Federal Land Managers Belong Out West

Washington, DC - ConservAmerica Vice President of Policy Todd Johnston released the following statement today in response to the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) announcement that it will move its headquarters back to Washington, DC:

“The relocation decision by the BLM is both disappointing and illogical. If one thing is clear, the Washington-knows-best approach to the management of federal lands doesn’t work. Over 90%  of the 245 million acres of land managed by the BLM, and the vast majority of agency employees are located in the western states (including Alaska). 

“BLM employees are stewards of our public lands. To effectively do that, they need to be close to the land, wildlife, and communities affected by their decisions. A move back to DC only serves to benefit lobbyists and special interest groups while their constituency takes a backseat. 

“Our country’s vast and bountiful public lands were not meant to be used as a political pawn; they deserve the respect of agency officials who live in their midst. Unfortunately, with this move, the people charged with this responsibility will be detached from the consequences of their decisions. This purely political move is to the detriment of the land, the agency, and the country.” 

In 2018 the Interior Department announced that the Bureau of Land Management would be moving its headquarters to a Western state, ultimately settling on Grand Junction, Colorado. This was a strategic decision that sought to put BLM leadership closer to the lands and resources they managed. At the time, the decision received bipartisan support in Congress.

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