'Sell Off Steve' Pearce a Terrible Choice for BLM, Colorado Public Lands

DENVER - The U.S. Senate hearingfor Steve Pearce, nominee for Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is triggering fierce push back from conservation and environmental groups this week.

Pearce, a former New Mexico U.S. Representative and anti-public lands firebrand, previously supported mass expansion of oil and gas operations, worked to undermine climate action and attempted to shrink the size of national monuments. While serving in Congress, Pearce made up to $2 million from personal stake in oil and gas projects and received $2.3 million from the industry for his political campaigns. Conservation groups fear Pearce, if confirmed, will execute widely-opposed plans by the Trump administration to sell public lands.

BLM manages 8.3 million acres of public lands and 27 million mineral estate acres in Colorado, according to its website.

Margarat Kran-Annexstein, Director of Colorado Sierra Club released the following statement:

"Congress must reject this absurd choice for BLM Director. Pearce would be the definition of a fox guarding the hen house. 'Sell off Steve' doesn't have any credentials to manage 245 million acres of national public lands other than he knows how to make himself and his buddies oil and gas millionaires by exploiting the public's coffers. The Colorado Sierra Club thanks Senators Hickenlooper and Bennet for pledging to vote no."

About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit https://www.sierraclub.org.