Interior staff's top seats in limbo

The Interior Department's Web site links to a page highlighting key officials. It's blank. The department, which manages millions of acres of public lands, including large swaths of Utah, is still waiting for most of its top people. At the moment, Secretary Ken Salazar is the only official who has been confirmed by the Senate to serve at the department under President Barack Obama and several others are awaiting hearings or votes. Part of the holdup stems from a clash with Utah's two senators and part with a slowdown of the vetting process to appoint new political designees for the department. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee gave its nod to Hayes' nomination, though Bennett's hold means it won't move on the Senate floor. A similar hold has been placed on Tom Strickland, who was named assistant secretary for Fish and Wildlife, though Bennett denies he's blocking that one. When it returns to session today, the Senate is expected to start tackling nominations of several other departments, though it's unclear when some of the Interior designees will get hearings. The Obama administration, too, has yet to name some positions, including the director of the Bureau of Land Management...Salt Lake Tribune