Clarke resigns as BLM director

Jan. 2, 2007
US Bureau of Land Management Director Kathleen Clarke resigned to rejoin her family in Utah, Sec. of the Interior Dirk A. Kempthorne said on Dec. 28.

Nick Snow
Washington Correspondent

WASHINGTON, DC, Jan. 2 -- US Bureau of Land Management Director Kathleen Clarke resigned to rejoin her family in Utah, Sec. of the Interior Dirk A. Kempthorne said on Dec. 28.

Clarke, who became BLM director on Jan. 2, 2002, was the first woman to head the DOI agency, which manages 258 million acres of federal land and 700 million acres of subsurface mineral resources.

Prior to her federal appointment, Clarke was executive director of Utah's Department of Natural Resources. During 1987-93, she worked for then-Rep. James V. Hansen (R-Ut.) as constituent services director and executive director of the federal lawmaker's Ogden, Utah, office.

There was no indication when Clarke will be leaving or who will run BLM until her successor is nominated, confirmed by the US Senate and sworn in.

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