Bush Picks Idaho Gov. Kempthorne to Head Interior

President Bush today nominated Idaho's Republican Gov. Dirk Kempthorne to be the next Secretary or the Interior. If confirmed by the Senate, Kempthorne would replace departing Sec. Gale Norton, who resigned on March 10.

As Interior Secretary, Kempthorne would be responsible for the daily management and protection of the National Parks system, 544 wildlife refuges and more than 260 million acres of publicly owned lands, mainly in 12 Western states.

After serving in the U.S. Senate from 1993 through 1998, the 54-year-old Kempthorne was elected Governor of Idaho in 1998, and to a second term in 2002. During his two terms, Kempthorne worked to expand and improve Idaho's system of parks roads, and took a leadership role in Idaho's Sate Parks Initiative (.pdf).

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