NEW MEXICO FEDERAL LANDS NEWS by Frank Dubois
The BLM’s ‘West Side Story’
S
enator Cory Gardner (R-CO) went public with the info on July 15. The official announcement of the Trump administration’s reorganization of the Bureau of Land Management was made via a letter to Congress, as required by law, on July 16. The BLM Director, Deputy Director of Operations, Assistant Directors and some of their staff, totaling 27 positions, will be relocated from Washington, D.C. to Pueblo, Colorado. In addition, 222 employees currently performing headquarters duties will continue to perform those duties but from western states “in order to optimize the BLM’s presence where the needs are greatest.” An additional 74 technical positions will be assigned to various western states. About 84 percent of the Washington staff
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will be relocated westerly. New Mexico will beth Klein, former associate deputy receive 32 new positions. secretary at the Interior Department during Sixty positions will remain in D.C., includ- the Obama Administration. ing the Deputy Director of Policy and Uh oh, this will cause angst in some of Programs, and those involved in legislative the employees. Is this the same type of affairs, public affairs and other functions angst suffered by ranchers who have had best suited to a D.C. presence. their grazing permits diminished or canEnvironmental groups and elected offi- celed? Is this the same type of angst cials who support a more centralized, suffered by those whose homes and proptop-down, form of natural resource man- erty are destroyed by out-of-control agement are having a fit. wildland fire? Is this the same type of angst Kate Kelly, public lands director for the suffered by those who have lost their jobs liberal think tank Center for American Prog- as a result of some bug or plant that is ress, says, “The true impact of this move is protected? to make the agency and its leadership invisSenator Tom Udall (D-NM) says, “BLM ible in a city where — like it or not — the leadership must be accessible and accountdecisions about budgets and policies are able to all affected states and to Congress, made. The constant shuffling, shrinking which sits in Washington. A sudden relocaand disassembling of BLM’s workforce will tion would also likely mean BLM would have long-term implications for the health shed essential staff, crippling the agency’s of the agency.” ability to carry out its responsibilities to Like many of the opponents of this move, protect and manage our precious public she seems to care more about the health of lands. Based on what I know so far, I have the agency than she does the condition of serious reservations about this plan…” our natural resources or the citizens Again, more concern about Congress of the West. “which sits in Washington”, and federal “Any movement like that costs a lot of employees than the residents and resources money, creates a lot of uncertainty and of the West. causes angst with employees,” said ElizaOther opponents are attempting to use
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