Mountain Mamas Responds to SENR Committee Vote on Steve Pearce as BLM Director

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: March 5th, 2026
Denver, CO | Tucson, AZ | Bozeman, MT

Moms in Arizona, Colorado, and Montana are deeply disappointed and will push for strict oversight to protect public lands, clean air, and clean water for our kids

Today, Mountain Mamas in Arizona, Colorado, and Montana issued the following statements in response to the U.S. SENR Committee voting favorably to send the nomination of Steve Pearce to the full Senate for a vote to lead the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The BLM oversees 245 million acres of public lands nationwide. U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper (CO), Ruben Gallego (AZ), and Steve Daines (MT) sit on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

“As moms, we want our children to grow up exploring the outdoors, breathing clean air, and building lifelong memories on our public lands,” said Sara Kuntzler, Colorado State Director with Mountain Mamas. “That’s why we strongly oppose Steve Pearce’s nomination, and we are disappointed that the SENR voted to send this nomination to the full Senate. We are grateful that Senator Hickenlooper voted against this move. For families, these lands are not commodities to be sold off. They are classrooms, playgrounds, and a shared legacy we hope to pass on to our kids. We are urging the full Senate to vote against this nomination.”

“One thing moms strive for is providing a safe environment for our children to grow up in. That includes the right to clean air, clean water, and equal access to our public lands,” said Cassandra Becerra, Arizona Program Manager with Mountain Mamas. “Mother Earth is medicine, and our children and our mamas need to rely on these spaces being accessible and safe for all. Furthermore, these lands have been stewarded by Tribes since time immemorial, and Tribal nations must be at the forefront of these decisions. We strongly oppose Steve Pearce’s nomination, and we are saddened by this latest step. We will keep fighting for equitable access and real protection of our public lands.”

“Steve Pearce is the antithesis of the Montana conservation ethic and the values we teach our children about stewardship and leaving our outdoors in better shape than when we encounter them,” said Keagan Zoellner, Montana State Director with Mountain Mamas. “This latest vote puts what we love at risk, from our access to hike, camp, and explore, to the wildlife habitat and outdoor way of life that define Montana. We are urging the Senate to vote against this nomination, and will hold the BLM accountable alongside Montanans to stop any attempt to sell off or weaken protections for our public lands.”

Mountain Mamas across the region point to Pearce’s record supporting efforts to transfer and sell America’s public lands, and opposing key conservation investments, including the Fondo de Conservación de Tierras y Aguas.

Mountain Mamas is calling on Congress, especially members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, to provide aggressive oversight of the BLM and reject any effort to sell off, privatize, or weaken protections for the public lands and waters our families rely on for health, access, and future generations.