Interim Fish and Wildlife Assistant Secretary’s Lack of Experience Concerns Senators at Confirmation Hearings
Key takeaways
- June 26, 2026 Share This Article Republish Kevin Lilly is sworn in for his second term as chairman of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission at the Texas State Capitol in 2023.
- Ted Cruz, R-Texas, described Lilly as someone who fostered a strong appreciation for public lands through his “deep love of the outdoors, including fishing and hunting.”
- Lilly told members of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works that experiencing the nation’s public lands deepened his desire to expand access to them.
Why this matters: environmental and climate reporting with long-term consequences.
June 26, 2026 Share This Article Republish Kevin Lilly is sworn in for his second term as chairman of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission at the Texas State Capitol in 2023. Credit: Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission Related Utah National Monument Survives Attempt to Rescind its Management Plan New BLM Grazing Rules Eliminate Tribal Buffalo From Public Lands Why Wildfire Experts Are So Worried About This Year’s Fire Season Share This Article Republish Most Popular As Colorado River States Struggle to Reach Agreement, New Mexico Brings on a Fresh Voice A Pipeline Company Says It Will Protect the Environment in North Carolina. Its Record in Tennessee Says Otherwise. How a Tiny Texas River Agency Plans to Build the Largest Desalination Plant in the Country When President Donald Trump nominated Kevin Lilly last year to oversee management of the nation’s wildlife refuges and national parks, conservation advocacy organizations raised concerns over how his lack of public lands experience would impact the Department of the Interior’s conservation commitments.
Prior to assuming the role of assistant secretary for fish, wildlife and parks on an acting basis, Lilly served as the chairman of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and founded Avalon Advisors, the largest privately owned wealth management firm in the state. At a confirmation hearing this week, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, described Lilly as someone who fostered a strong appreciation for public lands through his “deep love of the outdoors, including fishing and hunting.”
Lilly told members of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works that experiencing the nation’s public lands deepened his desire to expand access to them.