Obama Interior Pick Advocated Outdoor Industry Over Drilling

As she stood before governors from western U.S. states last June, Sally Jewell made a pitch that was self-evident and revolutionary: Public lands are an economic boon.

“Protecting America’s parks, waters and trails is about protecting the economy, the communities and the people whose lives depend on the ability to play outside,” Jewell, president of Recreational Equipment Inc., told the 22-member governors’ group at a resort in Washington’s Cascade mountains.