Ronald Reagan campaigned in 1980 on a promise to halt the growth of government power, and denounced the environmental regulations that developed in the 1970s. He advocated providing businesses with easier access to resources on publicly protected land. James Watt, Reagan’s first Secretary of the Interior, angered environmentalists by supporting western interests who protested what they viewed as restrictions on use of public land. Environmental battles ensued during the 1980s over private use of resources in federal wilderness areas and over whether protection of the endangered spotted owl should take priority over timber cutting in old-growth forest of the Pacific Northwest. Here is an excerpt of an interview with James Watt in 1981. Source: U.S. News and World Report, May 25, 1981

Q Mr. Secretary, people are afraid that you are going to push for greater development of natural resources at the expense of the environment. How do you respond?

A With our technology, we can protect the environment and still bring on the development that is necessary for improving the quality of life and bolstering national defense. Environmental sensitivity requires a balance of economic development and environmental preservation.

In the last 10 years, we have not had proper energy and mineral development in America. If a crisis comes because of shortages and the political scene dictates a crash development program, I fear that it will be done without regard to the ecology. That’s what we must avoid.

Q How much federally owned land will be leased for development and exploration?

A We will look at the resource base to determine what its best utilization will be. We're not going to try to determine that you ought to have x acres of wilderness and x acres dedicated to oil refineries, for example. What is important is finding out what is the best use for America of a particular piece of land.

Q Why do we need more development of federal Tandy?

A Because America needs more energy, more timber, more agricultural grazing. We have not had an oil-and-gas lease issued onshore Alaska since the mid-1960s. We have not had a major coal lease issued since the early 1970s. Applications have been pending for oil-and-gas leases in the overthrust belts of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho for 10 years. Our mining industry is in very bad shape. Yet we ask why there's an energy crisis.

Q What about mineral development and stockpiling?

A We need to build up a strategic-mineral reserve-a supply of minerals vital to the economy and to the nation's defense, such as cobalt, chromium and manganese. Supplies of these strategic minerals have dropped dramatically because past administrations systematically closed America's public lands to mineral exploration and development. Two thirds to three quarters of America's public lands are closed to mineral development, even though a large share of these lands could, by law, be managed under multiple-use concepts.

We hope to change that by allowing more access to federal lands. In addition, the administration, in an effort to strengthen our defense posture, has authorized the purchase of cobalt-the first purchase of a strategic mineral in 20 years.

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Q Can this country develop energy resources off its coasts without endangering fish and wildlife?

A The marine scientists and the biologists tell us definitely that we can. The history of environmental protection from drilling on the outer continental shelf has been remarkably good. We have had only two spills of more than 1,000 barrels since 1970. Of course, a Mexican offshore well went out of control in 1979, causing damage to Padre Island, Tex., but I am advised that huge spill would not have happened under drilling procedures and environmental safeguards observed in U.S. waters.

A far bigger danger to the environment is the risk of spills from giant tankers carrying foreign oil to the U.S. If we could be fortunate enough to find a few more Prudhoe Bays off our coasts, we could lessen that dependence on foreign oil and the chances of environmental damages that go with it. But there's no way to tell for sure where and how much oil we have offshore unless we explore for it.

Q How can the country increase the production and use of its huge coal resources?

A Instead of having the Department of the Interior determine which tracts of federal land would best be mined, we want to rely more on the marketplace, which has more wisdom in allocating the resources than does the federal government. We want to allow the private sector to nominate the lands that are best for mining on the basis of accessibility to transportation and the quality of coal needed. We also hope to rewrite regulations, as the law intends, to allow states more authority in determining how mined land is to be restored and re- claimed, instead of allowing Washington to dictate a uniform policy for all states. For example, instead of insisting that surface-mining firms restore lands to the original contour, states might decide to allow a tract to be set aside for a hospital, housing or some other pressing need.