Kathleen Sgamma takes the helm at BLM By EPN Staff Kathleen Sgamma, president of the Western Energy Alliance, an energy producer advocacy group, has assumed the role of director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) after recently being confirmed for the post by the Senate. She has signaled her intent to advance the Trump administration’s efforts to roll back Biden administration regulation that stifled energy development on federal lands. Why it matters Sgamma has nearly two decades with the Western Energy Alliance and brings important perspective and experience to an agency critical to leveraging natural resources to achieve national energy goals. She will work with Chris Wright, who was recently confirmed as secretary of the Department of Energy. Both nominations are designed to help fulfill the president’s campaign promise to increase U.S. oil and natural gas production. Sgamma and the Western Energy Alliance criticized Biden administration limits on oil and gas development on public lands. Last year, the Alliance joined oil and gas associations in other western states in a lawsuit against BLM leasing rules. Sgamma contributed heavily to energy section of the Project 2025 “Mandate for Leadership,” which advocated rescinding the Biden administration’s regulations and limits on leases. The bigger picture In his inauguration speech, Trump vowed to “bring prices down, fill our strategic reserves up again right to the top, and export American energy all over the world.” On the first day in office, the Trump Administration issued an executive order “to unleash America’s affordable and reliable energy and natural resources.” The order affirms a commitment to “energy exploration and production on Federal lands,” and directs agencies to review regulations that unnecessarily impede energy production and to expedite permitting. The order also lifts the ban on natural gas exports, Trump also invoked the National Emergencies Act in declaring a national energy emergency, asserting the need to increase energy capacity to lower prices, achieve energy independence, and enhance the reliability of the grid. The emergency declaration will enable the administration to expedite the completion of new energy projects. More detail BLM administers 245 million acres of public land supporting multiple uses including mining, grazing, logging, renewable energy development, recreation, and conservation. The BLM’s management of these lands generates $201 billion in economic activity and supports more than 783,000 jobs across the country. Sgamma holds a B.S. in Political Science/Defense and Arms Control Studies from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an M.S. in Information Technology from Virginia Tech. She spent three years as a military intelligence officer in the US Army. Before joining the Western Energy Alliance she worked in the information technology sector. She will replace Tracy Stone-Manning, who has moved on to serve as director of The Wilderness Society, a nonprofit environmental advocacy group. Before serving as director of BLM, Stone-Manning worked with the National Wildlife Federation.
