
Washington, D.C. — Conservation Lands Foundation released the following statement from Chris Hill, Chief Executive Officer, ahead of the Senate Budget Committee vote on the nomination of Russell Vought, President Donald J. Trump’s nominee to lead the Office of Management and Budget.
“Many statements made by Russell Vought during his recent confirmation hearing indicate he is unlikely to ensure the health of America’s remaining public lands and the public’s access to them.
“Mr. Vought’s radical views on the ability of the Executive Branch to unilaterally and illegally withhold or “impound” funding already approved by Congress are unconstitutional. His plans to cut funding and shrink the federal workforce that steward public lands only serves to threaten the way of life for rural communities who count on and benefit from public lands under the Bureau of Land Management.
“From those who enjoy our public lands for outdoor recreation, to those who rely on them for their livelihood through grazing and ranching, to the millions of people whose energy comes from BLM lands, none of this is possible without a well-funded, well-staffed BLM.
“The recent unlawful and unconstitutional actions taken by OMB to freeze trillions of dollars in federal funding–including essential BLM funding for wildfire mitigation, law enforcement, and payments to Tribal governments who rely on federal funding to pay essential workers–have set the table for what Mr. Vought’s actions will likely continue to be: an anti-public stance and mayhem on our public lands.
“If Mr. Vought is confirmed it can be expected that the BLM will not have the resources or staff necessary to fulfill its critical responsibilities, including wildfire mitigation, law enforcement, renewable energy development, approving outdoor recreation applications, or ensuring safe outdoor recreation opportunities.
“For these public interests, we urge the Senate Budget Committee to reject Vought’s nomination to lead this critical federal agency.”
####
