Murphy named new BLM resources chief

Tom Lonnie, director of the Bureau of Land Management for Alaska, said June 13 that Ted Murphy has been selected as the deputy state director for the Division of Resources, which oversees minerals and resource programs at BLM’s Alaska headquarters in Anchorage. He will report to the agency’s Anchorage office in late August and be responsible for land use planning, solid and fluid minerals, wildlife and fisheries, subsistence, recreation, cultural resources, paleontology, environmental coordination and hazardous materials programs on 83.5 million acres of BLM-managed land in the state.

“Ted has an outstanding record of demonstrated accomplishments at all levels of the BLM organization,” said Lonnie. “He has a full appreciation of the agency’s multiple-use mission, developed through years of experience as a leader and manager, most recently in our Washington, D.C., office. He will bring valuable expertise to our BLM Alaska team.”

Since 2004, Murphy has served as the chief of the Division of Solid Minerals in BLM’s Washington, D.C., office, overseeing policy development for energy and nonenergy solid mineral leasing and development, as well as mining law programs. During his tenure he coordinated the implementation of the 2005 Energy Policy Act, with a focus on oil shale and coal programs.

Prior to his time in D.C., Murphy spent 23 years in Wyoming where he began his career as a mining engineer. He was also an assistant field manager for minerals and lands in the Rock Springs field office as well as acting field manager.

Murphy received his bachelor’s degree in Mining Engineering in 1981 from the Montana College of Mineral Science and Technology, in Butte, Mont.

—Petroleum News