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David Bernhardt has in his short time in office proven to be an even worse Secretary of Interior than Ryan Zinke. Below are DOCUMENTED reasons why he should be removed from office before he further destroys conservation & wildlife. Below I discuss not only Bernhardt's Interior but other wildlife conservation problems created by Trump.
#686: Republicans argue for the “MODERNIZATION of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Although the ESA has saved or delayed the extinction of many species, the overall status of wildlife continues to become increasingly endangered due to agric. & pesticides, dev., pop. growth, & climate change. If the ESA should be “modernized,” it needs to be STRENGTHENED, wildlife & nature need MORE PROTECTION, NOT LESS, than they did in 1973. The population of humans is expanding—wildlife are decreasing. See E. O. Wilson’s argument for setting aside 50 percent of the Earth for nature in Edward O. Wilson. Half-Earth: Our Planet’s Fight For Life. New York: Liveright Publishing Corporation. 2016 #685: “Common Sense” “Solutions” to Environmental Problems: Ever notice when David Bernhardt or his staff use “common sense” solutions it is when they are stating that wildlife must be sacrificed to agricultural, ranch, or energy industry when their interests conflict? Selfish human interests must prevail even when it concerns public lands, wilderness, national wildlife refuges, and oceans. This is proposed even though wildlife are becoming more endangered with the reduction in their habitat, use of pesticides by farmers and developers, spread of development into or near “wilderness” areas. #684: A new Colorado poll shows overwhelming (84%) support for reintroducing wolves but 29 Col. counties have passed resolutions opposing this. Why? Read my article The Politics of State Wildlife Management: Why Anti-Conservation Forces Usually Win at https://www.wildlifepolitics.org/uploads/9/2/1/7/92174584/rocheleau.politics_of_state_wildlife_management_medium_numbered_.pdf #683: You’ve heard of the 6th Wave of Extinction popularized by Elizabeth Kolbert? Well, we’re now in the 7th Wave of Extinction due to Bernhardt & his ANTI-Endangered Species Crew featuring Pembley, Budd-Falen, Combs, Jorjani, & Skipwith & rest of Davy’s staff. They’ve never seen species they’re not willing to sacrifice to industry. Instead of trying to PROTECT species, Interior is now DIRECTLY KILLING them by one anti-conservation measure after another. See 680+ examples below. The USFWS is now a joke--e.g., Gary Frazier heading "Endangered Species" never saw Bernhardt favor to industry that he doesn't love. Example: Sage grouse nos. have been declining in last 2 years but they are voiding an agreement to save them VOLUNTARILY arrived at by govt., nonprofits, & for-profits! They know their priorities: Nothing too much for industry, Nothing too little for wildlife. #682: There’s bipartisan support for extending coal mine cleanup fees which is set to expire. Wonder what Bernhardt’s head of Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) Like all of Bernhardt’s appointees, Lanny Erdos, is an Industry man. Let’s see Protecting environment & communities from pollution vs. Saving industry $! Guess which Bernhardt’s swamp will favor! https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2020/01/24/stories/1062160815 https://www.osmre.gov/about/Director.shtm #681: Slimy Bernhardt’s “innocence.” Bernhardt has undertaken many ethical misdeeds but his underlings in Interior always excuse them. He helped squash report on pesticide impact on endangered species & then pushed to loosen reqmnts. against recommendations of career professionals, thus helping Dow Co. that gave Trump $1 Mill—& then he assures us this had no effect on policy! He cowrote letter squashing the report. His underling in charge of ENDANGERED SPECIES, Gary Frazier, did not believe policy was “politically driven!!” As with ALL of Bernhardt’s staff, Frazier faced with choice of protecting species & helping industry, chose the latter. Of course, Bernhardt’s Staff are a WHO’s WHO list of End. Spec. Act opponents: Pendley, Susan Combs, & Budd Falen—all never fail to want to weaken ESA & help industry first. See https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/26/us/politics/endangered-species-david-bernhardt.html #680: Bernhardt doesn’t like critics & reads Twitter! Great: Please provide a LIST policy actions you have taken that have favored CONSERVATION over industry-welfare ranchers-developers other than “improved access” to your cowardly fellow trophy hunters! https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2020/01/23/stories/1062158633 #679: Trump Admin. vs. Conservation: Whenever choice between Con. & industry-ranchers-developers, Trump Admin. FAVORS latter. Latest: remove pollution controls on streams-wetlands. And Forest Serv. Allows pipeline under Appalachian Trail. Wants to cut NEPA protections to help mines, industry. Only exception: Trophy hunters! Trump Bernhardt Inc.: Owned by Corporate Swamp. Only exception: See https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/22/climate/trump-environment-water.