Tracy Stone-Manning (born 1965)[2] is an American environmental policy advisor who is the current director of the Bureau of Land Management in the Biden administration.
Tracy Stone-Manning | |
|---|---|
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| Director of the Bureau of Land Management | |
| Assumed office October 7, 2021 | |
| President | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Neil Kornze |
| Director of the Montana Department of Environmental Quality | |
| In office January 2013 – November 2014 | |
| Governor | Steve Bullock |
| Preceded by | Richard Opper |
| Succeeded by | Tom Livers[1] |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Tracy Stone 1965 (age 58–59) Springfield, Virginia, U.S. |
| Spouse | Richard Manning |
| Residence(s) | Missoula, Montana, U.S. |
| Education | University of Maryland, College Park (BA) University of Montana (MS) |
Early life and education
editStone-Manning was born in Springfield, Virginia.[3] She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in radio, television, and film from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a Master of Science in environmental studies from the University of Montana.[4]
Career
editFrom 1999 to 2006, Stone-Manning was the director of the Clark Fork Coalition, an environmental protection organization based in Missoula, Montana. She joined the U.S. Senate office of Jon Tester, serving as his regional director from 2007 to 2012 and acting state staff director and senior advisor in 2012.[5]
Upon taking office, Governor Steve Bullock appointed Stone-Manning to succeed Richard Opper as director of the Montana Department of Environmental Quality. From January 2013 to November 2014, Stone-Manning served as the director. From November 2014 to December 2017, she was the chief of staff for Montana Governor Bullock. Since 2017, Stone-Manning has worked for the National Wildlife Federation, first as associate vice president for public lands and then as a senior advisor for conservation policy.[6][7]
Interior Department Nomination
editPresident Joe Biden nominated Stone-Manning for director of the Bureau of Land Management on April 22, 2021.[8] Hearings on her nomination were held on June 8, 2021. The committee deadlocked on her nomination on July 22, 2021, forcing the entire Senate to discharge the nomination. On July 27, 2021, the United States Senate voted 50–49 on the motion to discharge her nomination from the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.[9] On September 30, 2021, the Senate confirmed her nomination by a vote of 50–45.[10] Those who had voted against her were uniformly Republican; some stated that her earlier connection to what they said was "eco-terrorism" was disqualifying.[11]
She started work on October 7, 2021, and was sworn in on October 27.[12][13]
Environmental activism
editIn 1989, a friend of Stone-Manning's, and fellow environmental activist, was involved in tree spiking in Idaho's Clearwater National Forest. Tree spiking is a tactic used to deter logging by rendering a tree dangerous to cut, either by a lumberjack or in a sawmill, and is considered an act of eco-terrorism. At the friend's behest, Stone-Manning wrote an anonymous letter to federal officials, informing them of the tree spiking and warning that "a lot of people could get hurt" if logging were to continue. In her 1993 federal court testimony, Stone-Manning admitted that she had retyped, edited, and mailed the letter. She received prosecutorial immunity in order to testify against the activist. The activist was found guilty and sentenced to 17 months in prison.[11]
Personal life
editStone-Manning is married to Richard Manning, an environmental author and journalist. As of 2021, she lives in Missoula, Montana.[3]
References
edit- ^ Kuglin, Tom (November 25, 2014). "Bullock taps Tom Livers for DEQ director post". Helena Independent Record. Archived from the original on July 8, 2018. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
- ^ "Bio Box". The Montana Standard. December 14, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
- ^ a b "Who is Montana's Tracy Stone-Manning". Big Sky Words. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
- ^ "NWF Taps Montana Governor's Top Aide to Lead Public Lands Program". National Wildlife Federation. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
- ^ "NBC Montana: Tester reacts to report of Tracy Stone-Manning nomination to direct BLM". www.tester.senate.gov. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
- ^ Fischler, Jacob. "Montana's Tracy Stone-Manning tapped to lead BLM". Agweek. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
- ^ "President Biden Announces 12 Key Climate and Infrastructure Administration Nominations". The White House. April 22, 2021. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
- ^ O'Brien, Edward (April 15, 2021). "Biden Expected To Nominate Tracy Stone-Manning As BLM Lead". Montana Public Radio. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ^ "On the Motion to Discharge (Motion to Discharge: Tracy Stone-Manning to be Director of the Bureau of Land Management, from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources)". Washington, D.C.: United States Senate. July 27, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
- ^ D'Angelo, Chris (September 30, 2021). "Tracy Stone-Manning Confirmed As Biden's Public Lands Chief". HuffPost. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
- ^ a b Brown, Matthew (June 11, 2021). "Biden nominee linked to 1989 sabotage draws Republican ire". Associated Press. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
- ^ Fischler, Jacob (October 21, 2021). "Biden's new public lands chief faced with building bridges after confirmation battle". Colorado Newsline. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ^ "Tracy Stone-Manning Sworn In as Director of the Bureau of Land Management". United States Department of the Interior. October 27, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2021.