President Barack Obama

It is being reported that President-elect Barack Obama has selected Senator Ken Salazar from Colorado to head the Department of the Inferior. If accurate, Salazar would be the second Hispanic to be appointed to a cabinet post by Obama.

Senator Salazar, who is also a rancher, has served as a Senator from Colorado since 1999. According to sources within the Democratic Party, Barack Obama will name Salazar to head the Interior Department, completing the selection of the energy and environmental policy team for the incoming Obama administration.

The Interior Department has jurisdiction over the nation’s national parks and other large areas of public land. The department establishes policy for oil and gas exploration and drilling, mining and other resource extraction. Salazar has been a critic of the Bush administration in these areas of policy regarding public land use. His selection further demonstrates how Barack Obama will be a very different president from Bush.