Interior Secretary Deb Haaland breaks leg in hiking accident

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland suffered a fractured leg Sunday after a hiking accident in Virginia, the Biden administration confirmed Monday. 

In a statement, the department said the secretary broke her left fibula while hiking in Shenandoah National Park. 

Haaland, 61, was due to return to work virtually Monday afternoon.

“She is grateful to Park staff, the U.S. Park Police, and the team at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for their excellent care,” a spokesperson said. 

Haaland was confirmed by the Senate as interior secretary in March 2021 by a 51-40 vote. Haaland, a member of the Pueblo of Laguna and a 35th-generation New Mexican, is the first Native American to lead a cabinet department in US history.

She previously represented New Mexico in Congress for more than two years and led the state’s Democratic Party.

While Democrats and native tribes praised her appointment, many Republicans have criticized Haaland over her support of the progressive Green New Deal and anti-fracking stance.

Earlier this month, the Interior Department quietly announced a proposed five-year plan for the sale of offshore oil and gas leases that one critic described as a “de facto moratorium” on domestic drilling at a time of high gas prices.