Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

Hunters and hikers were among almost 133,000 people opposing potential changes to the Travel Management Rule in national forests. Snowmobile groups were in the minority.

Two environmental groups sued the Trump administration Tuesday, alleging the Bureau of Land Management violated federal law when it leased more than 134,000 acres of public lands in Colorado for oil and gas drilling earlier this year.

Western cattlemen are poised to lose almost all opportunity to comment on oil and gas development underneath their property.

Critics say the BLM's proposed policies would make it easier for oil and gas companies to shift the financial cost of cleaning up retired, polluting wells to taxpayers.

The party-line vote came after months of public debate between conservationists and ranching and energy groups over the president’s pick to oversee millions of acres of land.

The Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency cut 1,753 land management jobs last year, or 26% of the jobs managing 24 million public acres. "Morning Edition" host Michael Lyle, Jr. and Colorado Sun reporter Jason Blevins discuss the ramifications of these cuts.

Steve Pearce, a former Republican congressman from New Mexico, would next need to clear a vote in the full Senate in the coming weeks to be confirmed.

President Trump’s nominee to lead the Bureau of Land Management failed to assuage Democratic concerns about his past support to sell public lands.

Steve Pearce, Trump's pick to lead the Bureau of Land Management, said he would not propose large-scale sales of public lands.

President Trump’s nominee, Steve Pearce, is a former New Mexico congressman and Vietnam War pilot. The opposition feels he could sell off public land.