WASHINGTON - James Caswell, nominated to head the Bureau of Land Management, won praise from senators of both parties Thursday as he pledged to maintain an even-handed balance between development and conservation of public lands.

Western senators raised numerous energy and public lands issues with Caswell and other nominees to key energy and mining positions, all of whom had a joint hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

"I passionately believe in multiple-use management and conservation of our public resources with a commitment to balance, cooperation, collaboration and sharing," Caswell testified. "In my view, achievement of this commitment requires scientific information, and listening to, learning about, and collaborating with the owners of our public lands, the American people."

Caswell said the achievement of the multiple-use mission is "critically dependent upon enhanced community relations and being a good neighbor and a citizen of the community." He also said resource management plans "must be adaptive, dynamic, and rely on 'place based' ecosystem principles and landscape assessments."

Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., questioned Caswell about BLM giving adequate notice to surface owners of lands under which the government retains the underground rights when those mineral rights are going to be leased. Tester said BLM has not been notifying split-estate surface owners "until after the fact, if at all."

"We have to work with people, and people need to know what's going on," Caswell said. "If that in fact is happening, we're not communicating properly with surface owners, then we need to rectify that."

Caswell said people should be notified directly, not just have the information posted on a Web site.

Tester questioned Caswell about the multiple-use policy.

"How is BLM going to ensure that public lands proposed for leasing will be managed for that kind of balance of traditional multiple use, both from a hunter's standpoint, traditional agriculture's standpoint and oil and gas standpoint?" he asked.

Caswell responded that the issue "is very messy and very difficult" but that it must be done.

"That's a weighty question, and it begs for local decision-making, in my view," Caswell said. "And I can't sit here and answer it for you, but what I can tell you is I'm committed to balanced use. We have to find solutions, we have to problem-solve on these issues, we have to work hard at that. And we have to create an atmosphere that brings people together."

Caswell also said he personally does not favor any one particular use.

"I don't believe that every acre that has resources on it is something that has to be developed," he said. "I believe in wilderness. … But it has to be done, you have to make decisions, you can't just fight over this until you're at a stalemate."

Tester asked whether the BLM would consider compensating hunters or farmers harmed by oil and gas drilling. Caswell said his knee-jerk reaction to providing compensation is that it would be a slippery slope and hoped the agency could find another solution.

Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., said he intends to place a "hold" on Caswell's confirmation until he can settle an issue with Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne. Salazar wants the department to give Colorado more time to review plans to allow oil and gas drilling on top of the Roan Plateau.

Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, expressed frustration with the hold. "The fires in the West are not on hold," he said. "The need to balance and get busy on our public lands is not on hold."

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., asked how Caswell would avoid ethical problems at the department and a "consistent pattern at the agency of in effect putting politics over science and sensible policy." Wyden referred to former Interior official Julie MacDonald, who resigned after an inspector general report found she had pressured scientists to change their findings to favor industry.

Caswell responded that he has already met with ethics officials at the department and will make it a priority at the agency. Wyden said he will support Caswell's nomination.

"You've got a reputation as a straight shooter," Wyden said. "We did some checking, and people really do think that you've been fair and looked at the merits on the questions. … We need you to go down there and drain the swamp."

Caswell, a Vietnam veteran, has 40 years' experience as a resource manager, beginning with the BLM and ending with the Forest Service, including heading the Clearwater National Forest in Idaho and Montana.

He spent the last six years in the Idaho governor's office as administrator for Office of Species Conservation. He worked on the wolf and Yellowstone grizzly bear management plans in the state. "Both of those issues were politically and emotionally charged," he said.

Wyoming's money

In his first appearance on the committee, Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., questioned another nominee about $500 million in Abandoned Mine Land funding owed the state.

"Will you and can you make sure that that happens for Wyoming and the other states and tribes involved?" Barrasso asked.

Brent Wahlquist, nominated to be director of the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, noted that Congress last year approved a measure to ensure the states will receive their share of AML money. He said if confirmed he will work to see the money flows as requested.

Barrasso asked Clarence Albright, nominated to be energy undersecretary, what role his office could play in boosting transmission capacity in Wyoming. "I believe our electricity transmission system is inadequate," Barrasso said.

Albright said he recognizes that the country clearly needs more transmission and will do everything he can "to get those lines strung." He said a law allowing the federal government to step in when states can't decide where to site the lines will help.

"Most of the problems with these lines seem to be with siting," Albright said. "If communities don't particularly want new transmission lines going through their backyards, most of us can understand that. But the fact of the matter is you can't get the electricity there without the transmission."