Profile

William Gerry Myers III

Position: Nominee

Department: United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Status: nominated

From July 2001 to October 2003, William Myers served as Interior Solicitor, the principal legal advisor to the Secretary and the chief law officer of the DOI. With few exceptions, the Solicitor is responsible for performing all the legal work of the department, including DOI policy against legal challenges.

Myers resigned as Interior Solicitor when he was nominated by President Bush for a lifetime seat on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

• Myers served as executive director of the Public Lands Council, an arm of the National Cattleman's Beef Association, which supports privately owned livestock grazing (for minimal fees if any) on public lands. He concurrently served as director of federal lands for NCBA.
• Served as corporate counsel to the Cattlemen Advocating Through Litigation Fund, "a non-profit organization that seeks to protect property rights, promote free enterprise, and prevent regulatory abuse.' Myers represented CATL opposing the ESA when a group of ranchers filed suit in 1993 after the Bureau of Reclamation cut off irrigation water to help preserve two species of fish as required under the Act.

• Publicly opposed important environmental policies, including the National Forest Roadless Conservation Policy, wolf re-introduction in Yellowstone, and grazing fee reforms. Myers also supported and vigorously defended the slaughter of bison adjacent to Yellowstone National Park.