The US Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee staff expects a relatively quick confirmation hearing for Kathleen Clarke, nominated to become the first woman director of the Bureau of Land Management.
A committee aide said the panel will be busy marking up energy strategy legislation this month but will likely find time for Clarke's hearing.
BLM administers 264 million acres of public lands, mostly in 12 western states, and issues onshore oil and gas leases.
Nominee's background
Clarke has been executive director of the Utah Department of Natural Resources since 1998 and was deputy director for 5 years before that.
Clarke worked for Rep. James V. Hansen (R-Utah) from 1987 to 1993 as director of constituent services and director of Hansen's Ogden, Utah, office. Prior to that, she was in the construction and real estate business in Kaysville, Utah. She also served as staff assistant to former US Sen. Wallace Bennett (R-Utah).
Interior Sec. Gale Norton praised the nomination last week: "Kathleen Clarke will bring a highly successful record of innovative public lands management to BLM. Kathleen's background and experience demonstrate a holistic, integrated approach to natural resource conservation."
Norton said Clarke worked with the Utah legislature to secure $3 million/year to fund programs to protect and recover endangered species and helped draft a plan to protect the Great Salt Lake.
Some Utah environmental groups said they would oppose the nomination, and Clarke is likely to be grilled closely by western state senators on the energy panel.
