As she prepares to leave the Biden administration, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland expressed confidence that the work the department has done to conserve land and promote renewable energy during her tenure will be durable.

“We have some pretty awesome attorneys here at the department,” she said “They really make sure that the work we’re doing is right, it’s done well and it’s durable.”

“The fact that we really have, on a lot of these conservation efforts, gotten the full support of the communities that we have done these in — that really is something I think that's valuable,” she said.

The incoming Trump administration is expected to reverse or undercut many of the conservation efforts undertaken under President Biden, especially those to restrict fossil fuels production on federal lands and in federal waters.

Haaland expressed particular skepticism as to whether the incoming administration would be able to block wind energy projects — despite President-elect Trump’s growing hostility for the climate-friendly power source.

“Of course, they can always try. But I mean, there's existing rights that people have,” Haaland said.

“Quite frankly, I don't see ... the offshore wind industry taking a step back at all. They have too much invested,” she added.

Asked what she will do when she........

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