Senate Energy Committee grills nominees on permitting, tribal consultation, Colorado River, nuclear and EIA independence

The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held a nominations hearing that examined four presidential nominees for senior positions at the Department of the Interior and the Department of Energy.

Nominees introduced themselves and described priorities if confirmed. Andrea Travnik, nominated to be Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Water and Science, said she would prioritize western water infrastructure, the Colorado River, and updating scientific resource assessments: “If confirmed in this role, yes, I'm committed to working towards that as well,” she told Senator Hoeven when asked about western water infrastructure. Travnik said timely data and collaborative operations had informed her public‑service work on flood response in North Dakota.

Leslie Beyer, nominated to be Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management at Interior, highlighted management of the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, and the Office of Surface Mining and pledged to “be a responsible steward of more than 245,000,000 acres of surface, 700,000,000 acres of subsurface, and over 3,000,000,000 acres offshore.” She told senators she would work with states, tribes, and industry to balance multiple uses and follow congressional directives.

Ted Gerrish, nominated as…