Interior's New Mexico Connection

The Obama administration's Interior Department has an impressive lineup of New Mexicans serving in it. My good coffee partner Ned Farquhar has arrived in Washington to take up his post as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals. He will actually be serving as Assistant Secretary until his new boss is confirmed by the Senate. Probably in late spring. Ned was Governor Richardson's energy and environment policy advisor for five years before going to work for the Natural Resources Defense Council as an renewable energy guru. Ned will be an influential member of the energy team and will help over see the Bureau of Land Management's policies.

Hilary Tompkins, the former general counsel to Governor Richardson will become Solicitor for the DOI. This is an extremely powerful position for which she is well prepared.

Deanna Archuleta, currently a Bernalillo County Commissioner and the regional director for The Wilderness Society in New Mexico will become the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Water and Science at DOI. She will probably depart for DC around the first of May.

Ray Rivera, my former intern at the Mayor's Office, is heading up DOI's External Affairs and Intergovernmental relations office. He ran Obama's campaign in Colorado.

We have good solid New Mexicans working at DOI now. They are all qualified and have a great land and environment Ethic. This is good news for the west.