On May 1, the Senate approved Janice Schneider as Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management (ASLM) in the Department of the Interior (DOI) by a vote of 64-32. Schneider will guide management and use of oil and gas, coal, and renewable energy resources on public lands and waters. Her jurisdiction includes 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. According to DOI, public lands and offshore areas produced energy that contributed $230 billion to the national economy and supported 1.2 million jobs in fiscal year (FY) 2012.

Schneider is an environmental lawyer in Washington, D.C., who served as an Interior official in the Clinton administration. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell praised Schneider saying, “With experience in both the public and private sectors, she will be an advocate for a balanced approach and a science-based decision-making process that both advances the President’s key energy initiatives and promotes the conservation of our federal lands and natural resources.”

Schneider replaces Tommy Beaudreau, who has served as Assistant Secretary since January 2013. He will return to his position as Director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, which he has led since 2011.

Sources: Department of the Interior, E&E News

Updated 6/9/14