Sierra Club Statement on Confirmation Hearing of Michael Boren

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Last Updated on: 29th July 2025, 12:18 am

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry held a confirmation vote on Donald Trump’s controversial pick to oversee the U.S. Forest Service.

The vote was party line, with all Democrats voting against the nomination of Michael Boren to serve as Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment at the Department of Agriculture, a position that directly supervises the USFS. Boren, 62, is an Idaho-based software billionaire and land owner and Trump megadonor with no previous government experience.

Boren’s nomination has generated controversy through stories about his past disputes with government agencies, including the agency he will be tasked with overseeing. In one episode, Boren feuded with the Forest Service over building a cabin and clearing land within the Sawtooth National Forest. In another, he clashed with the agency over his construction of an airstrip on protected lands, an event which resulted in his filing a slew of defamation lawsuits, including against former Olympian Dick Fosbury. Video records also show a helicopter registered to Boren flying close to a Forest Service trail construction crew in what workers characterized as an act of intimidation.

In response, Alex Craven, Sierra Club’s Forest Campaign Manager, released the following statement:

“Donald Trump nominating unqualified allies to top positions is sadly nothing new, but Michael Boren stands out for his fraught history with the agency he is being tasked with leading. With multiple lawsuits filed against the Forest Service, it’s clear that respect for the agency’s mission isn’t at the front of Mr. Boren’s mind. The U.S. Forest Service is an essential agency, tasked with conserving hundreds of millions of acres of public lands and protecting countless communities from the impacts of wildfire. How can we expect it to fulfill its responsibilities when the man at the top has worked to undermine it at every turn?”

About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person’s right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.