Trump Nominates Oil Industry Insider Kathleen Sgamma to Lead Bureau of Land Management

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Trump administration announced it would nominate longtime oil and gas insider Kathleen Sgamma to lead the Bureau of Land Management. Sgamma, who has spent most of her career fighting against public land protections, would oversee 245 million acres of America’s public lands, prioritizing fossil fuel profits over conservation, recreation, and communities.

The following is a statement from Andrew Wetzler, senior vice president, Nature at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council):
 
“The director of the Bureau of Land Management is responsible for stewarding 245 million acres of public lands, including for conservation, recreation, and sustainable resource management. BLM lands are where Americans hunt and fish, where they hike, and are part of all of our natural heritage.

“As an industry insider who sued to block conservation efforts, it is safe to wonder if Sgamma will address all those important uses, which address the needs of all Americans—not just fossil fuel CEOs. This is a blatant giveaway to polluters at the expense of our environment."

NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Established in 1970, NRDC uses science, policy, law, and people power to confront the climate crisis, protect public health, and safeguard nature. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, Beijing and Delhi (an office of NRDC India Pvt. Ltd). Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.