Alaskan Tara Sweeney has been replaced by a temporary appointee at the Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Darryl LaCounte, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians in North Dakota, will be exercising the delegated authority of the Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs in the U.S. Department of the Interior. Over the weekend, Sweeney’s information disappeared from the Department of Interior’s website.
LaCounte appears to be a placeholder, however with “delegated authority.” He has been director at BIA since last year.
Sweeney had been the first Alaska Native to head the BIA.
President Joe Biden also added EarthJustice and Wilderness Society lawyers to high-ranking positions in the Department of Interior.
In an announcement today, Daniel Cordalis, formerly of EarthJustice and Native American Rights Fund, was named the new deputy solicitor of Water.
He replaces Brandon Middleton, who had come to the position after serving as a lawyer in the Environment and Natural Resources Division at the Department of Justice.
Nada Culver was named deputy director for Policy and Programs, Bureau of Land Management. She is coming from the position of vice president, public lands and senior policy counsel at the National Audubon Society. She had served in a similar position for the Wilderness Society.
Culver is a vigorous environmental advocate in the “keep it in the ground” movement.
Culver replaces William Perry Pendley, who came to the position from the Mountain States Legal Fund, but who had served as deputy assistant secretary of the Interior, Energy and Minerals and as director of the Minerals Management Service.
Bryan Newland has been named principal deputy assistant secretary, Indian Affairs. Until Alaskan Tara Sweeney is replaced as head of the BIA, Newland is a Biden political appointment who reports to her. Newland is Ojibwe and served as chief judge of the Bay Mills Tribal Court, and as a counselor and policy advisor to the head of the BIA from 2009-2012.
He was part of the consortium of Native and environmental groups who successfully lobbied to halt the easement for the Enbridge Line 5 oil and gas conduit beneath the Straits of Mackinac in Michigan. Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer revoked the permit.
John Tahsuda III was the prior principal deputy assistant secretary, Indian Affairs.
Prior Biden appointments to the Department of Interior show a 180-degree policy shift from the Trump Administration, which took a multi-use approach to public lands.
Morris Thompson was the first Alaska Native that headed up the BIA as Commissioner. After the top positions within the Interior Department were restructured, Sweeney was the first to hold it as an Assistant Secretary (but the second to lead the organization).
Buckle up. This admin HATES Alaska.
We are so screwed.
This is sad, she was doing great work for our state.
A political appointee getting replaced with the administration changes, isn’t this the norm?
What a terrible thing to do. Such hostility toward Alaskans. Nothing positive for Alaska for sure.
Ironically, a significant percentage of Alaskans who voted for Biden have their personal nests feathered with gold-plated retirement and health benefits paid for by oil royalties. The most common human weakness: hypocrisy.
Wayne, very true and yet sad. Sad that these folks who have benefited from the wealth generated by oil would seek to exclude those in the future from receiving a similar windfall and uplifting prosperity. Oh sure, it’s their conscience they well say ( and not hypocrisy), we need to stop pollution and the advance of global warming, we need to develop “Green Energy” (whatever that is) it is all a ruse. Sadly we will very soon discover how badly things can go when theoretical people with ZERO LIFE EXPERIENCE in producing anything have the power to command an economy. One need only look to the sufferings experienced in China and Russia during the last century to get a glimpse of what is coming.
Well. this is who Alaska Native voters voted for because of the Trump was perceived a big meany and bully whom was believed by them he was a crook, racist, and misogynist. Whatever.
This globalist crowd still will drill ANWR and place a mine at Bristol bay when they have complete control. What Natives think and speak out against will receive no hearing from these Democrats and Republicans going along with the globalist. The natives can kiss their sovereignty (nationalism) rights goodbye when their time comes when Tribal rights no longer fit the Globalists agenda.
Natives are the default substitute for the lack of Jews to blame for Alaska’s problems?
Don’t worry SHEEPLE, Murkowski will save us
Very bad news for jobs and energy independence for America. The occupier in chief in D.C. has nothing but America Last policies to keep dishing out as his communist propaganda machine continues to pump out lies and censor the truth. America is being occupied by a domestic enemy of your freedoms and prosperity. God help us!
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