On April 2, the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on the nomination of Katherine MacGregor for the role of Deputy Secretary of the Interior. During the hearing, Ms. MacGregor discussed the federal government’s role in using public lands more efficiently, including for housing development. Specifically, she said that housing could be considered a “public purpose” under existing law, aligning with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum’s push to use federal land for affordable housing. Ms. MacGregor also addressed questions about potential land sales, oil and gas development, and her previous tenure at the department. She noted support for expanded offshore drilling and called for more frequent lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska.
If confirmed, it would be Ms. MacGregor’s second stint as deputy Interior secretary, a role she served in during the last year of the first Trump administration. She had previously been deputy chief of staff to then-Interior Secretary David Bernhardt.
For more information, contact RCRC Senior Vice President of Government Affairs, Mary-Ann Warmerdam.