Overview
- Steve Pearce won Senate confirmation in a 46-43 vote Monday in an en bloc package of 49 nominees that drew criticism for limiting individual scrutiny.
- As BLM director, he will oversee about 245 million acres of federal surface land and roughly 700 million acres of subsurface minerals used for oil, gas, coal and other resources.
- Democrats and environmental groups opposed his nomination, citing his ties to the oil and gas industry and past support for selling federal land.
- At his February hearing, Pearce said he would prioritize local input on land decisions and stated that large-scale land sales are not within the BLM director’s authority.
- The confirmation comes as the administration expands mining and drilling and moves to roll back Biden-era conservation plans, with officials also signaling changes to livestock grazing rules that could shift how ranchers and recreation users experience public lands.