Barrasso grills Haaland on Biden's BLM nominee, tree-spiking during hearing
'I didn't nominate her,' Haaland responded to Sen. Mike Lee in reference to Tracy Stone-Manning
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee ranking member John Barrasso, R-Wyo., grilled Interior Secretary Deb Haaland over tree-spiking and President Biden’s nominee to lead the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
Barrasso pursued his line of questioning during a Tuesday committee hearing on the president’s Department of Interior budget request.
The Wyoming senator – who is leading the charge against Biden’s BLM nominee Tracy Stone-Manning – asked Biden’s secretary about the legality of spiking trees and if the act can "kill or maim loggers and mill workers."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Haaland said she could "imagine" the ecoterrorism tactic could kill people and that she was not "familiar" with the "practice until recently."
The interior secretary also said she "couldn't tell" Barrasso "for sure" whether tree-spiking is a federal crime – it is and has been since 1988 – and added that she imagines it's "very dangerous."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Should individuals who are aware of spiked trees, in terms of national forests, immediately inform law enforcement?" Barrasso asked, to which Haaland replied that she imagines that "anyone should inform law enforcement if it's a danger."
"So I guess the question is, should individuals who plan or otherwise are involved in tree-spiking incidents and threaten physical safety of federal officials expect to be hired by the Department of the Interior?" Barrasso continued.
"Senator, I believe you’re referring to the nominee, Tracy Stone-Manning," Haaland responded. "I also recognize that she was nominated by President Biden because he felt she could do the job and that she was qualified."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Barrasso also pressed Haaland on Stone-Manning’s environmental views, asking the secretary whether she agreed with the statement "‘Perhaps the solution to houses in the interface is to let them burn’" – a direct quote from a 2018 article by Stone-Manning’s husband that the nominee referred to as a "Clarion call" in a 2020 tweet.
"Well, I can't necessarily agree or disagree, but I think the wildfires are getting more intense because of climate change," Haaland responded. "That’s why we need preventative measures and put resources toward protecting communities."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Haaland was also asked if she agreed with Stone-Manning’s husband’s statement that there is "a rude and satisfying justice in burning down the house of someone who builds in the forest" and if children are an "environmental hazard" – a direct quote from Stone-Manning’s graduate thesis – to both of which Haaland answered "no."
"You wouldn’t necessarily want to hire an employee in a land management position who agrees or puts forth these statements about ‘satisfying justice’ about letting houses burn or ‘children as environmental hazards’?" Barrasso asked.
"Senator, what I will say is that I, as secretary of the Interior, am not personally hiring anyone," Haaland responded. "I believe that is a team effort and I know that the Senate plays a very large role in any of these positions as well."
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Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, also unloaded onto Haaland over the nomination, bringing up Stone-Manning's support of her husband’s call to let houses caught in forest fires burn.
"I had not read any of that, senator, and, yes I am the secretary of the Interior, but she is the president’s nominee," Haaland said. "I didn't nominate her. I am here to move the department forward on the president’s priorities, and that’s what I’m focused on at the moment."