Sheehan served as the head of the US Fish & Wildlife Service as the Trump admin has yet to name a Senate confirmed Director.BILLINGS — The head of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is stepping down after a 14-month tenure in which the agency proposed broad changes to rules governing protections for thousands of species and pushed for more hunting and fishing on federal lands, officials said Thursday.
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke had sought to make Sheehan acting director of the 9,000-employee wildlife service, which would have given him certain legal authorities. However, Sheehan was barred from that role because he did not have the science degree required for the position under federal law, Shire said.
His departure comes amid a spate of vacancies at the Interior Department more than a year-and-a-half after Trump took office. Those include the heads of the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service and the assistant secretary for fish, wildlife and parks.
Before coming to the federal government, Sheehan worked for 25 years in Utah's Division of Wildlife Resources, including five years as its director.
National Wildlife Federation President Collin O'Mara — who considers Sheehan a friend — said during his watch the service had done good work collaborating with state officials and conservation groups. But O'Mara said there needed to be less emphasis on removing regulations and more on making sure wildlife issues are considered, such as during decisions on energy development.
"Given the magnitude of the wildlife crisis, there's always more that can be done," O'Mara said.
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke had sought to make Sheehan acting director of the 9,000-employee wildlife service, which would have given him certain legal authorities. However, Sheehan was barred from that role because he did not have the science degree required for the position under federal law, Shire said.
His departure comes amid a spate of vacancies at the Interior Department more than a year-and-a-half after Trump took office. Those include the heads of the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service and the assistant secretary for fish, wildlife and parks.
Before coming to the federal government, Sheehan worked for 25 years in Utah's Division of Wildlife Resources, including five years as its director.
National Wildlife Federation President Collin O'Mara — who considers Sheehan a friend — said during his watch the service had done good work collaborating with state officials and conservation groups. But O'Mara said there needed to be less emphasis on removing regulations and more on making sure wildlife issues are considered, such as during decisions on energy development.
"Given the magnitude of the wildlife crisis, there's always more that can be done," O'Mara said.
Another conservation group, the Center for Biological Diversity, had a more critical response, saying Sheehan's departure was "welcome news for America's wildlife."
"In just one year in office, he inflicted incredible harm on imperiled animals by consistently putting special interests ahead of science and the environment," said Brett Hartl, the group's government affairs director.
The Interior Department issued a statement saying Sheehan was "an incredible asset to the Interior team and was tremendous in helping Secretary Zinke expand access for hunting and fishing on over a quarter million acres of public lands across the country."
Deputy Operations Director Jim Kurth will lead the agency pending another appointment, Shire said.
https://helenair.com/lifestyles/recreation/us-wildlife-boss-departs-after-stirring-fears-on-species-law/article_ede2a2b8-d23b-521c-b29a-1c52684e53a4.html
