Sources tell The Denver Post the White House is expected to announce today that longtime Colorado public servant Harris Sherman, director of the state’s Department of Natural Resources, will be nominated to run the U.S. Forest Service.
Sherman would be nominated for the position of Undersecretary for Natural Resources and Environment within the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That job requires Senate confirmation. Sherman would oversee both the Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Colorado officials could not be reached for comment.
As director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, Sherman is a member of Gov. Bill Ritter’s cabinet. He also held that position under Gov. Richard Lamm.
He oversees state energy, water, wildlife, parks and state lands programs. He also serves as director of compact negotiations for the Colorado Interbasin Compact Commission and chairs the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.
He’s co-chairman of the Governor’s Forest Health Advisory Council as well and a member of the Colorado Wildlife Commission, the Colorado Ground Water Commission and the Colorado Water Conservation Board.
Sherman earned his B.A. from Colorado College and a law degree from Columbia University Law School. As managing and senior partner of the Denver office of Arnold & Porter, his law practice focused on natural resources, environmental, water, public-land, real-estate and American Indian law.
