Washington, D.C. – Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D) and Cory Gardner (R) today sent a letter to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke inviting him to visit Grand Junction, Colorado, and encouraging him to select it as the new headquarters for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
“We can think of no better permanent home for the BLM headquarters than Grand Junction,” the senators wrote.
As Bennet and Gardner wrote in the letter, Grand Junction is the ideal site for the BLM headquarters because of its central location, access to an interstate and airport, and existing federal facilities and infrastructure. They also highlighted the role the Western Slope’s “reasonable cost of living and outstanding quality of life,” and proximity to institutions like Colorado Mesa University, will play in recruiting and retaining high-quality employees.
“Moving the BLM closer to the land it manages and the people it serves ensures a bright future for the agency,” the senators wrote. “Providing BLM leadership the opportunity to live, work, and recreate on the Western Slope, while ensuring the DOI provides sufficient resources and proper management tools, would improve agency decision making and customer service.”
A copy of the letter is available HERE and below:
Dear Secretary Zinke:
We write to invite you and your staff to visit Grand Junction, Colorado as you search for the future home of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) headquarters. We support moving the BLM to the West, and believe Grand Junction and Colorado’s West Slope have much to offer the Department of the Interior (DOI).
Moving the BLM closer to the land it manages and the people it serves ensures a bright future for the agency. The BLM’s multiple-use mission aligns closely with the values of Coloradans who use public land – whether for hiking, grazing, hunting, mountain biking, or energy development. Providing BLM leadership the opportunity to live, work, and recreate on the Western Slope, while ensuring the DOI provides sufficient resources and proper management tools, would improve agency decision making and customer service.
We believe Grand Junction is the ideal location for the BLM headquarters. Grand Junction is centrally located and offers easy access to a major interstate and an expanding airport, and has existing federal facilities and infrastructure. Its reasonable cost-of-living and outstanding quality of life, along with its proximity to institutions like Colorado Mesa University, would help attract and retain high-quality employees – an important consideration as the BLM recruits the next generation of talented geologists, engineers, and land managers. Moreover, the community in Grand Junction is supportive of this opportunity and would work with you and your team to facilitate a successful move.
For these reasons, we can think of no better permanent home for the BLM Headquarters than Grand Junction. We would happily work to coordinate your visit and connect you with local leaders who could speak to the area’s attributes and answer any questions you might have. Thank you for considering this invitation and we look forward to your visit.
Sincerely,