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_200123?campaign_id=2&instance_id=15300&segment_id=20564&user_id=1575e2a05f37205a27ca72946056eae7®i_id=103654190123 https://www.eenews.net/energywire/2020/01/23/stories/1062152185 https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2020/01/23/stories/1062152877 #678: BLM employees may unionize! It wouldn’t hurt—they have “leadership” like Pendley who moves them w/o notice & doesn't support them when they try to confront illegal grazing and industry abuse of public lands. And, at same time, MOVE INDUSTRY out of the bldg.. they will be occupying! Unethical on the face of it! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2020/01/22/stories/1062149941 #677: USFWS & For. Service Want to Kill 72 grizzlies “to promote livestock grazing” on public lands in Wy.! Public lands ranching is unproductive, gets welfare $ from Fed. & destroys the lands. The goal of USFWS & FS should be to reduce/eliminate destructive public grazing & support larger end. grizzly pop. But in Bernhardt's Interior, Conserv. Priorities are ZERO. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2020/01/22/stories/1062149533 #676: More evidence of harm done by Energy Dominance! Wyoming Dept Evmnt Quality had to back off their plan to allow dumping oilfield pollutants! DEQ doesn’t even test for many pollutants & taken no action against violators. This is the other side of the West’s “energy boom,” pollution and LAX ENFORCEMENT by Federal and states. They can’t do too much for industry & could care less about environment. See https://www.wyofile.com/deq-backs-off-plan-to-dump-more-oilfield-pollutants-into-boysen/ #675: BLM’s new plan to “streamline” grazing permit is a bad joke. Currently, BLM is supposed to BUT DOES NOT report on “informal resolutions.” GAO previously recommended they report information on # of compliance visits, # and level of violations identified, & how each violation is resolved, including those resolved informally. MOST violations HAVE NOT BEEN REPORTED & under Bernhardt, this FAILURE to report would be codified & the public would NEVER KNOW what these welfare ranchers are doing to the land. BLM should be REQUIRED to report these INFORMAL "resolutions" to the PUBLIC because this is how vast majority are done & they allow permitees to violate the law. There is already HUGE EVIDENCE that ranchers are RARELY PENALIZED & Western Cong. Reps. & local County Cmners intervene to prevent penalties. See Lots of Examples in Mike Hudak’s Western Turf Wars—the few times BLM or Forest Service employees tried to stop & penalize permittees, the govt. employees were disciplined, transferred, forced to retire, & their families were terrorized by local ranchers. The situation is a disgrace. A small no. of welfare ranchers ruin public lands for tiny fees & receive welfare $ for providing them water, roads, fences etc. Make BLM provide details on how many they have penalized & how they handle these informal crimes against the public. See GAO report https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-16-559 & ee news on their revisions https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2020/01/20/stories/1062132039 #674: Good News for Humans, Extinction for Wildlife: Recent articles have pointed to advancements in human life spans & health. But there is a mountain of evidence that reverse is true of wildlife—protected areas & MPAs have helped some but more species are threatened by inexorable growth of development, agriculture, technology to catch/kill animals. Latest example by Nuwer in NYT documents rapid declines & extinction of “freshwater giants.” We need totally new ethic such as Wilson has proposed—save 50% of Earth for wildlife. See https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/21/science/freshwater-megafauna-endangered.html?te=1&nl=science-times&emc=edit_sc_20200121?campaign_id=34&instance_id=15338&segment_id=20504&user_id=1575e2a05f37205a27ca72946056eae7®i_id=1036541920200121 #673: Portrait of a Liar: Daniel Jorjani. Interior’s top lawyer has trouble telling the truth—lied to Sen. King about not having contact with Koch Bros. tho