WASHINGTON, D.C. —  The members of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee should press oil and gas advocate Kathleen Sgamma, the nominee to lead the Bureau of Land Management, on how she will respect the agency’s mission “to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations” and manage the more than 245 million acres of U.S. public lands and 700 million acres of subsurface lands under its purview.

“The mission of the BLM and its work are rooted in the simple idea that we don’t inherit these resources from our parents, but rather that we borrow them from future generations,” said David Willms, associate vice president for public lands at the National Wildlife Federation. “Senators should press the nominee to explain how she will manage public lands for wildlife, people, and the full diversity of users.”