Interior Secretary Bernhardt
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Washington Post ([link removed]) | Reuters ([link removed])


** Here is what Trump's promise of "energy dominance" meant for Utah
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Salt Lake Tribune ([link removed])


** COVID-19 cases add up in grim Interior tally
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E&E News ([link removed])


** Biden introduces his climate team
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New York Times ([link removed]) | NPR ([link removed]) | CNN ([link removed]) | E&E News ([link removed])


** Feds say $2 million grant from Forest Service didn’t follow the law
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Juneau Empire ([link removed])
Quote of the day
‘Energy dominance’ has been a complete disaster from start to finish. The Trump administration is basically trying to force drilling down the throats of communities across the West. They created immense regulatory uncertainty for companies in the industry with a lot of their ham-handed rollbacks, and that’s leading to court defeats and then more uncertainty for these drillers.”
—Jesse Prentice-Dunn, Center for Western Priorities Policy Director, Salt Lake Tribune ([link removed])
Picture this


** @USFWS ([link removed])
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Frozen fog? Yup, that’s a thing! This frosty vista was recently captured at Wyoming’s National Elk Refuge. Cold temperatures turn small water droplets suspended in the air into tiny ice crystals. Have you experienced any winter weather or wildlife recently? Photo: USFWS

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