Travis Annatoyn, former Deputy Solicitor for Energy and Mineral Resources at the U.S. Department of the Interior, has over a decade of environmental experience as a litigator and policymaker with the federal government and in the nonprofit sector.
As Deputy Solicitor, Travis was responsible for overseeing the Department’s litigation, rulemaking, and other actions under statutes such as the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, the Mineral Leasing Act, the Geothermal Steam Act, and the Mining Law. He worked closely with leadership throughout the Department and the Executive Branch on administration priorities including critical minerals, geothermal energy, offshore wind, and implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs and Act.
At the U.S. Department of Justice, Travis was a trial attorney in the Environment and Natural Resources Division, where he was selected to the Attorney General’s Honors Program. On behalf of agencies including the Department of the Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency, he litigated complex environmental and constitutional challenges in both trial and appellate courts, with a particular focus on infrastructure and wildlife.
Prior to joining the Department of the Interior, Travis was Managing Senior Counsel for the Democracy Forward Foundation (2018-2021). He played a key role in building the Foundation’s environmental practice and spearheading legal and policy strategy, representing national and regional conservation membership organizations.
Perspectives
Credentials
Education
- J.D., Columbia Law School, 2010, Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar
- B.A., University of Michigan, 2006, with high distinction
Admissions
- District of Columbia
- New York
Government & Military Service
- Deputy Solicitor for Energy and Mineral Resources, U.S. Department of the Interior (2021-2025)
- Trial Attorney, Environment and Natural Resources Division, U.S. Department of Justice (2012-2018)
Clerkships
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims, The Honorable Mary Ellen Coster Williams, 2011-2012