Wyden Challenges Trump BLM Nominee

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden questioned President Trump’s nominee to head the Bureau of Land Management, during Wednesday’s confirmation hearing.  Oregon's senior senator asked Steve Pearce about statements he’s made in the past that most public land is not needed.

"is there too much public land in the west now, in your view?" Wyden asked.

"The statement made there was when I represented, as a legislative person, a district that was I think at odds with federal agencies many times, because of the management of those lands is sometimes not as well done as it should be," Pearce responded.  "And local people pay the price."

Pearce, a former congressman from New Mexico, went on to say he doesn’t believe the Interior Department will sell off large amounts of public lands, noting it would be illegal for the BLM to pursue such a plan.

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