Interior Secretary Deb Haaland visited the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) headquarters in Grand Junction, CO, stating a decision will be made soon about whether to keep the current location of the agency’s headquarters.
However, Haaland made no indication which way the decision will go, saying workers are “struggling” as many senior officials either retired or resigned.
“There’s no way to sugarcoat the trauma and disruption that continues to affect the team at Interior,” Haaland said at a news conference. “And it’s why my first priority is to avoid doing any more harm to the BLM’s dedicated employees.”
Accompanying Haaland in her visit to Grand Junction and BLM headquarters were Gov. Jared Polis (D) and Colorado members of Congress, including Reps. Lauren Boebert (R-3), Joe Neguse (D-2), Sens. John Hickenlooper (D) and Michael Bennet (D).
Haaland held a listening session with BLM employees, stating her primary concern is on the effectiveness of the headquarters and to “figure out how to heal the damage that’s been done.” In audio obtained by E&E News, BLM employees expressed mixed emotions about the move. One employee said the move was the “most traumatic experience my family has ever had to experience,” and another urged the BLM to move back to Washington D.C., stating it “would start to repair the damage.”
Still, other employees recognized the stress and hardship that many families went through, but stated a move now would be “doubly difficult” for them. Some BLM employees suggested employees be given “a flexible approach” and be able stay in Colorado but also work remotely.
Boebert said at the news conference the cost of moving the headquarters back to D.C. would be “tremendous,” and she spoke with BLM employees who expressed they wanted to stay in Grand Junction.
“We are going to work hard to make sure their voice is heard in that and make sure that the lands that we all recreate on and live on and interact with on a daily basis are represented well,” Boebert said. “And that starts with having the Bureau here so we can effectively represent our Western lands.”
Polis stated people are hesitant to apply for open positions in Grand Junction due to the uncertainty of the headquarters location and applicants would be “thrilled” to help Grand Junction grow once a permanent decision is made.
Haaland said more than 80 affected positions remain vacant, “and many cannot be filled until we chart a balanced course forward.”
Haaland explained employees and the city of Grand Junction need clarity and “to avoid having employees face renewed uncertainty under future administrations.” Haaland said she remains “open to the idea that Grand Junction can and will play a significant role in BLM’s future.”
Haaland said she wants to make a decision “that’s best for everyone” and will take everything she has heard and learned “and put it all together and just sit down and make the best decisions.”
Wildfire and drought
While at the news conference—which took place at the Grand Junction Air Center, a dispatch and air tanker base at the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit—Haaland announced a $6.1 million investment to replace facilities at the complex, by replacing multiple structurally deficient buildings with a single cost-effective building.
“We owe the brave women and men on the frontlines the right tools and training they need to protect our communities and our lands from the increasing threat of fire,” said Haaland. “By making smart investments in critical infrastructure as well as climate resilience, we will strengthen our wildland fire preparedness and response across the West.”
The Air Center provides tactical aircraft resources locally and regionally and is the only facility to support broad air tanker coverage for Colorado, Wyoming and Utah.
Prior to the visit to Grand Junction, Haaland held a roundtable with Interior Assistant Secretary of Water and Science Tanya Trujillo, Colorado water managers and other stakeholders regarding the Biden-Harris administration’s Drought Relief Interagency Working Group. Haaland and Trujillo highlighted efforts of the working group to provide financial assistance and resources for those affected and develop long-term solutions.
“Drought doesn’t just impact one community—it affects all of us, from farmers and ranchers to city dwellers and Tribes,” said Haaland. “The Biden-Harris administration is taking action to provide relief to impacted communities now, while also making important investments that will help us wisely manage our shared resources across the West.”
The second stop of her tour of Colorado was in Hotchkiss, where she met with rural and Tribal members to discuss the strength of rural economies, clean energy and outdoor recreation. Haaland highlighted how President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better Plan would help rural communities stating at the roundtable, “As we transition toward a clean energy economy, the Interior Department is committed to creating economic opportunities in conservation and public land management for all communities.”
Haaland’s trip to Colorado wrapped up with a visit to Ridgway and Palisade, where she talked about drought and the passing of the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy (CORE) Act.
Hickenlooper tweeted he was grateful for the discussion on the CORE Act, “bringing us one step closer to protecting 400,000 acres of Colorado public lands.”
Bennet echoed the sentiment, tweeting, “The CORE Act was written by Coloradans who understand that protecting our public lands and strengthening our economy go hand-in-hand in our state. Grateful to have Sec. Haaland in Ridgway today to hear directly from local leaders about what this bill means to Colorado.” — Charles Wallace, WLJ editor
