U.S. Senate confirms Joe Balash as Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management

Former Chief of Staff to Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) Joe Balash was recently confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the Department of the Interior’s Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management. In his new role Balash will head the Department of the Interior’s management of all federal lands and waters, and their associated mineral and non-mineral resources, as well as the appropriate regulation of surface coal mining.

The Department of the Interior encompasses more than 800 dams and irrigation facilities, manages one in every five acres of land in the United States, oversees water projects that irrigate lands generating 60 percent of our nation’s vegetables, manages lands and waters that generate one-third of the Nation’s domestic energy supply and manages 388 national park units and 542 wildlife refuges amongst other responsibilities. Additionally, Balash will be responsible for 75,000 Interior Department employees at approximately 2,400 locations across the United States, Puerto Rico and U.S. territories. The department also works with thousands of state, local, and public interest groups to help cities and towns address their natural resource needs.

“I am deeply honored to be able to serve at the Department of the Interior,” said Joe Balash. “As a nation, we are blessed with tremendous public lands and resources that give our people unparalleled opportunities for recreation and job creation for generations to come. I look forward to working with Secretary (Ryan) Zinke and his incredible team to seize on those opportunities and deliver on President Trump’s America First Energy Plan.”

Balash, a native of North Pole, Alaska but now living in Washington D.C., brings more than 19 years of experience in land and natural resource management. Prior to his position with Senator Sullivan he was the former Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, which maintains responsibility for one of the largest single portfolios of land and water resources in the world, containing more than 100 million acres of uplands, 40-60 million acres of submerged lands and tidelands, and more than 500,000 barrels of oil produced daily.

Balash was President Donald J. Trump’s nominee for the Interior position he will be assuming. Balash is a 2001 graduate of Pacific University (Forest Grove, OR) with a B.A. in Government and Politics.

“I am so glad we finally have an Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals! It’s been a while,” said U.S. Secretary of the Interior Zinke. “Joe has waited a very long time, and we look forward to his experience being brought to the table at our next meeting. Joe has worked with the Department on a number of projects in Alaska, and his experience will be greatly welcomed. Thank you to the Senate for finally getting Joe to Interior. I’d also like to thank Acting Assistant Secretary Kate MacGregor for doing an amazing job leading the portfolio and making President Trump’s first year a banner year for energy dominance and public access.”