ROCK SPRINGS – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Wyoming State Director Donald Simpson administered the oath of office to Mark Storzer as the new High Desert District (HDD) Manager on May 8 in front of a crowded room of government representatives, land owners, and BLM employees at the BLM HDD Office in Rock Springs, Wyo.
Storzer has more than 25 years of federal service and returns to Wyoming from Eastern States where he worked in Milwaukee, Wisc. as the Northeastern States Field Office Manager. Prior to working in Milwaukee, Storzer was the Rawlins Field Manager from 2004 to 2007 when the office was established as one of seven energy pilot offices in the BLM. He has also served as the Associate Field Manager in Battle Mountain, Nev. and the BLM Water Rights Lead in the Washington, D.C. Office.
Simpson describes the HDD as one of the top five largest and most complex districts in the BLM. It encompasses approximately 9.4 million surface acres, which is roughly half the public land in Wyoming. The HDD manages the Chokecherry/Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project, the largest wind energy project proposed on public land in North America, as well as the Continental-Divide Creston Oil and Gas Project, the largest oil and gas project on BLM-administered land in the United States. It is also the home of the first BLM wild horse ecosanctuary in the country, and there are more nesting pairs of ferruginous hawks found here, than anywhere in Wyoming.
The new district manager says he welcomes the challenges of the High Desert District. Storzer is most proud of the strong relationships he has built with partners, cooperators, agencies and interest groups throughout his BLM career. Multiple use land management is a challenge and his philosophy is it takes getting people around the table and establishing relationships in order to address the challenges.
Storzer grew up in Wisconsin and holds Bachelor of Science degrees in Natural Resource Management and Water Resource Management from the University of Wisconsin in Stevens Point, Wis. He is an avid Green Bay Packers fan, and enjoys working on all types of home improvement projects, fishing, gardening and spending time with the dogs.
