Roswell, NM (May 18, 2026) – Today, former U.S. Congressman Steve Pearce was confirmed as the new director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) following a Senate vote. IPANM Executive Director Jim Winchester issued the following statement:

“Steve Pearce’s confirmation as Director of the Bureau of Land Management is a positive development for New Mexico and the nation’s energy future. Director Pearce brings strong leadership, practical experience, and a balanced approach to the responsible development of safe and efficient oil and natural gas production on federal lands.

Under Director Pearce’s leadership, IPANM looks forward to working with the Trump Administration to further advance meaningful reforms to burdensome Biden-era federal regulations that hindered domestic energy production and created significant legal and operational uncertainty for producers.

Director Pearce also recognizes the critical role that development on federal lands plays in supporting economic growth, job creation, and long-term prosperity in New Mexico. This issue is particularly important as many independent producers continue shifting investment away from New Mexico state lands in response to an increasingly challenging and uncompetitive state regulatory environment, choosing instead to focus operations on federal lands or in other energy-producing states.”

–Jim Winchester
Executive Director, Independent Petroleum Association of New Mexico