Ken Salazar
Bellwood 2019
Former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar discusses climate change
In this video, former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar discusses climate change during the annual Sherman J. Bellwood Lecture Oct. 22-23 in Boise and Moscow. His talk is titled “Climate Change and the Future of Energy.”
“Recent national and global experiences highlight the critical importance for our country to balance our energy needs against the reality of climate change and the consequences it brings to our communities,” said Jerrold Long, dean of the College of Law. “Secretary Salazar brings a unique perspective and an experienced voice to this important conversation.”
Ken Salazar served as the 50th United States secretary of the interior, attorney general and Colorado senator. Salazar's law practice focuses on energy, environment, natural resources, corporate governance and Native American matters.
About Ken Salazar
Ken Salazar served as the 50th United States Secretary of the Interior and Colorado United States Senator and Attorney General. Mr. Salazar's law practice is focused on energy, environment, natural resources, corporate governance and Native American matters.
In December 2008, President Barack Obama selected Mr. Salazar to serve in his cabinet as Secretary of Interior. Mr. Salazar was confirmed as the 50th Secretary of the Interior by a unanimous US Senate vote on January 20, 2009. Prior to his confirmation, Mr. Salazar served as US Senator for Colorado and served on the Energy and Natural Resources and Finance Committees, which oversaw the nation's energy, natural resources, tax, trade, social security and healthcare systems. He also served on the Agriculture, Ethics, Veterans Affairs and Aging Committees.
As Secretary, Mr. Salazar led the nation's efforts to develop and implement the framework for America's energy independence. The effort included overseeing the exploration and development of conventional and renewable energy resources on public lands and oceans, working on matters relating to climate change, the exploration of frontier areas like the Arctic, leading the successful response to the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, and overhauling the regulatory oversight of oil and gas exploration and production.
As Secretary, he led the effort to permit more than 11,000 MW of power on public lands from solar, wind and geothermal sources (the equivalent of power from more than 30 regular power plants) and developed the blueprint for future siting and development of these resources, including high priority transmission infrastructure projects. As part of his renewable energy efforts, he also created the first offshore wind energy plan for the Atlantic Ocean and awarded the first leases in American history for offshore wind projects. During his service, he also led the creation of regional climate change centers in the United States.
Secretary Salazar also led the nation's efforts on conservation, including the designation of 10 National Parks and 10 National Conservation and Wildlife Refuges, and organized more than 100 other conservation and preservation projects in the United States. He also led the successful resolution of bilateral conservation efforts with Mexico and Canada along the two borders.
Mr. Salazar led the President's initiatives in creating a new chapter with Native American tribes and Alaska Natives. This effort included the resolution of longstanding conflicts like the Cobell litigation, water rights cases, and permitting energy and solar projects in Indian country.
As a US Senator, Senator Salazar sponsored and led efforts for the enactment of the 2005 Energy Policy Act, the 2006 Gulf of Mexico Security Act, the 2007 Farm Bill, and the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act. In each of these efforts, Mr. Salazar was a central player in putting together the successful bipartisan efforts that created the most significant energy legal framework in US history. As a member of the Veterans Affairs Committee, Mr. Salazar was a champion for veterans and created the Office of Rural Veterans Affairs and helped lead the efforts on the new Rocky Mountain Regional VA hospital.
Mr. Salazar received a JD degree from the University of Michigan and a political science degree from Colorado College. He later received honorary doctorates of law from Colorado College, the University of Denver and the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. He was recognized with induction into the Order of the Coif from the University of Colorado School of Law and received the University of Michigan Distinguished Alumni Award.
About the Sherman J. Bellwood Lectures
The Sherman J. Bellwood Lectures bring prominent and highly regarded local, regional and national leaders to the state of Idaho and the University of Idaho campus. Students have the opportunity to discuss, examine and debate a wide-range of subjects related to the justice system.
Throughout his distinguished career, Judge Sherman J. Bellwood was committed to the legal profession and to legal education. In one of his last and most generous contributions to legal education, Judge Bellwood endowed the Sherman J. Bellwood Lectures at the College of Law. According to the terms of his will, Judge Bellwood's purpose in establishing this endowment was "to enable the College of Law to invite and present persons learned in the law to lecture on legal subjects from time to time." This endowment is the largest endowed lectureship at the University of Idaho.