Rock Solid: Inside the World of Idaho’s BLM Geologists Holly Goggin and Aili Gordon

At the Bureau of Land Management’s Idaho State Office in Boise, two geologists—Holly Goggin and Aili Gordon— shape how we understand and care for the landscapes beneath our boots.

Both serve as GS‑1350 Geologists in the Branch of Minerals, Land Tenure, and Water Rights, a team responsible for everything from mineral assessments to geothermal development across some of the West’s most geologically diverse terrain.

Holly Goggin: Finding Wonder in the Layers of Time

For Holly, geology is where all the sciences meet—physics, chemistry, biology, water, pressure, and a few hundred million years shape the landscapes we see today.

She loves that geology pulls every science into one story to form the world around us.  She chased that story from 1,500 feet underground in a trona mine to Idaho’s rims and riverbanks, where a quick lunch break between mine inspections often doubles as an opportunity to watch how the river flows.

Holly also leads Idaho’s return to geothermal leasing, which surged forward in 2025 after more than a decade. That year:

• Roughly 100,000 acres were nominated across the Four Rivers, Burley, Pocatello, and Shoshone Field Offices
• The September 2025 sale netted over $4.4 million for nine parcels totaling 24,355 acres
• The December 2025 sale netted another $1.3 million for 17 parcels covering about 68,025 acres

These sales marked a major milestone for energy development in Idaho, and Holly’s leadership helped shape public engagement, parcel review, and the technical groundwork that made the sales possible.

Aili Gordon: A Life Shaped by Rock and Family

For Aili, geology is more than a profession—it’s a family legacy. Growing up with a geologist parent set the tone early; childhood meant rockhounding trips, fossil hunts, and long days exploring public lands. Years later, she married another geologist, joking that geology isn’t just a career in her home—it’s the family language.

Aili’s passion led her to specialize in paleontology in college, participating in multiple fossil digs early in her federal career, which started in 2008 as a student intern under the Student Career Experience Program (SCEP). Since then, her work has taken her everywhere from abandoned mine reclamation projects to tours of the West’s largest gold operations. Each site and each challenge deepened her appreciation for the field.

Today, Aili brings that lifelong love of landscapes to BLM Idaho, helping ensure minerals management is grounded in science, sustainability, and a deep respect for the land.

Shaping Idaho’s Geological Future

In the Gem State—rich with gold and silver history, layered with phosphate, and defined by its geothermal promise—the work of geologists is essential. Holly and Aili’s assessments guide land use decisions, support responsible energy and critical mineral development, and help protect resources for generations to come.

Both geologists believe the land is the best storyteller—if you know how to listen.

Why Their Work Matters

In a world facing rapid environmental change and increasing demand for energy, the science practiced by these two Idaho geologists helps balance access, protection, and opportunity. To them, geology is a tool for caring for public lands.

Their work grounds BLM Idaho’s understanding of:

• Mineral resources and mining impacts
• Geothermal energy potential
• Land tenure and subsurface right
• Geologic hazards and landscape change

Holly and Aili—geology rocks, and so do you. Thanks for marveling at things that haven’t moved in 300 million years—and sharing the story so the rest of us can marvel too.