Both the Associated Press and the Houston Chronicle announced today that President Elect Obama would be naming Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO) to be the next Secretary of the Department of the Interior. This would place Salazar over the Department under which the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) functions. Given the high number of rule changes currently be enacted by the BLM to favor energy exploration and development on public lands, this could signal the type of change hoped for by conservationists and outdoor enthusiasts. Salazar was opposed to opening up the Roan Plateau in Colorado, and has been opposed to many of the other recent rules changes passed or still being considered by the BLM. While the appointment is not official (rumored to be announced later in the week), if true, it could signal Obama's intent to reverse as many of the rule changes as possible. However, if the oil and gas leases on the proposed land (much of it in Colorado and Utah) has already been finalized, these would prove more difficult to undo, as they would be bound by legal contract and would most likely need to be re-purchased.