Sierra Club Idaho Statement on Vote to Confirm Steve Pearce to Run BLM

BOISE, Idaho - Today, the U.S. Senate voted to approve the nomination of ex-congressman Steve Pearce to lead the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The final vote passed 46-43, with Idaho's Senator Crapo voting yes and Senator Risch not voting.

Pearce, who formerly represented New Mexico in the House of Representatives, was the second nominee made by Donald Trump to lead the country's largest land management agency. His first, oil and gas lobbyist Kathleen Sgamma, withdrew her nomination in the spring when her criticisms of Trump's involvement in the January 6 Capitol riot became public.

Pearce has a long track record of opposition to public lands, including supporting the sale of public landscapes to private developers and pushing to reduce the size of national monuments.

Last month, as a member of the Senate Natural Resources Committee, Idaho's Sen. Risch announced that he had secured Pearce's "promise" to not sell-off public lands in his new role, and that the BLM Director has no legal authority to sell public lands. Risch then voted in favor of advancing Pearce's nomination out of committee.

Sierra Club's Idaho Chapter responded by publishing an opinion piece that called out Sen. Risch for misleading the public, stating that the BLM Director can, in fact, sell public lands. The piece also urged Risch to vote no on Pearce's final confirmation on the Senate floor, pointing to Pearce's record as evidence that he can't be trusted to protect public lands. Risch did not participate in the final vote today.

Since returning to office, Trump has advanced policies and agency heads to greatly expand oil and gas development, mining, and logging on public lands at the expense of public access and input, often with the support of Idaho's Senators.

In response, Lisa Young, Sierra Club Idaho Chapter Director, released the following statement:

"After proudly touting himself as a public lands champion, Senator Risch, alongside Senator Crapo, has once again failed the people of Idaho today, allowing our public lands to be put in the hands of greedy billionaires and corporations. 'Sell-Off Steve' Pearce has a track record of prioritizing corporate interests over people, no matter what 'promises' he's made to Sen. Risch, and with him at the helm of the BLM, Idaho's pristine waters, wilderness areas, and outdoor heritage are all at risk. While our Senators keep trying to strip away our access to nature, the Sierra Club will continue to fight for protecting Idaho's public lands for generations to come."

Just last month, the full Idaho Legislature passed a Joint Memorial addressed to Congress advocating against the sell-off or transfer of national public lands and urging Idaho's Senators to co-sponsor the Public Lands in Public Hands Act.

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.