Two of Gov. Polis’s nominations for the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission withdraw before final Senate vote after committee contention
The governor’s third appointee was unanimously approved
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
John Emerick and Chris Sichko both pulled out of the confirmation process for the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission after their nominations were rejected by the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. The two appointees pulled out Friday morning before facing the final, full Senate vote that afternoon.
Both had been nominated for the commission by Gov. Jared Polis, but faced pushback from members of the sportspersons and agriculture communities, who argued it would skew the board toward anti-hunting, extreme wildlife beliefs.
The governor’s third appointee, Francis Silva Blayney, was unanimously approved by the committee on Wednesday, April 22, and by the full Senate on Friday. Silva Blarney, who co-owns a fly-fishing outfitter in Colorado Springs with her daughter, was appointed to serve as a sportsperson and outfitter representative on the commission.
The Parks and Wildlife Commission is a volunteer board tasked with guiding the state agency’s policies and regulations. The board’s 11 voting members are nominated by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate. State law requires that the seats be held by a specific split of sportspersons, agriculture producers, recreationalists and Coloradans at-large.
Emerick, a retired environmental biology professor who resides in Redstone, was appointed by Polis in July to replace an at-large seat held by Karen Bailey. Polis declined to reappoint Bailey. Sichko, a Boulder-based research economist who has worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, was named in February to one of the sportsperson seats, taking over a vacancy left by the December resignation of Murphy Robinson.
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Both nominations were opposed by Colorado sportspersons and agriculture groups, who raised concerns about conflicts of interest and experience.
Many of these concerns were summarized in a letter from the Colorado Wildlife Conservation Project, a group including 15 Colorado sportsperson organizations and several former Parks and Wildlife staff members and leaders. The group’s letter said the commission has tilted toward “extreme animal rights and anti-hunting agendas” pushed by the governor’s administration.
Of Emerick, the group expressed issues with his past advocacy, including for the wolf reintroduction and a failed ballot measure that proposed banning mountain lion, bobcat and lynx hunting. For Sichko, the group was concerned about his lack of big game hunting experience.
At the Senate committee hearing on Wednesday, these concerns were echoed by senators in their dissent to Emerick and Sichko’s nominations. Sen. Dylan Roberts, D-Frisco, the committee’s chair, said he was concerned the two seats were “a clear attempt (by the governor) to move the commission in a direction that is not within the mainstream of Colorado.”
Emerick, in an emailed statement, said he and Sichko “withdrew our names from the Senate confirmation process at the request of the Governor’s staff.”
“This was likely to avoid a very contentious discussion on the floor that would potentially turn to the Governor,” he said, adding that “the political reality is that the hunting lobby has successfully sold the narrative that they deserve to run Colorado Parks and Wildlife.”
Emerick said that this runs contrary to the idea that “there should be unbiased scientific expertise on the commission.”
During the committee hearing, Emerick said his past decisions and judgments are based on “the facts before me” as well as the “best available science.”
“I was honored to be appointed as a CPW Commissioner,” Sichko said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the confirmation process has become a proxy for broader political battles that are pulling the agency away from protecting wildlife and places. I hope Colorado can move through this period and return to choosing commissioners based on their judgment and commitment to sound wildlife management.”
Polis issued a statement on Friday, congratulating Silva Blayney while expressing “disappointment” in the process.
“Fran’s experience in a mother-daughter business as fishing guides is an inspirational story and I know that she will serve with distinction on the commission,” Polis said, before going on to express gratitude to Emerick and Sichka.
“Public service is not easy and both of these individuals gave their time, expertise and good faith to this role,” said Polis in the statement. “I’m deeply disappointed that the confirmation process has become so divisive that highly qualified candidates are not considered on their experience, merit and expertise.”