he used “TO BEST OF MY RECOLLECTION” phrase well known to other liars. His views his job to protect Bernhardt et al. from ethics charges. Of course, he’s the same jackass who interpreted Migratory Bird Treaty to not include “incidental” intentional killing. He should be disbarred. See https://www.huffpost.com/entry/daniel-jorjani-interior-lawyer-koch-network_n_5e20e02bc5b6321176107946 #672: What a difference 25 years & a despicable President make! During Clinton Admin., reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone occurred. Under Trump, Interior is trying to kill wolves, grizzlies, weaken ESA, & open ANWR to drilling. This is the ANTI-CONSERVATON legacy of this disgraceful Admin. See https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/yellowstone_national_park/carrying-history-years-later-the-wolves-of-yellowstone-and-the/article_0b2dea1b-6ce6-53a9-b51b-b9c6e033281c.html?utm_campaign=animalia&utm_medium=Email&utm_source=Newsletter&wpisrc=nl_animalia&wpmm=1 #671: Will Colorado’s Parks & Wildlife (CPW) Department welcome wolves? There’s proof that a pack is in NW part of state overlapping Wy. This CPW. took a position AGAINST wolves in 2015 & Dems. in the state like Hickenlooper have been cosy with ranchers as well as oil industry, undermining Obama's Admin. sage grouse plan. Here's another chance to determine: Is there a New West to challenge the TINY # of welfare ranchers who have dominated public lands or do these beggars still rule wildlife policy?! See https://wildlifemanagement.institute/outdoor-news-bulletin/january-2020/excise-tax-trends-looking-back #670: Davy Bernhardt said that he's ‘THRILLED” by Trump’s proposed NEPA changes—he thinks “it’s even more exciting than killing a trophy animal”—He said they affect “EVERY SIG. DECISION” MADE (so he can do even more for industry friends)! Oh, sometime in the next few months, he will think about “conservation” and claim he’s done a lot for it! He remains & always will be a TOTALLY Destructive CREEP. See https://www.hcn.org/articles/climate-desk-the-trump-administrations-plans-for-less-public-input-more-pipelines?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email #669: EE News shows how Trump’s NEPA changes will allow huge energy projects to avoid detailed scrutiny by ignoring cumulative and indirect effects, excluding many big projects from rigorous review. Trump’s OWN OMB analysis shows that benefits of regs. FAR OUTWEIGH costs by BILLIONS but now damage done to environment & climate will be ignored. See https://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2020/01/16/stories/1062092145 #668: BLM Move: The REAL Costs! Interior issued a “cost benefit analysis” with NO discussion of basis of #s. But this ignores the true issue: BLM will now occupy bldg. filled with industry lobbyists so communications will be IMPOSSIBLE to monitor & FOIA will be useless—that’s been goal of Bernhardt all along—he can’t stand accountability. Imagine the Interior lackeys & their industry “bosses” scheming more attacks on public lands. Cancel this move or, if it goes forward, FORCE the industry to leave the bldg. & set up monitoring system to detect their unethical deals! See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2020/01/15/stories/1062090233 #667: Wildlife Need Space, Habitat first & foremost: Agencies have tried to protect endangered species like Florida Panthers but humans with dev., farms, ranches, & above all roads encroach on little area left. E.G. In 2 weeks, 4 panthers killed—3 by cars, 1 by railroad. This is why Wilson’s idea to save 50% of World for wildlife needs to be applied now or species are doomed. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2020/01/14/stories/1062079541 #666: Not surprisingly Industry group forms to defend Trump NEPA cuts but HYSTERICALLY FUNNY that they are trying to get their members to “file favorable comments” to Council! They needn’t worry: Analysis shows Interior has IGNORED PUBLIC input with huge majorities opposing their many anti-conservation actions only to decide in favor of their industry “bosses” anyway. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2020/01/14/stories/1062080161 https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2020/01/14/stories/1062080405 https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1PsjpmfMbQ0ghkwtunnGkVhexlKZfxa4VN5zVgBJfn64/edit#gid=0 #665: When will “New West” show up? High Country News article shows how move to create safe wildlife movement passes in eastern Idaho failed despite strong evidence it would save life & property as well as wildlife because of blind fears of Fed. Gvmnt so much so that Idaho Game Dept staff not even allowed to mention them! Who leads opposition: American Stewards of Liberty, a Texas-based led by daughter of Nevada rancher who waged a lifelong battle against federal grazing restrictions. Can’t beat these welfare ranchers—they lazily take Federal handouts but they work like hell to keep them! See https://www.hcn.org/issues/52.1/wildlife-when-wildlife-safety-turns-into-fierce-political-debate?