PD_DOI_Assistant-Secretary-for-Land-and-Minerals-Management

Position Description

Assistant Secretary for Land and MineralS Management, Department of the Interior

Overview

Senate Committee

Energy and Natural Resources¹ _{Plum book}

Agency Mission

The Department of the Interior protects and manages the nation’s natural resources and cultural heritage; provides scientific and other information about those resources; and honors its trust responsibilities or special commitments to American Indians, Alaska Natives and affiliated island communities.² _{Partnership for Public Service position description}

Position Overview

The assistant secretary for land and minerals management is a secretarial officer within the Department of the Interior who oversees the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement and the Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement. The assistant secretary oversees management of public lands and resources, including production of federal energy and mineral resources, both onshore and on the Outer Continental Shelf.³ _{DOI press release, https://www.doi.gov/news/pressreleases/Salazar-Names-Marcilynn-Burke-as-Acting-Assistant-Secretary-for-Lands-and-Minerals-Management}

Compensation

Level IV $155,500⁴ (5 U.S.C. § 5315) _{The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (Public Law 115-31, May 5, 2017), contains a provision that continues the freeze on the payable pay rates for certain senior political officials at 2013 levels during calendar year 2017.}

Position Reports to

Deputy Secretary and Secretary of the Interior⁵ _{Partnership for Public Service position description}

Responsibilities

Management Scope

The assistant secretary for land and minerals management oversees four departmental agencies: the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, and the Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement. Overall, this includes a budget of $1.5 billion and more than 12,000 employees. The assistant secretary also guides the use of about 245 million acres of federal surface lands, 700 million acres of federal mineral interests and the 1.7 billion acre Outer Continental Shelf.⁶ _{DOI key officials, https://www.doi.gov/whoweare/aslm}

Primary Responsibilities

® Guides the department’s management and use of federal lands and waters, and their associated mineral and nonmineral resources
® Commits to managing, protecting and improving lands and waters to serve the needs of the American public
® Discharges the duties of the secretary of the interior with the authority and direct responsibility for programs associated with public land management; operations management and leasing of public lands for energy resources and mineral extraction, including the Outer Continental Shelf to the outer limits of U.S. economic jurisdiction; mineral operations management on Indian lands; and surface mining reclamation and enforcement functions
® Oversees the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, and the Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement⁷ _OPM
® Maximizes effectiveness of program operations of the subordinate bureaus and offices
® Reviews legislation and regulatory proposals for consistency with approved policy, and oversees implementation of legislation and regulations as appropriate
® Ensures program goals are identified for assigned functions, that they support departmental objectives and that results are measured against them⁸ _{DOI Departmental Manual, http://elips.doi.gov/ELIPS/0/doc/497/Page1.aspx}
® Represents the secretary of the interior in interpreting and communicating assigned program activities to the public, and represents the department in contacts with other governmental organizations, private users and public interest groups
® Liaises with members of Congress and committee staffs
® Assigns responsibility for the execution of all laws and executive orders⁹ _{DOI Departmental Manual, http://elips.doi.gov/ELIPS/0/doc/497/Page1.aspx}

Strategic Goals and Priorities

[Depends on the policy priorities of the administration]

Requirements and Competencies

Requirements

® Prior government experience, either from Capitol Hill or a similar state function (helpful)
® Knowledge of land management issues

Competencies

® Strong communication skills to communicate well within the department, across different agencies and with external stakeholders
® Political savvy and sensitivity
® Willingness to travel
® Strong management skills

Past Appointees

Janice Schneider (2014 to 2017) u2013 Partner in the Environment, Land and Resources Department of Lantham & Watkins LLP; Counselor to the Deputy Secretary of the Interior David Hayes; Trial Attorney in the Environment and Natural Resources division of the Justice Department¹⁰ _{DOI press release, https://www.doi.gov/news/pressreleases/2009_08_07_release}
Wilma A. Lewis (2009 to 2011¹¹) u2013 U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia; Inspector General for the Department of the Interior; Associate Solicitor for the Department of the Interior¹² _{DOI press release, https://www.doi.gov/news/pressreleases/Salazar-Names-Marcilynn-Burke-as-Acting-Assistant-Secretary-for-Lands-and-Minerals-Management Senate confirmation hearings, https://www.congress.gov/111/chrg/shrg51880/CHRG-111shrg51880.pdf}
C. Stephen Allred (2006 to 2009) u2013 Managing Member of Allred Consulting LLC; Director of the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality; Group President of Morrison Knudson Corporation¹³ _{Senate confirmation hearings, https://www.congress.gov/109/chrg/shrg32519/CHRG-109shrg32519.pdf}
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