Trump wants this oil lobbyist to watch over public land and water — and his former clients

Interior Secretary David Bernhardt opened or closed at least 34 public comment periods despite widespread calls for a halt to rulemakings and major actions FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEAPRIL 7, 2020 DENVER — A new analysis by the Center for Western Priorities finds that in the month after President Trump signed the first emergency coronavirus bill, the […]

“Today’s vote is yet another instance of ‘two steps forward, one step back’ for our public lands. While today’s vote ensures another year of funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, it falls far short of the full, dedicated funding our parks and public lands need and deserve.”

“Surrounding himself with former lobbyists, it quickly became clear that Ryan Zinke was a pawn for the oil and gas industry. We can expect more of the same from Acting Secretary David Bernhardt, but without the laughable Teddy Roosevelt comparisons.”

Any time you’ve had a tough week, it’s nice to retreat to a comfortable place, where you can forget about the last few days. After this week, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke must be awfully happy he’s escaping to the friendly confines of the Heritage Foundation, where he’ll present “A Vision for American Energy Dominance.”

Oil industry lobbyists have made eliminating the “BLM methane waste rule” a top priority since Congress went back to work in 2017. The industry, which spent over $100 million supporting candidates for federal office in 2016, is now expecting politicians to fall in line and vote to scrap a rule whose stated purpose is to […]