Biden taps environmentalist to lead BLM
Conservationist to play a key role in president’s plan to cut emissions
BILLINGS, Montana — President Joe Biden has nominated a longtime environmental advocate and Democratic aide to oversee the vast expanses of federally owned land in Western states — the latest political appointment raising concerns among Republicans as Biden moves to curtail energy production from public reserves.
Tracy StoneManning of Missoula, Montana, was nominated late Thursday to direct the Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management, which has jurisdiction over about a quarter-billion acres and one-third of the nation’s underground minerals, including huge reserves of oil, natural gas and coal. The agency regulates drilling, mining, grazing and other activities, and is set to play a key role in Biden’s commitment, announced Thursday, to cut climate warming emissions from fossil fuels by half by 2030.
Stone-Manning, 55, spent the past four years at the National Wildlife Federation, where she led the group’s efforts to preserve public lands for wildlife, hiking, hunting and other nonindustrial uses.
She worked previously as chief of staff to former Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, as an aide to Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester and, three decades ago, as a spokesperson for the activist environmental group Earth First.
If confirmed, Stone-Manning would serve under Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, a former Democratic congresswoman from New Mexico who was confirmed over opposition from Republicans citing her criticisms of the oil and gas industry.
The White House dropped plans to install progressive Elizabeth Klein as deputy Interior secretary following objections from Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski and West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin.
The confrontations resemble political fights that took place over many of former President Donald Trump’s appointees — only now it’s environmentalists and progressive activists under scrutiny versus the industry lobbyists favored by Trump.
Stone-Manning opposed Trump’s drilling-friendly policies as destructive to public lands and said in 2019 that the Republican’s agenda had thrown the balance between conservation and development “out of whack.”
Haaland said in a statement that Stone-Manning and Bryan Newland — whom Biden nominated Thursday to be assistant secretary for Indian Affairs — would “help lead the Interior Department’s efforts to pursue a clean-energy future, engage Tribal communities and governments, and protect our land, waters and wildlife habitats for generations to come.”
Newland was tribal president of the Bay Mills Indian Community in Michigan and served as a policy adviser for Indian Affairs at Interior under former President Barack Obama.
Montana Sen. Steve Daines said Friday that he and fellow Republicans will look closely at StoneManning’s ties to conservation groups that poured money into the 2020 election.
Stone-Manning is listed as a board member and treasurer for Montana Conservation Voters, which sponsored ads targeting Daines when he was challenged by Bullock last year.
“She comes from a very partisan, left-leaning organization and we’re going to have to make sure she represents balanced views here in Montana that reflect where most Montanans are,” Daines said in an interview.
Spokesperson Katie Schoettler said Daines wants to ensure federal lands remain open for both conservation and energy development.
Tester said in a statement that Stone-Manning was a “tireless public lands champion with a lifetime of experience” who would bring much-needed change to the land bureau.
National Wildlife Federation CEO Collin O’Mara said he has known Stone-Manning since she led Montana’s Department of Environmental Quality for two years beginning in 2013 and considers her a “common-sense conservationist.”
“I think Tracy understands the way we manage our public lands isn’t an ‘either or’ choice,” he said. “Her track record is really balanced throughout her career, especially over the past 20 years.”
Montana Petroleum Association director Alan Olson, who worked with Stone-Manning on a climate council established by Bullock, described her as highly intelligent and “left of center,” but not extreme in her politics and willing to listen to opposing views.
But Olson added that he expects her to get as much pushback from Republicans as Trump appointees got from Democrats and their allies, including Stone-Manning.