News Brief
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland faced lawmakers on Capitol Hill Tuesday as she advocated for an $18 billion budget increase for her department next year. The money would go towards advancing renewable energy projects, expanding wildland fire programs and boosting public safety on reservations.
But questions from senators on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee went far beyond the scope of her budget. They grilled Haaland on everything from endangered grizzly bears to her department’s review of oil and gas drilling.
Interior is mulling a ban on new oil and gas drilling on federal lands as well as upping royalty rates on fossil fuel projects. The review was supposed to be made public in early summer and Republicans voiced frustration that it was taking so long.