Post by: bigtex on August 09, 2018, 10:01:47 PM
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
Post by: Oh Mah on August 09, 2018, 10:18:20 PM
Post by: bigtex on August 09, 2018, 10:25:24 PM
Another problem caused by the dem party blocking everything Trump does whether it is good for all or bad in the eyes of just under half.The Trump Admin has never nominated a person for the Director position. Same with the Director for the BLM and National Park Service.
This isn't the dems blocking a nominee, this is simply nobody being nominated.
Post by: Dan-o on August 09, 2018, 10:31:29 PM
Another problem caused by the dem party blocking everything Trump does whether it is good for all or bad in the eyes of just under half.The Trump Admin has never nominated a person for the Director position. Same with the Director for the BLM and National Park Service.
This isn't the dems blocking a nominee, this is simply nobody being nominated.
Honest question: Isn't that because there are so many other nominations being held up, so it impacts their ability to get to these? Asked another way: If the Dems confirmed Trump's nominees in normal time, do you think these positions would have been filled?
Thanks.
Post by: Oh Mah on August 09, 2018, 10:40:11 PM
exactly @ Dan-o :yeah: .Trump is stuck working on getting the others in so he can move on to the next.The dems are blocking it all in 1 way or another.Another problem caused by the dem party blocking everything Trump does whether it is good for all or bad in the eyes of just under half.The Trump Admin has never nominated a person for the Director position. Same with the Director for the BLM and National Park Service.
This isn't the dems blocking a nominee, this is simply nobody being nominated.
Post by: bigtex on August 09, 2018, 10:43:02 PM
The nominations all go to different committees, so it's not like one committee is holding everything up. Let's face it, the Director of the National Park Service isn't exactly a controversial position.Honest question: Isn't that because there are so many other nominations being held up, so it impacts their ability to get to these? Asked another way: If the Dems confirmed Trump's nominees in normal time, do you think these positions would have been filled?Another problem caused by the dem party blocking everything Trump does whether it is good for all or bad in the eyes of just under half.The Trump Admin has never nominated a person for the Director position. Same with the Director for the BLM and National Park Service.
This isn't the dems blocking a nominee, this is simply nobody being nominated.
Thanks.
The big rumor that the Directors for NPS/BLM/USFWS haven't been filled is because Zinke (Secretary of Interior) likes it that way. That way he can input a "Deputy" who is actually an Acting Director without it going before the Senate for nomination. Zinke created the position Sheehan was in. And as quickly as he can put someone into one of those deputy positions he can remove them, so they're essentially Secretary Zinke's bi**h.
Trump himself doesn't pick these lower level agency directors, it's the cabinet secretary's who do, since they will be reporting to the secretary.
Post by: Skyvalhunter on August 10, 2018, 05:18:38 AM
Post by: bearpaw on August 10, 2018, 08:37:02 AM