By Kathy Kelly
My first trip to the Colorado mountains with my three kids had no major achievements. My kids and I followed a trail in the forest near Vail, found a creek and spent the entire day learning how the water slows in the pools, speeds up in the riffles and the ultimate fun of racing sticks through the water. They felt the cold water on their toes, lost their balance on slippery rocks and held frogs in their hands.
These are the priceless memories that will shape their childhood because our state’s majestic landscapes — our rugged mountains, pristine rivers, rich forests and vast open spaces — are critical to our way of life as Coloradans. Our public lands are where we forge deep connections to the outdoors and to each other and pass down a legacy of conservation to future generations. These lands also drive a thriving outdoor recreation economy, supporting local businesses and contributing billions of dollars annually.
However, these public lands are under attack, and we have leaders at every level of the federal government unwilling to protect these lands, meaning the next generation may not have the opportunity to make the same magical memories. Kathleen Sgamma, President Donald Trump’s nominee for director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), marks another federal appointee with a proven track record of putting profits before preservation. Though Sgamma lives in Denver, she is not aligned with the 92% of Coloradans who support protecting our state’s public lands.
Though Coloradans are committed to protecting our national treasures, the Trump administration has made it clear they don’t share that commitment. This administration has already rolled back acreage and national monuments, announced expansive plans to “unleash” America’s energy potential by opening up pristine landscapes to drilling and extraction, and hinted at plans to ultimately sell off our public lands. Their first step was tragically laying off more than 3,400 of the critical forestry workers that maintain, protect and preserve our wildlife habitats and outdoor spaces.
As head of the BLM, Sgamma will have the desire and the power to help execute this agenda. Sgamma is currently the head of the Western Energy Alliance, a prominent advocacy group for the oil-and-gas industry, where she has proven to be an effective and ardent supporter for the fossil fuel industry. She has consistently fought for additional leasing of public lands for the oil-and-gas industry and dismissed and diminished the importance of investing in renewable energy. She vocally opposed Biden administration recommendations that conservation be a guiding principle in public management and opposed key pieces of legislation like the CORE Act.
As director of the BLM, Sgamma would oversee more than 250 million acres of land, more than 8 million right here in Colorado. This is the land many of us hike, fish, hunt and camp on with our families and friends that may now be wide open for development. That’s not to mention the serious long-term consequences of this administration’s — and Sgamma’s — agenda to put fossil fuel profits above public land conservation for the battle against climate change.
Climate change is already reshaping our state — shorter winters, longer wildfire seasons and persistent droughts are stark reminders of the need for bold action. Public lands play a critical role in climate solutions, serving as carbon sinks and providing space for the renewable energy projects that will lead to a cleaner, healthier world for our kids.
As Mountain Mamas, it’s our mission to protect public lands, water, air and the climate for future generations. Moms know the importance of having wild places for our kids to get outside and explore, not only to learn about nature and the amazing world they will inherit, but for the incredible developmental benefits our children gain from spending time outdoors. That is why we cannot sit idly by as the keys to our treasured public lands are continuously turned over to people in the Trump administration like Sgamma, who only see the potential for dollar signs.
We need leaders who will stand up against our public lands being sold off to the highest bidder. I am calling on my representative in Congress, U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans, to speak out against the public lands policies and firings from the Trump administration that are so contradictory to Colorado values.
I also ask Colorado’s U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper to vote no on Sgamma’s nomination to lead one of our country’s most important federal agencies. I was disappointed to see Katharine MacGregor, Trump’s nomination for the Department of the Interior, “sail through” her committee hearing. We need Colorado’s senators to stand up more aggressively against the Trump administration’s nominees. Colorado’s public lands are too precious to lose, and we can’t keep confirming leaders who aren’t interested in protecting them.
See this article on ColoradoPolitics.com.
Kathy Kelly is an activist, mother and grandmother from Colorado who believes in the preservation of our state and is a member of Mountain Mamas, a nonprofit organization that protects our air, water and public lands for future generations.
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