1. United States
2. Minn.
3. Letter

I urge you to oppose Steve Pearce's nomination to lead the Bureau of Land Management. As director of the nation's largest land manager overseeing 245 million acres of public lands, this position demands someone committed to conservation and public access. Pearce's record demonstrates he is fundamentally opposed to these principles. During his 14-year congressional career representing New Mexico's 2nd District, Pearce earned a 4 percent score from the League of Conservation Voters, one of the worst environmental voting records in the House. In 2012, he coauthored a letter advocating for the sale of public lands, stating "Over 90 percent of this land is located in the western states, and most of it we do not even need." The Center for American Progress included him in their "Anti-Parks Caucus" in 2016 for his consistent opposition to public lands protection. Pearce's deep financial ties to the oil and gas industry raise serious concerns about conflicts of interest. After his first election to Congress, he and his wife sold their oilfield services company for $12 million. The Pearce family continued profiting from oil industry connections, earning between $200,000 and $2 million in 2017 alone. Throughout his congressional tenure, the oil and gas industry donated $2.3 million to Pearce, making them his top political funders. His judgment is further called into question by his response to illegal actions on public lands. When armed militia members occupied Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in 2016, causing millions in damage, Pearce blamed the BLM rather than condemning the occupation. In 2011, video captured him illegally cutting trees on federal property in Lincoln National Forest with a chainsaw while serving as a US representative. New Mexicans have repeatedly rejected Pearce's vision, defeating him by double digits in both his 2008 Senate race and 2018 gubernatorial campaign. Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland called him "a dangerous choice" who "routinely sides with billion-dollar companies that exploit our people, destroy our landscapes, and pollute our water and land." I ask you to vote against confirming Steve Pearce as BLM director and protect our public lands for future generations.