Nominee attracts myriad allies, foes

Benjamin Grove

Friday, Jan. 12, 2001 | 11:33 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Environmentalists massed today to declare a public relations war on Gale Norton, President-elect George W. Bush's choice for interior secretary. Meanwhile Nevada miners have joined the ranks of Norton supporters.

Next week Norton -- a reserved politician attracting a legion of allies and foes -- steps into the Senate spotlight. Lawmakers likely will ask her about some of her controversial statements and gauge her philosophy on managing the nation's 500 million acres of public land.

Nevada officials are assessing what she would mean to the state.

"I reminded her that 87 percent of Nevada is owned by the federal government," said Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., who met with Norton this week in his Capitol office. "We're going to take a close look at her qualifications professionally and personally."

The Interior Department deals with diverse issues that affect Nevada including mining and ranching, endangered species, urban growth and Indian gambling. It oversees the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Indian Affairs, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey and Bureau of Reclamation, which manages Hoover Dam and critical water issues.

So far Norton, who was attorney general in Colorado from 1990 to 1998, is saying little -- like other Cabinet appointees, she is under orders to keep mum until Senate questioning.

But mining officials are quietly lauding Norton, who generally prefers free-market solutions to environmental problems rather than federal government intervention.

Mining officials detested current secretary Bruce Babbitt's efforts to restrict and close mines for environmental reasons and to preserve public lands from future mining.

Mining is the lifeblood of many rural Nevada towns. About 35 percent of Nevada's gold mine production and the "vast majority" of exploration for new mines takes place on Interior Department land, said Nevada Mining Association President Russ Fields. But Babbitt's Interior Department drove exploration dollars to other countries, Fields said.

"(Norton) seems to recognize that mining can take place at the same time that agencies take steps to protect the environment," Fields said. "We're really looking forward to this."

Norton once sued the Environmental Protection Agency, but also sued miners on behalf of Colorado, demanding Newmont Mining Co. clean up the state's Idarado Mine. Newmont has 13 mines in Nevada.

Newmont spokesmman Doug Hock said, "We found in our dealings with her that she was firm, but fair."

Environmental groups say Norton did little to help Colorado's lands and wildlife. The nation's top green groups slammed Norton at a Washington press conference today, saying she protects business profits, not public lands. They criticized her stance that taxpayers in some cases should compensate polluters and developers to comply with environmental law.

Norton is the "scariest nomination for secretary of interior" in 20 years, said Brock Evans, director of the Endangered Species Coalition.

Critics also are questioning why Norton accepted $60,000 last year from the Alaska Legislature to file court briefs seeking to overturn an Interior Department fishing policy, according to the Associated Press. She took the job to assist the Mountain States Legal Foundation, which often sues the department.

And critics point to several controversial Norton statements. This week activists unearthed a 1996 speech to the Independence Institute, a conservative Denver think tank, in which they said Norton likened her struggle to preserve states' rights against the federal government to the struggle of the Confederacy.

"That's just a ridiculous interpretation of what's in her heart," Bush said in her defense Thursday. "She in no way, shape or form was talking about any value to slavery."

Norton also said she once considered filing suit opposing tenets of the federal Americans With Disabilities Act that required the Colorado statehouse to have a wheelchair ramp. She said it was "a really ugly addition to the state capitol." Norton never filed the suit, but disabled-rights groups slammed the comment.

Among Norton's supporters is Nevada Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa, a Democrat, who began her job in 1990, the same year as Norton did in Colorado. Environmentalists charge Norton ignores laws she disagrees with, but that's not true, Del Papa said.

"Gale is well-qualified for this job," Del Papa said. "I have not always agreed with her. But I have always found her to be reasonable."

Former Gov. Bob List, newly named to Bush's transition team on Interior issues, also praised Norton. He has known her since his term in office in the early 1980s. List said Norton would respect local and state rights.

"She's bright, she's talented academically -- she's devoted her career to understanding the West and understanding the issues of the outdoors," List said.

List also praised Norton's experience with gaming issues. Colorado has both Indian and non-Indian gaming.

As interior secretary, Norton ultimately will oversee the corner of the Bureau of Indian Affairs that regulates and licenses Indian gambling operations.

"I understand her to be fair and balanced and respectful of the law as it concerns Indian gaming, and that's as much as anyone could expect," List said.

Some gambling industry leaders say the spread of Indian gambling could threaten Las Vegas casinos. It's not clear where Norton stands on the growing number of tribes with gaming operations.

Reid explained to Norton that Nevadans want Indian operations regulated as tightly as Nevada controls its casinos, he said. Reid said he is reserving final judgement about Norton until she weathers Senate questioning. "My gut reaction is that she is very smart, she's from the West -- if we can get past some of these other things, I think she is someone I can work with," Reid said.