In Case You Missed It: Secretary Bernhardt Visits Colorado, Discusses BLM Relocation

This week, U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt traveled to Colorado and touted the imminent benefits of moving the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) employees to western states and establishing a new headquarters in Grand Junction. Recent coverage highlights the bipartisan support for the decision.

“Standing up the headquarters is another step in providing better service to the American people and our neighbors in the West.” --  U.S Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt

Quotes of Support:

“We are thrilled to welcome the Bureau of Land Management and their employees to the great state of Colorado. As I stated to Secretary Bernhardt many times, Grand Junction is the perfect location for the BLM because of community support, location closer to the land BLM manages, and the positive impact it will have on our western Colorado economy. Hard to think of a better place to house the department responsible for overseeing our beloved public lands.” -- Colorado Governor Jared Polis (D)

"On behalf of the state of Colorado, I am excited to welcome the Bureau of Land Management to its new home in Grand Junction. From the very beginning moving the BLM’s headquarters West has always been about strengthening the BLM’s relationship with local officials, moving the decision makers closer to the lands they oversee and the people they serve, and making better land management decisions. This commonsense move will save taxpayers money and solidify Colorado’s legacy as a responsible steward of public lands.” -- Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO)

ICYMI...

Colorado Politics: Bernhardt, Polis, Gardner, Tipton cheer BLM headquarters move to Grand Junction

GRAND JUNCTION - The office building with the curved roof that by year’s end could be the headquarters of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s is in an area lined with corporate hotels and fast-food restaurants.

Less than a mile north of the building sits Grand Junction Regional Airport, and beyond that, in a view that will greet BLM employees daily, are federal public lands governed by the agency.

On Saturday, the day after the BLM announced it had signed a lease for space in 760 Horizon Drive, Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt was in Grand Junction....

Club 20’s fall conference on Saturday at nearby Colorado Mesa University hosted federal and state representatives who all cheered the BLM move: Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat; U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton, Republican of Cortez; and U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, Republican of Colorado, who has pushed the idea of the agency’s move to Colorado for several years.

Full article here.

The Daily Sentinel: Special guest talks BLM at Club 20

Saturday's Club 20 fall conference revealed its mystery keynote speaker to be Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt, who discussed issues from the energy industry to forest fires, but dedicated much of his time to the ongoing move of the Bureau of Land Management headquarters to Grand Junction.

Bernhardt appeared in Grand Junction a day after the lease was finalized for space at 760 Horizon Drive, which is near the Grand Junction BLM field office. The location has drawn scrutiny as it also houses offices for a Chevron corporate office, a state oil and gas association and an independent natural gas exploration company.

Bernhardt told The Daily Sentinel that he stood by the location choice despite the presence of oil and gas industry groups in the building. The General Services Administration, which leases buildings for federal offices, has regulations it follows and Bernhardt said those regulations would not allow them to rule out a location because of another tenant.

Full article here.

AZ Central: Opinion: The Bureau of Land Management is moving its folks West, closer to the majority of the 245 million acres of public lands it manages.

For decades, Westerners have complained that the top decision makers at America's largest land manager, the Bureau of Land Management, are in Washington, D.C., although the lands they manage are 2,000 miles away.

Westerners want – and deserve – a more accessible and accountable BLM. Consistent with President Trump’s vision for a more efficient and effective government, Interior Secretary David Bernhardt recently announced the BLM will put some of its best and most knowledgeable leaders in the West.

This is great news for Arizona and Western states.

An overwhelming majority of the 245 million acres of public lands managed by our BLM are in the West, yet about half of the Bureau’s Senior Executive Service leadership is stationed in Washington, D.C.

Our day-to-day operations will be vastly improved by putting decision making on the ground; enhancing coordination among employees, partners and stakeholders; and reducing cost in terms of office space, overhead, travel and cost of living for our employees who relocate.

Full article here.

Tweets...

Secretary David Bernhardt @SecBernhardt -"This weekend, I inspected the new headquarters for the BLM in Grand Junction. Standing up the headquarters is another step in providing better service to the American people and our neighbors in the West."

Secretary David Bernhardt @SecBernhardt -It was great to be back @club20westslope to share all the work we are doing at the @Interior for America.

Cory Gardner @SenCoryGardner It’s great to be in Grand Junction this morning at the new site of @BLMNational’s headquarters. Moving the BLM West has always been about moving the decision makers closer to the people they serve & improving land management decisions.