(AP) – The top official at Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota has left her post, but details of her departure remain unclear.
U.S. Sen. John Hoeven said Wednesday he understood former Superintendent Angie Richman had taken a new job in New Mexico. The Associated Press has sent emails and phone messages to Richman and Deputy Superintendent Maureen McGee-Ballinger.
An automated email response from Richman on Tuesday said, “It has been a pleasure working with all of you and for Theodore Roosevelt National Park.” Her email also mentioned the new deputy director starting Monday. Richman did not appear to be in office until July 31, when she responded by email to AP questions about the triple-digit temperatures at the park.
According to The Bismarck Tribune, Richman began serving as acting superintendent in December 2021 and took over the job permanently in May 2022 after her predecessor moved on to a new position.
Earlier this year, park officials ended a planning process that faced strong opposition because it considered removing the park’s popular wild horses. But it’s unclear if Richman’s departure is related to that. The planning process took place during her tenure.
Chris Kman, a wild horse activist who has criticized park officials, said she wishes Richman well and plans to reach out to deputy director Nancy Finley. Hoeven praised Finley for her experience with horses.
In April, Hoeven announced that he had secured a commitment from the National Park Service to keep the horses in the park, and park officials said they would end the contentious planning process. Hoeven said he stressed to park officials that transparency and public participation were critical in the future management of the horses.
“I want a herd there that is healthy and sustainable for the long term, and I want it managed in a way that the public feels really good about,” he said.
About 200 wild horses roam the southern part of the park in the scenic, rugged badlands near Medora, where the 26th president hunted and ranched as a young man in the 1880s.
