Sen. Ken Salazar told a Senate panel Thursday that if confirmed as Interior secretary, he will try to include funding for national parks and other public lands in the pending economic stimulus package.

At the confirmation hearing, before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Chairman Jeff Bingaman questioned Salazar about the economic recovery plan that House Democratic leaders had outlined. Bingaman urged Salazar to make sure the final plan includes funding to address deferred maintenance projects for national parks, forests and water infrastructure.

In particular, Bingaman, D-N.M., said he wants to address a $9.5 billion backlog in maintenance projects at the National Park Service, a $5 billion backlog at the Forest Service and $3 billion for aging water infrastructure. He also said the stimulus plan could help fund Bureau of Indian Affairs schools.

Salazar, D-Colo., has decades of experience working on public lands issues in Colorado and is expected to be easily confirmed. He said he would help the new administration “understand the importance” of those issues.

“We know that there are over $2.5 billion of projects ready to go in our national park systems, so we hope to be able to address those in our recovery package,” he said.

The House’s stimulus proposal would spend $2 billion on national park maintenance, including $200 million to renovate the National Mall.

Salazar also pledged that he would “clean up the mess” at the Interior Department after a series of ethical controversies under the Bush administration. A recent investigation found that industry officials engaged in sex and drug use with Interior employees responsible for oil and gas leasing. Also, a Bush political appointee was forced out after she overruled scientific opinions on endangered species.

“If confirmed, my first priority will be to lead the Interior Department with openness in decision-making, high ethical standards and respect for scientific integrity,” Salazar said in prepared testimony.

He also said he would be an important member of President-elect Barack Obama ’s team working on a national energy policy, which will include conservation, renewable energy and “responsible development” of natural resources such as oil and gas on public lands.

Salazar declined to say whether he would support a reinstatement of the ban on oil and gas drilling off the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, which Congress allowed to expire last year. In the Senate, he signed on to a bipartisan compromise proposal that would have allowed drilling off the coast of certain Southeastern states.

Salazar promised to look at offshore drilling “in the context of a comprehensive energy plan” and in consultation with Congress. “I think what we need is to have a thoughtful process as we go forward to make sure we’re doing the right thing.”

He also did not say whether he would overturn a recent Bush administration rule allowing loaded guns in national parks. But Salazar is a staunch advocate for the rights of gun owners, noting that he grew up “with a gun often next to me” on a remote Colorado ranch.

Bingaman said he hoped the Senate would confirm Salazar within a week. “I’m delighted by his nomination,” he said. “He has my enthusiastic support.”