Nick Snow
OGJ Washington Editor
WASHINGTON, DC, June 26 -- US Sec. of the Interior Ken Salazar named Liz Birnbaum, a lawyer with 2 decades of federal and private sector energy and environment experience, director of the US Minerals Management Service on June 25. Her appointment does not require US Senate confirmation.
The selection marks Birnbaum’s return to DOI, where she was associate solicitor for minerals resources during 2000-01 and special assistant to DOI’s solicitor during 1999-2000. Most recently, she has been staff director of the US House Administration Committee since 2007. She also was counsel to the House Natural Resources Committee during 1991-99.
In the private sector, she was vice-president of government affairs and general counsel for American Rivers, a conservation organization, during 2001-07; and counsel for the water resources program at the National Wildlife Federation during 1987-91.
Birnbaum will take the helm of a DOI agency that has been a lightning rod of controversy the past few years from its handling of deepwater offshore royalties to questionable behavior by some employees in its royalties management program.
Salazar said Birnbaum’s experience as a former DOI associate solicitor and as staff director and counsel for two congressional committees will be valuable in her new position. “Her in-depth knowledge of energy issues, natural resource policy, and environmental law as well as her managerial expertise and work in coalitions building will be especially important,” he said.
Contact Nick Snow at nicks@pennwell.com.
