Heinrich Introduces Native New Mexican Tanya Trujillo For Consideration To Be Assistant Secretary For Water and Science

WASHINGTON – Today, in a key Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing to consider pending nominations, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) introduced native New Mexican Tanya Trujillo for consideration to be Assistant Secretary for Water and Science at the U.S. Department of the Interior.

VIDEO: Heinrich Introduces Native New Mexican Tanya Trujillo For Consideration To Be Assistant Secretary For Water and Science [HD DOWNLOAD LINK HERE]

In the hearing, Senator Heinrich requested that Trujillo make sure that the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project (NGWSP) stays on track and on budget moving forward. Trujillo agreed to work with Senator Heinrich to ensure that the project is “fully funded and completed.” Recently, Senator Heinrich visited the newly-completed Cutter Lateral Water Treatment Plant that is part of the NGWSP.

Find a full list of witnesses and a video of today’s hearing by clicking here. 

Senator Heinrich’s opening remarks as prepared for delivery are below.

Mr. Chairman,

I am very pleased to introduce a native New Mexican to the committee.

Tanya Trujillo is a water lawyer with more than 20 years of experience working on some of the toughest water problems facing New Mexico and the west. 

As anyone from a western state can tell you, solving water conflicts requires creativity, perseverance, and willingness to work with people from all walks to life. 

Ms. Trujillo excels at all three of these.

Some of you may remember Ms. Trujillo from her time on the staff of this committee, working for my predecessor, Senator Jeff Bingaman.

While on the committee staff, she was known for her ability to work across the aisle and solve hard problems in a bipartisan way.

Since her time here, she has worked as Executive Director of the Colorado River Board of California, as a project director with the Colorado River Sustainability Campaign, and as a commissioner on New Mexico’s Interstate Stream Commission.

Once confirmed as Assistant Secretary of Water and Science, I know Ms. Trujillo will be an invaluable partner to this committee in charting a sustainable water future for the west and ensuring that all of our communities have the best available science to inform their natural resource decisions.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.