Senate confirms Abbey to head BLM

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) - The U.S. Senate has confirmed the appointment of Reno resident Bob Abbey as director of the Bureau of Land Management.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar says Abbey, with more than 32 years of working with state and federal land agencies, has a proven record to oversee management of 256 million acres of public lands, mostly in the West.

Abbey served eight years as the Nevada state director for the BLM, retiring in 2005.

Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid recommended Abbey for the post.