Grijalva, 60, is a
Tucson native and son of
an immigrant Mexican
farm worker. He served
as Hispanic co-chair for
Obama's presidential
campaign and has been a
fierce critic of the
Bush administration's
environmental policies.
He serves on the House
Committee on Natural
Resources and chairs the
national parks, forests
and public lands
subcommittee.
The Interior secretary
traditionally comes from
a Western state, where
management of public
lands is a key issue.
The Interior Department
manages about 500
million acres of federal
land, or one-fifth of
the United States. The
administration post also
serves as a steward for
the nation's Indian
reservations.
On Friday, the
Washington Post and
the political Web site
politico.com said
Grijalva is a top
contender for the post.
Both cited transition
officials as sources.
Grijalva could not be
reached Friday, but
spokeswoman Natalie Luna
said the congressman has
not received any word
from Barack Obama's
transition team.
"He said he hasn't been
contacted," Luna said,
adding, "I think he
would give it really
good thought."
Luna said her boss has a
"good rapport" with the
president-elect. "I
think Obama knows the
congressman's
background, what he's
interested in and
passionate about," she
added.
Last month, Grijalva
issued a scathing report
titled "The
Bush Administration's
Assaults on Our National
Parks, Forests and
Public Lands."
The 23-page critique
accuses the president of
carrying out "a
concerted strategy" of
reducing protections for
federal properties,
"opening up these lands
for every type of
private, commercial and
extractive industry
possible."
If appointed, Grijalva
would be the third
Interior secretary from
Arizona, following in
the footsteps of Stewart
Udall (1961-69) and
Bruce Babbitt
(1993-2001). The
governor would have to
call a special election
to fill his
congressional seat.
Environmental leaders
were thrilled at the
prospect of Grijalva
assuming the
secretariat. Mining,
ranching and other
land-use industry
representatives
expressed dismay.
"Talk about a 180 from
where we are today,"
said Richard Mayol,
communications director
at the Grand Canyon
Trust. "That is
certainly something that
we would love to get
behind, something we
would cheer."
Grijalva, serving his
third term in
Congressional District
7, was a Tucson schools
trustee in the 1970s and
'80s and then served on
the Pima County Board of
Supervisors from 1988 to
2002.
Sandy Bahr, conservation
director for the Sierra
Club in Arizona, praised
Grijalva's efforts to
ban uranium mining near
the Grand Canyon.
"Obviously, he knows the
West and the importance
of public lands," Bahr
said. "Arizona has been
well-served by him,
particularly on the
kinds of issues that the
Department of Interior
addresses."