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email #664: EE News article reviews 5 Interior officials who will “shape” policy in 2020. Unfortunately, they are ALL TERRIBLE. Kate McGregor who industry calls whenever their projects are delayed by regs. Jorjani who rules it’s okay to kill migratory birds. Erdos head of Mining Enforcement who thinks it’s fine to pollute streams with coal runoffs. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2020/01/13/stories/1062027575 #663: Pendley discounts his anti-environmental books because he has a “new boss.” Yes, his bosses are Donald Trump & David Bernhardt who NEVER saw an environmental rule they would not IGNORE or OVERTURN for ENERGY DOMINANCE! We need to get rid of this triumvirate—they have already reversed decades of conservation. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2020/01/13/stories/1062071139 #662: Congratulations to House Nat. Resource Comm. for marking up Migratory Bird Bill. Pass this in House & push in Senate to force vote & advertise Republicans who vote against it! This is an issue that will draw independents & suburban support! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2020/01/13/stories/1062064915 #661: One More OBJECTIVE EXPERT study by American Academy of Actuaries shows cost of Trump-Bernhardt Energy Dominance Craziness: At least 24 Billion in property losses. This adds to OMB & GAO objective studies proving Trump Admin is HARMING not only public lands but future! See https://www.actuary.org/sites/default/files/2020-01/ACRI.pdf #660: When are Media going to report REAL Facts on Trump’s NEPA fraud? His own OMB researched & found HUGE benefits to regulations (& deleted this part later!) & OBJECTIVE studies found Most DELAYS due to Industry. Thus their ARGUMENT for changes is FALSE. See https://www.eenews.net/assets/2019/12/11/document_pm_04.pdf and then compared page 2 in Final Report https://www.eenews.net/assets/2019/12/11/document_pm_03.pdf & EE News report of: https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/12/11/stories/1061785515https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2020/01/10/stories/1062045159 https://www.gao.gov/assets/680/674752.pdf & #659: Whose Responsible Mostly for NEPA Review Delays? GAO objective study shows that “most delays on companies failing to provide the required information, not on government bureaucracy.” Once again Trump-Bernhardt full of bullshit but their big lies win out in Media anyway due to endless repetition & opposing viewpoint rarely represented. See pp. 21-22 in Report. https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2020/01/10/stories/1062045159 https://www.gao.gov/assets/680/674752.pdf #658: Only Retired Interior officials can tell the truth: NPS (& Interior overall) is NOW filled with “anti-public land sycophants.” Former NPS Chief Jarvis points out to multitude of anti-public land decisions but protests about them from Interior workers & we see what Trump does to whistleblowers. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2020/01/10/stories/1062045073 https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jan/10/us-national-parks-dismantling-under-way #657: NEPA is really another Energy Dominance move—emphasis on labor & infrastructure is a diversion. In the 3+ years of this Admin., EVERY SINGLE major policy decision that it has taken FAVORS their industry buddies at expense of conservation. Bernhardt admits NEPA “noble” but he just never follows it when it stops or delays his buddies—his & Trump’s energy dominance is IGNOBLE. See https://www.eenews.net/energywire/2020/01/10/stories/1062040055 #656: More Stupidity from Trump-Bernhardt on NEPA revisions: They want to exempt projects that have mainly private funding from evmntal review! What the hell excuse is there for that? Does harm from private projects “stink” less than that from public projects? The number of private projects far exceeds public projects so it would totally undermine NEPA’s purpose to protect the environment. See https://www.eenews.net/energywire/2020/01/10/stories/1062040055 https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2020/01/10/stories/1062039825 #655: Trump’s NOAA ordered by Obama-appointed judge to turn over documents on decision to allow “incidental