James G. Watt was the secretary of the interior from 1981 to 1983, appointed by President Ronald Reagan (1911–2004).
- Died: May 27, 2023 (Who else died on May 27?)
- Details of death: Died in Arizona at the age of 85.
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James G. Watt’s legacy
Watt’s tenure as secretary of the interior was controversial in part because of his rolling back of several environmental protections established in previous administrations. He believed that the U.S. should be using its resources for the greater economic good rather than environmental conservation. He worked to remove restrictions on the use of public lands for drilling and mining, in contrast to other 20th century efforts to preserve public land as wilderness.
Other controversies stemmed from Watt’s public statements about his policy decisions and social issues. Asked before Congress if he agreed that natural resources should be preserved for future generations, he replied, “I do not know how many future generations we can count on before the Lord returns.” Watt sought to end rock concerts on the National Mall, citing recent concerts by the Beach Boys and the Grass Roots as attracting an unwholesome element; he walked this back after Vice President George H.W. Bush (1924–2018) spoke out in defense of the Beach Boys — and both President Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan (1921–2016) noted that they, too, were fans of the band’s music. Most damning was Watt’s 1983 statement in a speech to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in which he mocked affirmative action efforts. He described a panel reviewing his policies as including “every kind of mixture — I have a Black. I have a woman, two Jews and a cripple. And we have talent.” Within weeks of that incident, Watt had resigned from his position.
Though Watt was dismissed by some as unsuited for his position, in the end, his perspectives indicated the future direction of Republican Party policymaking. The energy policies of the George W. Bush administration echoed Watt’s own attempts to widen access to drilling and mining. After leaving the Reagan administration, Watt lobbied for builders with the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Ten years later, he came to the attention of a federal grand jury investigating influence peddling by lobbyists, and he was charged with 25 counts of perjury and obstructing justice. Initially a felony, the charges were reduced to a single misdemeanor, and Watt paid a fine and did community service.
Watt on the second Bush administration’s energy policy
“Everything Cheney’s saying, everything the president is saying, is exactly what we were saying 20 years ago. Twenty years later, it sounds like they’ve just dusted off the old work.” —from a 2001 interview for the Denver Post
Full obituary: The Washington Post
