U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT NEWS RELEASE
Twin Falls BLM
Twin Falls BLM
| Contacts: | Heather Tiel-Nelson, 208-736-2352 |
New Twin Falls District Manager Mel Meier to Report October 9
TWIN FALLS, ID – New Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Twin Falls District Manager Mel Meier will take over at the helm of the District on October 9, 2012. “Mel brings a wealth of experience and perspectives from the national, state and district levels within BLM,” said Idaho State Director Steve Ellis. “Coming from a fourth-generation ranching family in Oklahoma, she brings an understanding of rural communities, coupled with a commitment to the BLM’s mission, customers and stakeholders. This background made Mel an outstanding candidate for the Twin Falls District position.”
Most recently, Mel served as the Associate District Manager for the BLM Southern Nevada District. She began her BLM career in the Washington Office as a Planning and Environmental Analyst. During that time, she provided resource management plan support to several Western states, working on numerous projects, including implementation of the Energy Policy Act and a re-write of the BLM National Environmental Policy Act Handbook and interactive web guide. Her leadership positions since leaving Washington, D.C. also include Planning and Environmental Coordinator and Assistant Deputy State Director, Minerals Management for the BLM in Nevada.
It’s the work at the District level that Mel says she most enjoys. “I am very much looking forward to moving to Twin Falls,” she said. “It’s a wonderful community, and I am committed to forming partnerships and maintaining strong relationships with our permittees, right-of-way customers and other stakeholders.” An avid outdoor enthusiast, Mel enjoys hiking, photography, snow skiing, kayaking and rafting.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.