killing” of right whales due to seismic testing for oil. This demonstrates 2 key points: (1) Only protection from Trump destruction are Courts & FOIA; (2) So-called “incidental” killing of wildlife is inherent in these activities thus is not "incidental" but INTEGRAL to activity & purposeful even if company doesn’t like it. With Trump-appointed judges taking over appeals courts, the sole protector of wildlife will no longer exist. See https://www.eenews.net/energywire/2020/01/09/stories/1062030265 #654: Democratic bill on Trump cutting of protections to Migratory Birds should be focused on by media & ads—There are millions of people who love birds who are unaware of Jorjani’s sacrificing them to industry & cable TV doesn’t talk about it either. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2020/01/09/stories/1062031481 #653: Bernhardt-Jorjani Attack Freedom of Information: They can’t stand up to scrutiny of FOIA into their ethical transgressions so they are moving FOIA control by professionals to Jorjani, the political appointee who's a graduate of Koch Brothers industry. Even Republicans in Congress have not liked their disdain for overview & they should join Dems in stopping this political move. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2020/01/08/stories/1062027909 #652: Trump is trying to cut environmental reviews of NEPA but has anyone heard major media including liberal outlets like MSNBC talk about this? There are a lot of moderate suburban Republicans who would not like at all what he & his Interior energy lackeys are doing but most are unaware of the magnitude. Time for major media to report on SUBSTANCE, not just impeachment & weather-natural disasters. See https://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2020/01/08/stories/1062022777 #651: Congrats to Grijalva for DEMANDING data, not bullshit from Bernhardt—he hasn’t provided justification for BLM move. Bigger issue: BLM should not be in same bldg. as fossil fuel industry! Informal conversations not able to be FOIAed between Interior fossil-fuel leadership & industry. This is PERFECT for Bernhardt—Terrible for those who care about public lands! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2020/01/07/stories/1062019293 #650: Trump-Bernhardt Biggest Swamp Ever: Ex Sec. Zinke hired by company with business before Interior reminds us that CURRENT INTERIOR is totally filled with lobbyists & when they leave, they lobby again! There are NO PROFESSIONAL conservationists in leadership. Interior is not just a swamp—it’s a CESSPOOL. See https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ryan-zinke-us-gold-corp-interior-department-ethics-20190416-story.html #649: Read example of “incidental” killing of waterfowl by oil company—the company then FIRED the worker who tried to save the birds! Interior Solicitor Jorjani & USFWS enable companies like this to flourish while wildlife dies. See https://www.wyofile.com/dominion-fires-oilfield-worker-after-he-saved-50-waterfowl/ #648: See Proof Why States Will Not Protect Endangered Species: Republicans like Rob Bishop want to “modernize” the ESA by handing over decisions to states. Read detailed Wyofile article by Thuermer on how Wyoming Fish & Game “biologist” tries to dismiss long-term decline in Sage Grouse as due to “cycles” while renowned scientists document real threats. Western states “game departments” are dominated by oil-gas-coal-rancher industries that they ALWAYS ignore threats if they hurt their favorite “clients.” See https://www.wyofile.com/scientists-blast-inaction-on-denial-of-sage-grouse-troubles/ For documentation of how Western Wildlife agencies are “supine” to industry, see “The Politics of State Wildlife Agencies” at https://www.wildlifepolitics.org/uploads/9/2/1/7/92174584/rocheleau.politics_of_state_wildlife_management_medium_numbered_.pdf #647: Trump's NEPA “ILLOGIC:” Eliminate climate effects from evmnt impact reviews because no single project would have major impact. But SINCE EVERY PROJECT would now be able to ignore effects so OVERALL impact of rule change would be massive! Will intentional stupidity (favorable to industry) win again? See https://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2020/01/06/stories/1062004543 #646: USFWS Research to help drilling ANWR. Researcher Ryan Wilson's goal is to allow drilling ANWR by reducing killing to an “INSIGNIFCANT LEVEL.” See him smiling in photo in front of a POLAR BEAR SKULL in his office. Bernhardt-Trump love this guy. It’s example of the “UPDATED” USFWS—goal is to allow industry killing not just bears but other wildlife such as migratory birds that are killed “incidentally” to support ENERGY DOMINANCE—the