Sally Jewell, an outdoor-equipment executive and former petroleum engineer and commercial banker, won Senate confirmation to become U.S. Interior secretary in a bipartisan Senate vote. 
 
 Jewell’s nomination won approval today 87-11. 
 
 The chief executive officer of outfitter Recreational Equipment Inc., Jewell pledged in her confirmation hearing to balance conflicting demands in using federal land for recreation, conservation, mining and forestry. 
 
 “She is the right person to oversee the multitude of programs” in the Interior Department, Oregon Democrat Ron Wyden, chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said before the vote. “She understands there is an enormous challenge to balance these dual roles of conserving and developing.” 
 
 In hearings leading up to the vote, Republican senators such as Wyoming’s John Barrasso had questioned her ties to environmental groups that had opposed oil and coal use near national parks or on government lands. While at Kent, Washington-based REI, Jewell has helped lead groups such as the National Parks Conservation Association that pushed the government to curb fossil-fuel mining in or near public lands. 
 
 Jewell, 57, will replace Ken Salazar at the Interior Department, a sprawling, 70,000-employee agency that manages national parks along with 500 million acres of mineral-rich land. Interior also oversees development of offshore resources. 
 
 ‘Pay Attention’ 
 
 Given its large holdings in Alaska and other western states, “when it comes to cabinet positions, this is one we are going to pay attention to,” Republican Lisa Murkowski said on the Senate floor. “We all have instances, where people from the state we represent have to go knock on the door of some federal agency, and they don’t feel like they are being adequately heard.” 
 
 Murkowski said she was “very impressed with her level of sincerity,” and said she also supported Jewell. 
 
 Jewell is an accomplished mountain climber, expert skier and longtime bicycle commuter, and was supported for the Interior post by environmental groups such as the Sierra Club. 
 
 She pledged to resign her post at REI once confirmed by the Senate. 
 
 To contact the reporter on this story: Mark Drajem in Washington at mdrajem@bloomberg.net 
 
 To contact the editor responsible for this story: Jon Morgan at jmorgan97@bloomberg.net ||||| The Senate approved Sally Jewell Sarah (Sally) Margaret JewellOvernight Regulation: Senate panel approves driverless car bill | House bill to change joint-employer rule advances | Treasury to withdraw proposed estate tax rule | Feds delaying Obama methane leak rule Overnight Energy: Dems take on Trump's chemical safety pick GOP chairman probes Zinke’s charter plane use MORE to be the next Interior Secretary on Wednesday, placing her atop an agency at the center of intense political battles over energy throughout President Obama’s tenure. 
 
 Lawmakers voted 87-11 to approve Jewell to run the department that oversees conservation, recreation, oil-and-gas drilling and other uses on vast swaths of federal land. Eleven Republicans opposed her nomination. 
 
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 “Sally knows that business and environment both benefit when we are committed to protecting our national parks and national treasures,” Sen.(D-Wash.) said. 
 
 Jewell, who lives in Seattle, is the head of outdoor gear giant REI, Inc. Before taking the REI job, she spent two decades working in the banking industry and began her career as an engineer for Mobil Oil Corp. (before its merger with Exxon). 
 
 “Outdoor recreation is now a major economic generator for our country,” Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Ron Wyden Ronald (Ron) Lee WydenLobbying World Overnight Regulation: House to vote on repealing joint-employer rule | EPA won't say which areas don't meet Obama smog rule | Lawmakers urge regulators to reject Perry plan New tax plan will hinder care for older Americans MORE (D-Ore.) said ahead of her vote. “That’s why I’m especially enthused today to recommend Sally Jewell to head the Department of Interior. … You can’t run a multi-billion dollar company like REI without being able to bring people together and anticipating some of the trends that lie ahead.” 
 
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 Republicans and petroleum industry groups say the Obama administration has placed too many restrictions on oil-and-gas drilling and other commercial development, battles likely to continue under Jewell, who replaces outgoing Secretary Ken Salazar. 
 
 But Sen. Lisa Murkowski Lisa Ann MurkowskiMoore digs in amid mounting GOP criticism Republicans float pushing back Alabama special election Moore defends himself as pressure mounts MORE (R-Alaska), the top Republican on the Senate’s energy committee, said she was hopeful that Jewell would work with all sides in various battles over Interior policy. Murkowski said that the most important role of the Interior Secretary is being a “landlord” since Interior owns a large portion of U.S. land. 
 
 “I think we recognize as westerners that this is a position that has great meaning to our states, so we pay attention to who is the Secretary of Interior,” Murkowski said. “Really the most prominent role is being a landlord … and we need to trust our landlord.” 
 
 The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved Jewell with a bipartisan 19-3 vote last month. ||||| The Senate has confirmed Sally Jewell, CEO of outdoor retailer Recreational Equipment Inc., as interior secretary. 
 
 Jewell will oversee more than 500 million acres of national parks and other public lands, and more than 1 billion acres offshore. The lands are used for energy development, mining, recreation and other purposes. The department also provides services to 566 federally recognized Indian tribes. The Senate approved her nomination, 87-11. 
 
 A lifelong outdoors enthusiast, the 57-year-old Jewell previously worked as a petroleum engineer and banker. She also served on the board of the National Parks Conservation Association, an advocacy group that works to protect and enhance national parks. 
 
 President Barack Obama's nominated Jewell last month to replace outgoing Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, who announced his departure in January. Jewell is from Seattle.
– President Obama's choice to be the next interior secretary sailed through her Senate confirmation today by a vote of 87 to 11, reports the Washington Post. Sally Jewell, 57, will replace Ken Salazar as head of the department that overseas 500 million acres of parks and public lands, reports AP. Jewell has an interesting resume, notes Bloomberg and the Hill: She is currently CEO of the huge outdoor gear company REI, though she will resign immediately. Previously, she worked as a petroleum engineer and a commercial banker. “Outdoor recreation is now a major economic generator for our country,” Democrat Ron Wyden of Oregon said before the vote. “You can’t run a multi-billion dollar company like REI without being able to bring people together and anticipating some of the trends that lie ahead."