Salazar expected to reform Interior

CHICAGO — President-elect Barack Obama officially picked Colorado Democratic Sen. Ken Salazar as his appointee for secretary of the interior Wednesday, a move intended to bring a more centrist — and ethical — approach to administering the nation's federal lands and shaping its energy policies.

Obama's nomination of Salazar comes in the wake of turmoil surrounding the current Interior Department, which has been accused of corruption, malfeasance and rendering decisions based on politics rather than science.

Obama said the department "too often has been seen as an appendage of commercial interests as opposed to a place where the values and interests of the American people are served," and it was time for it to "clean up its act."

"There have been too many problems and too much emphasis on big-time lobbyists in Washington and not enough emphasis on what's good for the American people, and that's going to change under Ken Salazar," Obama said at a press conference here Wednesday.

He also noted that Salazar's role would be more proactive and expansive than those who have preceded him, saying that Salazar would sit in on Energy Department meetings addressing issues ranging from oil shale to wind power.

Wearing a white cowboy hat and bolo tie, Salazar said he would do everything possible "to help reduce America's dependence on foreign oil" and that "clean coal," along with protecting parks and open spaces, would be part of the nation's energy future.

Although Salazar intends to remain in office until his confirmation in mid-to-late January, Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter said in a statement Wednesday that he would "work thoughtfully, deliberately and quickly" to pick a successor.

Known more as a centrist than a conservationist, Salazar is expected to forge compromises with those who have competing interests over mining, drilling on public land and endangered species. While this has bothered some liberal groups, by and large Salazar has received a warm reception by both environmentalists and business organizations.

"We don't expect to see eye to eye with him in every case," said Roger Singer, the Sierra Club's regional representative in Colorado. "But he is a moderate and we expect he will balance land protection with energy interests."

National Mining Association spokeswoman Carol Raulston said Salazar is considered someone who will work toward curtailing the country's reliance on foreign oil and would be fair to all interested parties when it came to federal lands.