top priority for Bernhardt-Skipwith-Everson USFWS. If this leadership continues for another 4 years, “so-called PROTECTED” areas will be covered by drills, mines, roads, & development & the ESA will have been reduced to minimal protections of species. See https://www.alaskapublic.org/2020/01/01/polar-bear-protections-delayed-oil-exploration-in-the-arctic-refuge-a-new-federal-study-shows-how-companies-could-still-move-forward/ #645: Polar Bears versus Drilling ANWR: Which do you think the U.S. Fish & WILDLIFE SERVICE should favor? Well, Bernhardt, Iverson, & Skipwith side with Oil Industry! USFWS just authorized killing polar bears to support drilling. What the hell is the purpose of this agency if not to protect wildlife? Under Bernhardt, USFWS is a clear & present danger to ALL WILDLIFE. See https://www.eenews.net/energywire/2020/01/02/stories/1061970565 #644: NOAA says carbon dioxide causing ocean acidification that will cause most damage to ocean life & economy to Alaska & Florida Keys! Interior doing its best to INCREASE the damage. Great issue for Dems to emphasize in Florida 2020 election. https://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2020/01/03/stories/1061977583 #643: Bundy defends state lawmaker accused of 'terrorism’ for planning takeover of Malheur. Next Trump will give him the Medal of Freedom & Pendley will kiss his ass. Bernhardt will appoint as his Ethics Advisor. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/12/23/stories/1061888733 #642: Trump Interior vs. Birds: (1) More birds are killed in open oil pits than by poachers & windmills; (2) The weakening of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act makes it impossible for penalize companies for “accidental” killings such as from oil spills; (3) Jorjani, Koch grad & now Solicitor for Interior wrote opinion that weakened the Act after talking with oil industry but NO CONSERVATION agencies. (4) As result of Jorjani, No rqmnt that bird deaths be reported or any action taken at all. This is example of totally UNBALANCED EXTREME disregard of conservation to favor industry. This ENERGY DOMINANCE AT WORK. See https://www.hcn.org/articles/birds-egged-on-by-industry-lobbyists-interior-department-weakens-bird-protections?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/24/climate/trump-bird-deaths.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_191225?campaign_id=2&instance_id=14778&segment_id=19865&user_id=1575e2a05f37205a27ca72946056eae7®i_id=103654191225 #641: Judge rules that welfare ranchers, the Hammonds, who committed arson to public lands should not be given allotments! Judge said that "the permit “was arbitrary and capricious, an abuse of discretion, not rationally connected to the facts before the agency, inconsistent with the governing statutes and regulations, and an unexplained change in agency practice and procedure.” By contrast, Zinke-Bernhardt-Pendley-Trump think these arsonists should be given medals! Goes to show how we are now governed by idiots & stooges. See https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/court-rejects-trump-administration-renewal-oregon-ranchers-grazing-permit-2019-12-20/ #640: Move BLM West for More Access to “Clients” a Fraud: The ONLY reason offered for BLM is a bad joke. BLM already does whatever ranchers want—they no longer prosecute illegal grazing as GAO study showed. They don’t even force Bundy to pay fees. If a BLM employee DARES to control cattle on public land, they face removal. Rancher county commissioners & local sheriffs act to back up the ranchers & have more influence on grazing than BLM employees. Indeed, for most part, these points were even true under Obama & Clinton as proven by Ketcham’s This Land & Hudak’s Western Turf Wars interviews with numerous BLM employees—they too tried to placate ranchers & industry. The reality is that public range ranchers are SMALL in numbers & their productivity in arid evmnt is poor & negligible. They terrorize anyone in their communities who dares to challenge environmental damages (See Hudak & Ketcham for many examples). They complain about thousands of wild horses while effects of millions of cow grazing are FAR WORSE & destroy the land & riparian areas. According to news, Cory Gardner is seeking political payoff for support of BLM move. I hope that the vast majority of Coloradans who CARE about public lands will remove him from office. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/12/20/stories/1061862603 #639: Trump Jr. never got permit to USFWS kill endangered sheep until AFTER he shot it. Of course, cowardly USFWS then gave him a permit too late. I hope someone posts of photo of Junior with his trophy to be WIDELY DISSEMINATED in the media. