BLM Pick a Conflict-of-Interest?

Steve Pearce Nomination Raises Significant Conflict-of-Interest Concerns

This week, former New Mexico Congressman Steve Pearce was nominated to serve as the next Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). While new leadership at the BLM always matters for public lands, this nomination raises serious conflict-of-interest concerns that every wild horse and public-lands advocate should know about. 

Pearce built much of his career championing expanded oil and gas development, weakening federal land protections, and advancing policies favored by large private livestock and extractive-industry interests. He once owned an oil-field services company, has consistently supported reducing protections on millions of acres of public lands, and has enjoyed strong backing from ranching and energy-industry groups throughout his political life. 

Now he has been tapped to run the very agency responsible for managing the lands these industries depend on. 

This is the heart of the conflict. 

The BLM’s mission is to steward our shared public lands for all Americans—balancing conservation, wildlife, recreation, cultural resources, and multiple uses. Yet Pearce’s long record reflects one side of that balance.

Why Steve Pearce’s Record Raises Red Flags for Public Lands

1. Deep Ties to the Oil & Gas Industry

• Pearce previously owned an oil-field services company.

• His business career and investments are strongly linked to extractive-industry expansion.

• Throughout his time in public office, he consistently pushed for increased drilling and reduced environmental oversight — policies that directly benefit the industry he came from.

2. Extremely Low Environmental and Conservation Scores

• The League of Conservation Voters awarded Pearce a score of around 4%, reflecting repeated votes against conservation measures.

• This places him among the lowest-ranked members of Congress on public-lands and environmental issues.

3. Legislative Record Favoring Extractive Use Over Conservation

• He has supported numerous bills opening additional public lands to oil and gas leasing.

• Advocated for reducing federal protections and limiting environmental review.

• Consistently opposed measures intended to safeguard habitat health, biodiversity, and critical ecological systems.

4. Support for Reducing or Privatizing Federal Lands

• Pearce supported efforts to shrink national monument boundaries, including calling for drastic reductions to the Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument.

• He has backed movements to transfer or privatize federal lands — a stance that poses significant risk to the concept of public ownership.

5. Voting Record That Prioritizes Commercial Use Over Habitat Protection

• Throughout his congressional career, Pearce’s votes favored grazing, mining, drilling, and logging interests over wildlife and ecological protections.

• No notable legislative support exists for strengthening protections for wildlife or restoring damaged landscapes.

6. Support for Expanded Logging Under the Banner of “Fire Prevention”

• Pearce voted for measures to expand commercial logging on federal lands.

• Critics argue these measures risk long-term ecological harm and often serve industry goals more than forest health.

7. Limited Engagement With Wildlife Protection

• No substantive record of supporting wildlife corridors, biodiversity protections, or threatened and endangered species safeguards.

• No evidence of support for humane, scientifically informed management of wild horses and burros.

8. Backing From Powerful Energy and Livestock Industry Groups

• His nomination was quickly praised by major livestock and energy-industry organizations.

• These groups cited his long-standing alignment with their priorities — a sign of likely policy direction if confirmed.

Missing from his record is any demonstrated support for safeguarding wildlife habitat, protecting wild horses and burros, or prioritizing conservation as a legitimate “use” of public land. 

For the wild horses and burros who rely on America’s rangelands to survive—and for all of us who value intact, healthy, living landscapes—this appointment could signal a shift toward policies that favor private industry interests over public good. 

As this nomination moves to the Senate for consideration, we will keep you updated on opportunities to take action. Wild horses and burros cannot speak for themselves—but together, we can ensure their voices are heard.  

Thank you for standing with us to protect our public lands and wildlife,
~ The Cloud Foundation Team