Secretary Bernhardt Applauds the President's Intent to Nominate William Perry Pendley to be the Director of the Bureau of Land Management

06/26/2020
Last edited 06/26/2020

Date: Friday, June 26, 2020
Contact: Interior_Press@ios.doi.gov

WASHINGTON – Today, President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to nominate William Perry Pendley to be the Director of the Bureau of Land Management at the U.S. Department of the Interior. U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt applauded the action.

“I commend President Trump’s intent to nominate William Perry Pendley who has been a leader at the Bureau of Land Management for nearly a year. He’s doing a great job, including acquiring more than 25,000 acres of public land for expanded recreational access," said Secretary Bernhardt.

Mr. Pendley currently serves as the Bureau of Land Management's Deputy Director for Policy and Programs, exercising the authority of the director. He also has decades of experience in federal land management policy as an attorney.

Born and raised in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Mr. Pendley received B.A. and M.A. degrees in Economics and Political Science from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. He was a captain in the U.S. Marine Corps, after which he received his J.D. from the University of Wyoming College of Law, where he was Senior Editor on Land and Water Law Review.

Mr. Pendley has a distinguished background of public and private service, having been an attorney to former Senator Clifford P. Hansen (Wyoming) and to the House Interior and Insular Affairs Committee. During the Reagan Administration, he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy and Minerals of the Department of the Interior, where he authored President Reagan's National Minerals Policy and Exclusive Economic Zone proclamation. Mr. Pendley was also a consultant to former Secretary of the Navy John F. Lehman, Jr. and was a part of a private legal practice in the Washington, D.C. area before returning to the West in 1989 to become the President of the Mountain States Legal Foundation. He presided over the Mountain States Legal Foundation for nearly 30 years before joining the BLM last year.

Image
perry-original.jpg
Nomination of William Perry Pendley to be the Director of the Bureau of Land Management.

 

  • Press Release
    06/25/2026

    Interior Releases First-Ever Interagency Recreation Visitation Report and Announces Nationwide…

    The Department of the Interior today announced the release of the Interagency Recreation Visitation Data Report, the first unified compilation of recreation visitation estimates across all federal land and water management agencies, as directed by the EXPLORE Act. The landmark report provides a comprehensive, standardized view of how millions of people experience outdoor recreation across hundreds of millions of acres of federally managed public lands and waters.

    Read more
  • Press Release
    06/22/2026

    Interior Advances Revisions to Oil and Gas Leasing and Waste Prevention Rules to Support American…

    The Department of the Interior today announced two coordinated regulatory actions aimed at modernizing federal onshore oil and gas policy, eliminating unnecessary administrative barriers, and strengthening the nation’s long-term energy leadership. The proposals revise both the Bureau of Land Management’s oil and gas leasing rule and the waste prevention rule, reinforcing the Trump administration’s commitment to responsible development, lower energy costs for families, and the continued expansion of American Energy Dominance.

    Read more

Was this page helpful?

Please provide a comment