BILLINGS, Mont. — A leading figure in President Joe Biden’s administration, known for managing contentious climate policies that targeted oil drilling on federal properties while promoting renewable energy, has been appointed as the new president of a major environmental organization.
Tracy Stone-Manning, the current Director of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, will officially take on the role at The Wilderness Society beginning in February. The announcement was made by the Washington, D.C.-based organization.
Stone-Manning’s nomination by Biden in 2021 sparked a fierce backlash from Republican lawmakers, who controversially labeled her as an “eco-terrorist” due to her historical associations with environmental radicalism. Despite the opposition, Senate Democrats successfully moved forward with her confirmation along party lines.
The Bureau of Land Management oversees nearly 250 million acres of land, largely situated in western states, which is utilized for oil extraction, mining operations, livestock grazing, recreational activities, and various other uses. Under Stone-Manning’s leadership, the agency implemented a significant reduction in oil and gas lease sales and increased the royalty rates that companies must pay for extracting fuel.
Additionally, a rule was enacted to prioritize conservation as a recognized use of public lands, placing it on equal footing with activities like drilling and grazing. This marked a substantial shift from the Bureau’s traditional focus on commercial development rather than environmental conservation.
These initiatives drew criticism from sectors like energy, mining, and ranching, along with their Republican allies in Congress. They have promised to reverse many of Stone-Manning’s policies once the GOP takes power in Washington following the 2024 elections.
The Bureau has also approved several solar and wind projects and broadened access to public lands for renewable energy development during Biden’s tenure.
Before her role in the administration, Stone-Manning held positions as a senior advisor to Montana Democrats, including U.S. Senator Jon Tester and Governor Steve Bullock. Her nomination faced vehement opposition based on her involvement in a 1989 environmental sabotage case that emerged from her time as a graduate student at the University of Montana.
In that case, Stone-Manning sent a letter to federal authorities indicating that spikes had been inserted into trees in Idaho’s Clearwater National Forest, a tactic used to disrupt timber sales by making trees unsafe for cutting. Two individuals were charged in connection with the case, and Stone-Manning testified against them, claiming she mailed the letter to prevent potential injuries. She received immunity for her testimony and faced no criminal charges, although an investigator later suggested that she had obstructed the investigation.
Republicans characterized her as a dangerous appointee during her confirmation debate, yet she ultimately received backing from moderate Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia.
As part of the transition in leadership, Donald Trump had nominated Republican North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum for the position of Secretary of the Interior, which oversees the Bureau of Land Management, but the selection for the Bureau’s directorship is still pending.
Throughout Trump’s first term, the Bureau functioned without a Senate-confirmed director, relying on acting directors that facilitated an agenda focused on boosting U.S. energy outputs. The Bureau’s headquarters were relocated to Colorado during this time, resulting in the departure or retirement of numerous employees before relocating back to Washington, D.C., under Biden’s administration.