Abstract
The disruption of a subgovernment results from numerous conditions. From the perspective of federal political appointees to the Department of the Interior (DOI) and career administrative officials within the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), disruption of the BLM’s land-use subgovernment resulted from a variety of conditions. In the opinion of these government officials, energy development spilled onto the privately owned surface lands of split-estate property across the Western United States as the Bush Administration directed expansion of domestic energy development. In turn, the leasing and permit granting of split-estate properties for energy development disrupted the stability of the existing BLM land-use subgovernment. Among the government officials interviewed, there is general consensus that the disruption generated competition between ranchers and energy developers for control of the BLM’s land-use subgovernment. To these government officials, the end result of the conflict and competition is clear: Energy interests have displaced ranching’s dominance of the BLM’s land-use subgovernment.
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Notes
- 1.
Note: (1) Bureau of Land Management (BLM) participants include Pat Shea, former Director of the BLM under President William J. Clinton; Don Simpson, State Director of Wyoming BLM; Larry Claypool, Deputy State Director of Minerals and Lands Wyoming BLM; Lynn Rust, Deputy State Director of Minerals and Lands Colorado BLM; and Tony Herrell, Deputy State Director of Minerals and Lands New Mexico BLM.
(2) Department of Interior (DOI) participants include Rebecca Watson, former Assistant Interior Secretary for Lands and Mineral Management under former President George W. Bush, and an unnamed DOI political appointee under former President George W. Bush.
(3) State Representative participation was, unfortunately, limited to one interview, that of Colorado State Representative Ellen Roberts (R-Dist.59). Numerous attempts were made and strategies employed to gain access and interview with legislative sponsors of surface owner protection acts in both the states of Wyoming and New Mexico. In either case, e-mails and telephone calls went unanswered. One reason for this might be that unlike Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico legislators are part time. Access to Rep. Roberts was gained by just showing up in her offices at the state capital and working with her assistant to reserve a time for the interview. Even then, the time Rep. Roberts could spare was very limited, and, as a result, the interview is the shortest among all the interviews conducted. Nonetheless, her viewpoint is reflective of journalistic accounts of the political battles and lobbying efforts undertaken by ranching and energy interests in the states of New Mexico and Wyoming.
- 2.
Note: US Census Bureau, 1970–2009; population census figures and estimations of New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming (1990–2010) retrieved from www.census.gov.
- 3.
Note: Numerous governmental and nongovernmental participants used the phrase “the perfect storm” as they responded to questions regarding the confluence of the energy market, technological advancements in energy development, and Bush Administration activities aimed at expanding domestic energy development.
- 4.
Note: The pilot offices Mr. Claypool is referring to are offices within close proximity to fields where the greatest energy development activity is occurring. The BLM pilot offices are unique features of land management agencies in that they are devoted to no other administrative function other than that of oil and gas development.
- 5.
Note: Fair-market value regarding monies paid by industry for energy leases averages $2.00 per acre.
References
Claypool, L. (2009). Deputy State Director of Minerals and Lands Wyoming Bureau of Land Management. Interview Conducted: March 23, 2009; Cheyenne, WY.
General Accountability Office. (2005, June). Oil and gas development: Increased permitting activity has lessened BLM’s ability to meet its environmental protection responsibilities (GAO-05-418).
Herrell, T. (2009). Deputy State Director of Minerals and Lands New Mexico Bureau of Land Management. Interview Conducted: May 20, 2009; Albuquerque, NM.
Roberts, E. (2009). Colorado State Representative (R-Dist. 59). Interview Conducted: March 25, 2009; Denver, CO.
Rust, L. (2009). Deputy State Director of Minerals and Lands Colorado Bureau of Land Management. Interview Conducted: May 19, 2009; Denver, CO.
Shea, P. (2009). Former Director of the Bureau of Land Management under President William J. Clinton. Interview Conducted: June 2, 2009; Salt Lake City, UT.
Simpson, D. (2009). State Director of Wyoming Bureau of Land Management. Interview Conducted: March 23, 2009; Cheyenne, WY.
Unnamed (2009). Former Senior Department of Interior Political Appointee under former President George W. Bush. Interview Conducted: May 26, 2009; Salt Lake City, UT.
Watson, R. (2009). Former Assistant Interior Secretary for Lands and Mineral Management under former President George W. Bush. Interview Conducted: June 16, 2009; Denver, CO.
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Forbis Jr., R.E. (2019). Governance. In: Altered Policy Landscapes. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04774-0_5
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