President Joe Biden on Thursday announced his nominee to serve as the next deputy secretary of the Interior Department.
Shannon Estenoz, who was confirmed in 2021 as Interior’s assistant secretary for fish and wildlife, is Biden’s pick to take over for former Interior Deputy Tommy Beaudreau, who stepped down last year, the White House announced.
Estenoz, a longtime environmental champion who dedicated much of her career to Everglades restoration, faces long odds for confirmation at an agency that serves as a lightning rod for lawmakers angry with the Biden administration’s energy policies.
The White House stressed in its announcement Thursday that Estenoz was confirmed by unanimous consent in 2021 for her current post.
If confirmed, Estenoz would replace Laura Daniel-Davis, who has been holding the job in an acting capacity.
As assistant secretary for fish and wildlife and parks, Estenoz oversees the entire National Park Service and other departments.
Before she joined the Biden administration, Estenoz served as chief operating officer at the nonprofit Everglades Foundation.
She previously worked in the Obama administration when then-Interior Secretary Ken Salazar appointed her in 2010 to serve as director of Everglades Restoration Initiatives.
