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

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the U.S. Senate voted to approve the nomination of ex-congressman Steve Pearce to lead the Bureau of Land Management by a vote of 46 - 43.

Pearce formerly represented New Mexico in the House of Representatives and was the second nominee made by Donald Trump to lead the country's largest land management agency. His first choice, 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. Since returning to office, Trump has advanced policies to greatly expand oil and gas development, mining, and logging on public lands at the expense of public access and input.

In response, Dan Ritzman, Director of Conservation at Sierra Club, released the following statement:

"The test of a BLM director is whether they will steward public lands for the benefit of all Americans. Steve Pearce has consistently failed that test. From his time in Congress to his business activities, Pearce has demonstrated time and time again that he thinks the primary benefits of our natural heritage should go to corporations and billionaires and not the American people. BLM needs a strong and capable leader at its helm, not someone in the pocket of the oil and gas industry who wants to sell off this country's natural heritage."

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.