Donald P. Hodel
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Donald Paul Hodel (born May 23, 1935), or more familiarly Don Hodel, served as United States Secretary of the Interior under U.S. President Ronald Reagan from 1985 to 1989. He was previously Secretary of Energy from 1982 to 1985.
Hodel wrote in the Department of the Interior’s 150th Anniversary Commerative Issue of People Land & Water, a publication of the Department of the Interior that he and his predecessors under President Reagan were given the same six charges:
Restore, improve, and preserve our national park, wilderness, and wildlife refuge systems. 29 new wildlife refuges were established, adding 1.7 million acres to the system; 54 endangered species were listed and 43 more were proposed for listing. Two million acres were added to the wilderness system, and $1 billion was spent on National Park restorations and improvements. . .
Enhance America's ability to meet its energy and mineral needs with domestic resources. On-shore assessments of energy potential and offshore leases were conducted leading to increased oil and gas production. Coal production from federal lands increased. Numerous mineland reclamation projects were commenced and completed. . .
Increase the supply and improve the management of quality water resources in an effort to avert a water crisis in the next decade. Numerous projects cleaning up and protecting water quality throught the United States in reservoirs, on Indian reservations, and in the trust territitories (e.g., American Samoa, Guam, etc.). . .
Improve state and local relationships with the Federal Government through a "good neighbor" policy. Many cooperative agreements, land exchanges, increased consultations, wetland protection projects and efforts to increase public awareness of the importance of proper use of public lands, e.g., through the Take Pride in America campaign, were conducted. . .
Promote the development of the economic and social resources of Indian tribes and U.S. island territories. The Reagan Administration fostered multiple programs and projects to assist Indian tribes with their economic development, protect their water and other rights. . . Local control and responsibility for island territories were encouraged by specific programs for job creation, education, crime prevention, and drug interdiction. . .
Bring better government through good management and decisive leadership. While the budget increased there was a 15% decline in spending power of the dollar over the eight years and an 11-percent decline in personnel ceiling in the DOI. Streamlined management processes were installed. Productivity enhancement programs were conducted to reduce costs and improve efficiency. . .
During his tenure as Secretary of the Interior, critics objected to his formulating what they called the Hodel policy, which stated that disused dirt roads and footpaths could be considered right-of-ways under RS 2477. This disrupted their efforts to impose a new management policy on a large amount of federal land and interefered with their efforts to create vast new wilderness areas. In spite of these criticisms, the Reagan Administratrion Secretaries added over two million acres to the national wilderness system. The Hodel policy was continued under Secretary Lujan in the Bush Administration. It was finally rescinded in 1997 by Secretary Bruce Babbitt.
In his article, Hodel added, "Throughout President Reagan's eight years, his secretaries of the Interior pursued these objectives within the framework of his and their conviction that America could have both an improving environment and an adequated energy supply. We did not and do not have to choose between them, as some have contended. . . ."
Moving to Colorado where he engaged in the energy consulting business and served on various charitable and corporate boards of directors, Hodel later served as President of Christian Coalition from 1997 to 1999, a nonprofit conservative traditional values group.
From May, 2003, until March, 2005, Hodel served as President and CEO of Focus on the Family, a nonprofit evangelical Christian organization which seeks the preservation of the home and the traditionally-defined family unit: father, mother and child(ren). He had served on its board several years prior to being named Focus' President in 2003. He has stated that his job was to manage the transition from the Founder, Dr. James Dobson and find his successor. He remains on the Board of Directors.
| Preceded by: James B. Edwards | United States Secretary of Energy 1982–1985 | Succeeded by: John S. Herrington |
| Preceded by: William Patrick Clark | United States Secretary of the Interior 1985–1989 | Succeeded by: Manuel Lujan Jr. |