From the SEMA Washington, D.C., office
The SEMA-supported nominee to run the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has cleared an important hurdle in the U.S. Senate.
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has voted 11 to 9 to advance the nomination of former U.S. Representative Steve Pearce to serve as the BLM director. Pearce's nomination now heads for a full Senate vote, which requires a simple majority.
SEMA has sent a letter to the committee in support of Mr. Pearce's nomination prior to his confirmation hearing.
- In its letter of support for Pearce, SEMA highlighted “[he] understands that conservation and recreation are not mutually exclusive. Through collaborative land-use planning, meaningful stakeholder input, and science-based decision-making, the BLM can protect sensitive resources while preserving appropriate access for responsible motorized recreation and other multiple uses consistent with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act.”
Pearce, a former seven-term congressman from New Mexico and Vietnam War veteran, during his Feb. 25 confirmation hearing outlined his vision for BLM, which oversees roughly 245 million acres of public land and is a central player in recreation and conservation policy.
In his opening statement, Pearce described his personal connection to the land, from growing up on a small New Mexico farm to years of backpacking in wilderness areas and pledged to bring local engagement and adherence to the law to the BLM's work. He emphasized the importance of partnering with states, tribes, local communities and stakeholders on land management decisions, saying that "local input" is critical and that federal land decisions should reflect the needs of the people who live near and use these lands.
Pearce also addressed concerns raised by committee members about his prior support for public land sales, reiterating that under current federal law, large-scale sales of public land are not allowable through the BLM itself, and he said he does not envision pursuing broad selloffs if confirmed.
Questions? Contact Juan Mejia, SEMA's senior manager of federal government affairs, at JuanM@sema.org.
This story was originally published on March 5, 2026.
