Colorado Bureau of Land Management Gets New Acting Director

Map of Colorado BLM Regions
Courtesy of Bureau of Land Management

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has had a few changes of directors in the last year. Helen Hankins retired on September 30th of last year, after 42 years with the BLM. She was replaced by John Mehlhoff in October.

Mehlhoff will be taking a position in the federal Office of Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR). The ONRR handles royalty payments from the production of oil and gas operations on federal land. Mehlhoff will become the program director of coordination, enforcement, valuation and appeals.

The new temporary director will be Ruth Welch. She is currently the director of the BLM's National Operations Center in Lakewood. The Operations Center handles the agency's human resources and IT operations. The BLM's new acting director will take over the position in February.

The BLM is responsible for 8.3 million acres of the pubic lands within Colorado, as well as 27 million acres of mineral estate. The Director of the Colorado BLM will need to manage Colorado's resources and open spaces that contribute to the quality of life in Colorado.