United States Secretary of the Interior

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Secretary of the Interior of the United States of America
Seal of the U.S. Department of the Interior
Flag of the U.S. Secretary of the Interior
Incumbent
Ryan Zinke
since March 1, 2017
United States Department of the Interior
StyleMr. Secretary
Member ofCabinet
Reports toThe President
SeatWashington, D.C., U.S.
AppointerThe President
with Senate advice and consent
Term lengthNo fixed term
Constituting instrument43 U.S.C. § 1451
FormationMarch 3, 1849; 175 years ago (1849-03-03)
First holderThomas Ewing
SuccessionEighth[1]
DeputyDeputy Secretary of the Interior
SalaryExecutive Schedule, level 1
Websitewww.DOI.gov
The former flag of the United States Secretary of the Interior, which was used from 1917 to 1934.

The United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the U.S. Department of the Interior.

The U.S. Department of the Interior is responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land and natural resources; it oversees such agencies as the Bureau of Land Management, the United States Geological Survey, and the National Park Service. The Secretary also serves on and appoints the private citizens on the National Park Foundation board. The Secretary is a member of the President's Cabinet.

The U.S. Department of the Interior should not be confused with the Ministries of the Interior as used in many other countries. Ministries of the Interior in these other countries correspond primarily to the Department of Homeland Security in the U.S. Cabinet and secondarily to the Department of Justice.

Because the policies and activities of the Department of the Interior and many of its agencies have a substantial impact in the western United States,[2] the Secretary of the Interior has typically come from a western state; only one of the individuals to hold the office since 1949 is not identified with a state lying west of the Mississippi River.

On December 13, 2016, President-elect Donald Trump picked Ryan Zinke for the position of Interior Secretary.[3]

The line of succession for the Secretary of Interior is as follows:[4]

  1. Deputy Secretary of the Interior
  2. Solicitor of the Interior
  3. Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget
  4. Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management
  5. Assistant Secretary for Water and Science
  6. Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks
  7. Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs
  8. Director, Security, Safety, and Law Enforcement, Bureau of Reclamation
  9. Central Region Director, US Geological Survey
  10. Intermountain Regional Director, National Park Service
  11. Region 6 (Mountain-Prairie Region) Director, US Fish and Wildlife Service
  12. Colorado State Director, Bureau of Land Management
  13. Regional Solicitor, Rocky Mountain Region

List of Secretaries of the Interior

Living former Secretaries of the Interior

As of May 2024, nine former Secretaries of the Interior are alive, the oldest being Manuel Lujan, Jr. (served 1989-1993, born 1928). The most recent to die was William P. Clark, Jr. (served 1983-1985, born 1931), on August 10, 2013.

Name Term of office Date of birth (and age)
Cecil D. Andrus 1977–1981 (1931-08-25) August 25, 1931 (age 92)
James G. Watt 1981–1983 (1938-01-31) January 31, 1938 (age 86)
Donald P. Hodel 1985–1989 (1935-05-23) May 23, 1935 (age 88)
Manuel Lujan, Jr. 1989–1993 (1928-05-12) May 12, 1928 (age 96)
Bruce E. Babbitt 1993–2001 (1938-06-27) June 27, 1938 (age 85)
Gale A. Norton 2001–2006 (1954-03-11) March 11, 1954 (age 70)
Dirk Kempthorne 2006–2009 (1951-10-29) October 29, 1951 (age 72)
Ken Salazar 2009–2013 (1955-03-02) March 2, 1955 (age 69)
Sally Jewell 2013–2017 (1956-02-21) February 21, 1956 (age 68)

References

  1. ^ https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/3/19
  2. ^ Salazar, Vilsack: The West's New Land Lords
  3. ^ Vogel, Kenneth; Severns, Maggie (December 13, 2016). "Trump selects Zinke as interior secretary". Politico. Washington, DC. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
  4. ^ "Chapter 3: SECRETARIAL SUCCESSION (2) - Laserfiche WebLink". elips.doi.gov. Retrieved 2016-10-30.
  5. ^ "About Secretary Jewell". U.S. Department of the Interior. Retrieved 23 May 2013.

External links

U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byas Attorney General Order of Precedence of the United States
as Secretary of the Treasury
Succeeded byas Secretary of Agriculture
U.S. presidential line of succession
Preceded by 8th in line Succeeded by