{"id":17368,"date":"2021-10-26T18:49:43","date_gmt":"2021-10-26T22:49:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/News\/?p=17368"},"modified":"2021-10-26T18:50:47","modified_gmt":"2021-10-26T22:50:47","slug":"montana-free-press-nominee-us-fish-wildlife-service","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2021\/10\/26\/montana-free-press-nominee-us-fish-wildlife-service\/","title":{"rendered":"Montana Free Press: Biden announces nominee for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service"},"content":{"rendered":" \"Martha<\/a>
Martha Williams previously served as director of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. She has been working as Principal Deputy Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service since January 20, 2021, exercising authority of the director. Photo courtesy Martha Williams<\/figcaption>\r\n
Martha Williams nominated to lead U.S. Fish and Wildlife<\/div>\r\n
If confirmed, she\u2019ll become the second woman with Montana ties to take a top Interior Department post.<\/div>\r\n
Tuesday, October 26, 2021<\/div>\r\n
By Amanda Eggert<\/div>\r\n
Montana Free Press<\/DIV>\r\n
montanafreepress.org<\/A><\/DIV>\r\n

<\/p>\r\nThe Biden administration announced<\/a> last Thursday that it is nominating former Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks director Martha Williams to become director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service<\/a>. If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Williams will become the second major Montana appointee to work under U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland<\/a\u0010>.

<\/p>\r\n\r\nLike Missoulian Tracy Stone-Manning, who took the helm of the Bureau of Land Management<\/a> last month, Williams formerly worked under former Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock. The first woman to lead Montana FWP, Williams managed nearly 700 full-time employees and oversaw management of more than 50 state parks when she held that post from 2017 to 2020.

<\/p>\r\n\r\nDuring her tenure at FWP, the department responded to a number of contentious and difficult conservation issues including grizzly bear management, aquatic invasive species and chronic wasting disease. She also worked on bison issues, seeking land, whether state, private or federal, where herds could be restored without creating too much conflict with landowners opposed to bison restoration.

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\n\t\t\n\t\t\tUS Interior Press Team (@USInteriorPress) on X\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n\t
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The White House today announced the intent to nominate Martha Williams as @USFWS Director. Martha will lead @Interior’s efforts to conserve, connect, and restore the lands, waters, and wildlife upon which we all depend on. https:\/\/t.co\/wDDuOLxr2P<\/p>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n\t

\n\t\t\"X\t\tX (formerly Twitter)\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\r\n

<\/p>\r\nPrior to her post with FWP, Williams was an assistant law professor and co-director of the Land Use and Natural Resource Clinic at the University of Montana, her alma mater. She has also worked for the Interior Department before, serving from 2011 to 2013 as the agency\u2019s deputy solicitor for parks and wildlife, where she provided legal counsel to the National Park Service and USFWS.

<\/p>\r\n\r\n\u201cMartha brings with her decades of experience, deep knowledge, and a passion for conservation, wildlife management, and natural resources stewardship,\u201d Interior Secretary Deb Haaland<\/a> said in a press release about the nomination<\/a>. \u201cI look forward to continuing to work with her as the Department carries out its mission to protect America\u2019s most precious resources and as we answer President Biden\u2019s call to action to conserve, connect, and restore the lands, waters, and wildlife upon which we all depend on.\u201d

<\/p>\r\nMontana\u2019s Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Tester and a handful of conservation groups cheered the news of Williams\u2019 nomination to officially lead the agency she\u2019s overseen as acting director for the past 10 months<\/a>.

<\/p>\r\n\r\n\u201cMontana\u2019s landscapes and outdoor economy depend on our wildlife being managed fairly and responsibly according to the best possible science, which is why I am excited to see Martha Williams has been nominated to serve as Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Martha has spent her entire career standing up for our public lands and has proven herself to be a thoughtful, nonpartisan steward who works collaboratively with folks on the ground to make positive change,\u201d Tester said<\/a> in an emailed statement.

<\/p>\r\n\r\nMontana Conservation Voters tweeted<\/a>, \u201cAnother Montanan making us proud! Congratulations to Martha Williams on her nomination to run the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Her experience, smarts and commitment to protecting the outdoors makes her the ideal USFWS Director.\u201d

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