WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) issued the following statement after reports that the nomination of William Pendley to lead the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has been withdrawn.
“After fighting against this nomination at every turn, I am pleased that Mr. Pendley’s name has been withdrawn to be the permanent director of the Bureau of Land Management. Mr. Pendley is thoroughly unqualified to be tasked with managing and taking care our nation’s public lands and wildlife,” said Senator Rosen. “Now that his nomination has been withdrawn, Mr. Pendley must step down from his role as de facto director of the BLM as soon as possible. I’ll continue to be an advocate for the environment and stand up in the fight to protect our nation’s public lands.”
BACKGROUND: Approximately 67 percent of the state of Nevada – roughly 48 million acres – is managed by the Bureau of Land Management.
Last week, Senator Rosen joined Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Joe Manchin (D-WV) and the entire Democratic Caucus in a letter to President Trump opposing Bureau of Land Management Director nominee William Perry Pendley.
Last month, Senator Rosen joined a letter led by Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) calling for an expedited Senate confirmation hearing for William Perry Pendley, who was installed as the de facto acting director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) nearly a year ago without a confirmation hearing or vote. The letter highlights Pendley’s history of hostility toward the public lands he now oversees, and urges the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to expedite the confirmation hearing so Pendley can answer in-person for his troubling record of anti-public lands advocacy before the American public. Additionally, Senator Rosen joined Senator Tester in a press call highlighting Pendley’s troubling record and calling for an expedited hearing so the public can see how unfit he is for this nomination.
In March, Senator Rosen helped introduce the Great American Outdoors Act (S. 3422), landmark legislation to preserve and protect our country’s public lands. The bipartisan legislation provides permanent and full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and addresses the nearly $12 billion maintenance backlog in our national parks and land management agencies. The legislation passed the Senate in June and was signed into law earlier this month.
Mr. Pendley has numerous conflicts of interest related to issues that would come before the Bureau of Land Management. One point of major concern involves Pendley’s encouragement of armed standoffs between federal law enforcement officials and ranchers. Pendley wrote an article entitled “The Federal Government Should Follow the Constitution and Sell Its Western Lands”.
###
