On May 18, the U.S. Senate confirmed Stevan Pearce as director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) as part of a larger package of nominees approved by Senate Republicans. Mr. Pearce, a former seven-term Republican congressman from New Mexico, takes over an agency responsible for managing approximately 245 million acres of federal land, with a mandate under the current administration to expand sales of oil, gas, timber, and critical minerals.
Mr. Pearce’s tenure will coincide with proposed cuts outlined in the White House’s fiscal year 2027 budget request, which calls for reducing BLM’s budget by 33.9 percent, to $936 million, and reducing its workforce by 26.9 percent, to approximately 5,836 employees. At his February confirmation hearing, Mr. Pearce stated he would work to ensure land managers make decisions with local input and in accordance with the law.
Mr. Pearce’s confirmation completes leadership across several key Interior Department bureaus, including the Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, and Office of Land and Mineral Management.
For more information, contact RCRC Senior Policy Advocate, Staci Heaton.