Gardner proposal to relocate BLM to the West gains momentum

A report has indicated Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke plans to relocate the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to the West, an idea first proposed by Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO). Gardner has led the charge to relocate BLM’s headquarters to the West and first raised the idea at an Energy and Natural Resources hearing in June of 2016. Gardner spoke to Secretary Zinke about his proposal prior to Zinke’s confirmation. Gardner also brought up the issue publically during Zinke’s confirmation hearing. In May, Gardner introduced the Bureau of Land Management Headquarters Relocation Act, legislation that would authorize the move of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) headquarters from Washington, D.C. to one of the following Western states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, or Wyoming. Congressman Scott Tipton (CO-3) introduced the House companion bill. “I’m thrilled Secretary Zinke is looking to relocate the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) West and move the agency’s headquarters to Colorado,” said Gardner. “Ninety-nine percent of the nearly 250 million acres of land managed by BLM is west of the Mississippi River, and having the decision-makers present in the communities they impact will lead to better results. This is an idea I first proposed last summer, and after a year of work, it seems it will soon become a reality. I will continue to work with Secretary Zinke to further this effort and look forward to welcoming BLM to Colorado soon.”...more