The U.S. Department of the Interior announced that Deputy Secretary Tommy Beaudreau will depart his role at the end of October, after more than two years as Deputy Secretary and nearly ten at the Department of the Interior.
“I love the Interior Department, and it has been the greatest honor and responsibility of my career to serve as Secretary Haaland’s deputy in the Biden-Harris administration,” said Beaudreau. “I will always cherish the opportunities I’ve had to work with the best career staff in federal service and diverse communities across the United States to help figure out solutions to some of the most challenging problems facing our country.”
Deputy Secretary Beaudreau has helped lead Interior’s efforts on many of its highest priorities and most pressing issues, including ensuring the sustainability of the Colorado River system, implementation of billions of dollars through the President’s Investing in America agenda, tackling the climate crisis by standing up clean energy infrastructure, conserving and protecting America’s public lands, upholding trust and treaty obligations to Indian Country, and promoting the public’s trust through the reforms of the Department’s Law Enforcement Task Force.
“Tommy’s impact on the Department can be seen in every aspect of our work,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “He has been a valued counselor and friend. His legacy will continue as we carry on our work to implement President Biden’s historic Investing in America agenda and steward our public lands and waters for the American people.”
Beaudreau led discussions with the seven Basin states to reach a historic, consensus-based system conservation proposal to protect the stability of the Colorado River operations while new guidelines are developed for the long-term sustainability of the system.
Deputy Secretary Beaudreau has overseen the Department’s implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, which are the most transformative infrastructure and climate investments in history.
In July, the Department launched a new interactive map to track the billions of dollars invested so far from this historic law in over 1,450 projects nationwide. The tool is the first of its kind from a cabinet agency.
As chief operating officer for the Department, Deputy Secretary Beaudreau was charged with building the Department’s capacity to serve the American people. This work included chairing the Department’s Law Enforcement Task Force, which has developed updated policies to advance safe, transparent, accountable and effective policing practices while building public trust and strengthening public safety. Deputy Secretary Beaudreau also worked to make the Department’s critical information systems resilient and secure in the face of rapidly evolving cyber threats.
Deputy Secretary Beaudreau originally joined the Interior Department in 2010 during the Deepwater Horizon crisis. He served for nearly seven years at the Department during the Obama-Biden administration, including as the first director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Acting Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management, and Chief of Staff to Secretary Sally Jewell.
