Office of the Secretary

For Immediate Release: May 6, 1997

Contact: John Wright 202/208-6416*

Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt today praised President Clinton’s intention to nominate Kathy Karpan to serve as Director of Interior’s Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM). The nominee for OSM Director must be confirmed by the Senate.

“Kathy Karpan is a no nonsense administrator,” said Babbitt. “She has the background, experience, integrity and impressive professional qualifications which are needed to help protect America’s natural resources and carry out the vigorous program at OSM.”

Ms. Karpan, currently serves as the manager of Karpan & White Law Offices, and President of the Karpan & White Corporate Services. She was elected in 1986 and reelected in 1990 to serve as Wyoming’s Secretary of State, the second highest office after Governor. Prior to that she spent two years on the Wyoming Attorney General’s staff and two years (1984-86) as Director of the Wyoming’s Department of Health and Social Services, one of the largest agencies in state government. She resigned in 1986 to run for the job of Secretary of State.

Her other work experience includes serving as Deputy Director, Office of Congressional Relations and later as Legal Counsel in the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce (1978-81), during the Carter Administration. She spent six years on the staff of U.S. Representative Teno Roncalio, as Press Secretary and later as Chief of Staff. Ms. Karpan also worked as a journalist for newspapers in Cody and Cheyenne, Wyoming, and for the Canberra Times in Canberra, Australia.

A native of Rock Springs, Wyoming, and the daughter of a coal miner, Ms. Karpan earned both a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in American Studies from the University of Wyoming, and a J.D. from the University of Oregon.

Upon confirmation by the Senate, Ms. Karpan will become the 13th Director of the 20 year old Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement. The OSM Director has policy and administrative responsibility for developing and enforcing mining regulations under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act. The agency operates with an annual budget of $271 million and a work force of 650 employees nationwide.

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