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Yesterday morning, acting BLM director William Perry Pendley testified before Congress on the agency's relocation plans, leaving many lawmakers without the answers they needed. Questions focused on the difficulty of transportation and collaboration with other agencies from remote offices, concerns over the loss of employees as a result of the move, and inquiries for the justifications of which locations were selected. "The Department of the Interior has done nothing to alleviate concerns that this move has been hastily planned, poorly researched, and questionably motivated. There is no doubt this plan fits this administration's pattern of trying to sell out our environment and natural resources," said Chairman Raúl Grijalva after the hearing.
Pendley's controversial history was also raised by concerned lawmakers, including questions about his National Review article claiming that the government shouldn't own any land and his use of air-quotes when talking about Native American sacred sites. Although Pendley testified for 90 minutes, it did little to relieve the concerns that have been mounting since the relocation plans were announced in July.
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Acting director Pendley made it clear the agency performed little to no analysis of why the move is necessary or how many staff would be lost. This remains a cynical ploy to dismantle the Bureau of Land Management national headquarters and drain the agency of career expertise. With anti-public lands extremists like William Perry Pendley in charge, this is a relocation plan only drilling and mining companies would love.”
