Senate confirms Sally Jewell to lead Interior

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed corporate CEO Sally Jewell as the next secretary of the U.S. Department of Interior.

Jewell, who began her career as an engineer for Mobil Oil and worked as a commercial banker before heading the nearly $2 billion outdoors equipment company REI, represents an unconventional pick for a post usually reserved for career politicians from the West.

The Senate voted 87 to 11 in favor of confirming the future Interior chief, with all of the no votes coming from Republicans.

The Department of the Interior oversees conservation, recreation, oil-and-gas drilling and federal lands, among other programs.

The Natural Resources Defense Council applauded Jewell’s confirmation on Wednesday.

“Sally Jewell brings a strong business background and personal conservation ethic to the job as the nation’s next Interior Secretary,” NRDC president Frances Beinecke said in a statement.

The NRDC said Jewell’s priorities should include safeguarding the Arctic Ocean from the dangers of offshore drilling, protecting America’s public lands from fossil-fuel extraction, continued development of renewable energy on public lands and protecting endangered species.

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