David J. Hayes Joins NRDC as a Senior Fellow

WASHINGTON, D.C. – David J. Hayes, the former deputy secretary of the Interior and senior White House climate advisor, is joining NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) as a senior fellow.

Hayes will draw on his decades of experience to advise on development and implementation strategies to bring about a quick and just clean energy transition. He will also advise on climate-smart agriculture, forestry, and other nature-based climate solutions, which increase resilience and protect biodiversity as well.

“David Hayes is one of our nation’s preeminent experts on the consideration and permitting of energy projects on public lands and waters,” said Manish Bapna, president and chief executive officer of NRDC. “We look forward to his counsel on how best to accelerate the clean energy transition while protecting the rights of communities and safeguarding wildlife and our natural surroundings.”

In addition to his part-time work at NRDC Hayes is a lecturer at Stanford Law School where he will be working with students and faculty on a variety of climate and clean energy issues. Hayes, who left the White House late last year, served as Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer of the U.S. Department of the Interior during both the Obama and Clinton administrations.]

“We need a dynamic clean energy transition, and we need it to be done right,” Hayes said. “Working with the amazing experts at NRDC, I hope to help develop and advocate for the strategies that we need to get this clean energy economy built quickly – and built right.”

NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.