The Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations convened today for an oversight hearing focusing on the growing influence of extreme activist groups within the Department of the Interior during the Biden administration. Subcommittee Chairman Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) expressed concerns, stating, “In Joe Biden’s Administration, extreme environmental activist groups have taken over the Department of the Interior. Their radical agendas, improperly developed in concert with Biden Administration officials, ignore the needs of local communities and put our national security at risk.”
Department of the Interior (DOI) Secretary Deb Haaland is scheduled to testify before the full House Committee on Natural Resources on Wednesday, May 1, 2024. Under Haaland's leadership, the DOI has fostered close ties with various extreme environmental activist groups, raising questions about the nature of these relationships. The House Committee on Natural Resources has uncovered evidence suggesting potential improprieties in DOI's associations with groups such as the Pueblo Action Alliance, Code Pink, Energy Foundation China, and the Wilderness Society.
Of particular concern to the committee are undisclosed communications and off-the-record meetings between senior DOI officials and nonprofit staff. Reports indicate collaborations between DOI officials and radical anti-use nonprofits that have led to actions negatively impacting local economies and job opportunities. The committee has also highlighted the alarming connections between some extremist nonprofit organizations and foreign governments, notably the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Today's hearing provided an opportunity for committee members to engage with experts and discuss the increasing influence of extremism within the DOI. As Secretary Haaland prepares to address the full committee, the spotlight remains on the department's relationships with activist groups and the potential implications for national interests and local communities.
