Idaho Urges: Public Lands Not For Sale During Pearce’s BLM Hearing

At Steve Pearce’s confirmation hearing for the Bureau of Land Management, Sen. Jim Risch pressed him on whether he or President Trump could sell public lands, asserting there is no authority to do so. Pearce said he would follow the law and defer to states, but did not fully renounce past views. Idahoans and conservation groups oppose land sales, citing a poll and describing public lands as sacred, while critics point to Pearce’s past support for land disposal and ties to oil/gas interests. A Senate vote date has not yet been scheduled.