"BILLINGS, Mont. — President Donald Trump has nominated a longtime oil and gas industry representative to oversee an agency that manages a quarter-billion acres of public land concentrated in western states.
Kathleen Sgamma, president of the Colorado-based oil industry trade group Western Energy Alliance, was named Bureau of Land Management director, a position with wide influence over lands used for energy production, grazing, recreation and other purposes. An MIT graduate, Sgamma has been a leading voice for the fossil fuel industry, calling for fewer drilling restrictions on public lands that produce about 10% of U.S. oil and gas.
If confirmed by the Senate, she would be a key architect of Trump’s “drill, baby, drill” agenda alongside Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who leads the newly formed National Energy Council that Trump says will establish American “energy dominance” around the world. Trump has vowed to boost U.S. oil and gas drilling and move away from President Joe Biden’s focus on climate change."
Matthew Brown and Matthew Daly report for the Guardian February 12, 2025.
SEE ALSO:
"Trump Nominates Oil and Gas Advocate to Run Bureau of Land Management" (New York Times)
"Trump Taps Oil Industry Insider To Oversee Drilling On Public Lands" (Washington Post)
"Trump Picks Oil Industry Vets For Key Posts At Energy, Environment Agencies" (The Hill)
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