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/12/19/stories/1061854527 #638: Bernhardt’s Textbook on Corruption--how to benefit lobby partner: His former lobby Co. has 310% increase in lobbying DOI! The firm brags about its “political clout” with presid. Appointees (i.e., Bernhardt)! DOI says they’ve hired more ethics officers like Scott de la Vega who have found Bernhardt’s unethical involvements perfectly fine. One firm that used for his firm that never had use Fed. lobbyists before—all of them former Rep. Cong. staffers now working for Bernhardt’s old firm (Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP). They helped them this firm to get DOI to approve road thru Alaska's Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve. What more evidence of swampy corruption is needed? See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/12/18/stories/1061845459 #637: Rubio lifts hold on MacGregor Asst Sec Interior. So Rubio &/or Grijalva or some other Cong. rep should FOIA MacGregor to release the results of their planning for ocean drilling NOW. She headed the effort. Don’t count on her & her boss to protect Florida & other states—they’re both industry lackeys & will eventually do industry's bidding once political threat to Trump is removed. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/12/17/stories/1061831015 #636: Excise Taxes from Hunting Way Down Again: Pro-Hunting Wildlife Management Institute (WMI) Dec. 2019 reported revenues from tax on hunting down 9% for 2019 from 2018. WMI concludes that “We simply can’t afford to continue to lose $50+ million in annual revenues and maintain the high-quality fish and wildlife management that state agencies are known for. We can’t expect expanded hunting and fishing access when the agency most responsible for providing that access is seeing these kinds of funding cuts.” These are $ that are used to fund Wildlife Restoration for States. WMI said it’s “ important that we do all we can to generate more hunters and anglers” BUT that is not going to happen! Fewer people are interested in hunting & It is FINISHED as the basis of funding for wildlife conservation. We need to turn to general tax funding & other non-hunting recreation which continues to grow rapidly. But Trump/Bernhardt & current leadership of Interior & USFWS are totally dominated by trophy hunters so only a change to Democratic Admin. can save conservation. See https://wildlifemanagement.institute/outdoor-news-bulletin/december-2019/excise-tax-snapshot #635: U.S. Forest Service allowed Canadian mining company to write its own environmental report for gold mine in Idaho! This is logical for Bernhardt’s agency: cut out Interior “middlemen”—Davy’s lobbyist staff just allow industry to do what they want anyway! See https://apnews.com/ca73589cb506a3a280ef8c3273959101?utm_source=1500+CWP+List+Daily+Clips+and+Updates&utm_campaign=a46d8c6b3d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_12_16_01_08&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_4369a4e737-a46d8c6b3d-84301189 #634: Democrats: Use Don Jr.’s Trophy Hunting Against Trump! Surveys have PROVEN that Trophy hunting has LONG been unpopular with public-witness huge reaction against Minn. Dentist killing Cecil the Lion. Publicize Junior’s trophy hunting w photos to show what a coward he is like his father. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/12/13/stories/1061802849 #633: Proposed Conservation Enhancement Act would create Teddy R “Genius Grants” to use technology to avoid human-predator conflict! Technology is NOT solution! Cows & Sheep are allowed to graze anywhere on public lands & cutbacks in habitat (e.g., monuments) & more development/population in their habitat are causes. This bill REIMBURSES public welfare ranchers for losses which just encourages more welfare ranching. Solutions? Cut public lands grazing, Increase habitat and build BUFFERS around wildlife w/no humans allowed in them. Instead Bernhardt has cut compensatory mitigation & increased grazing. Predators are not the problem & technology will NOT solve. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/12/16/stories/1061803125 #632: Trump Swamp lobbies for Pebble Mine. Former EPA staff, Peter Roberston, & Trump’s Florida Campaign Mgr, Brian Ballard, & Murkowski’s former aide, Edward Hild—already spent 1.2 Million $ lobbying for the mine. Trump has HUGELY INCREASED swampy activity. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/12/13/stories/1061801571 #631: BLM’s analysis of proposed oil dev. in Petroleum reserve area currently off limits to drilling that is refuge for birds, caribou, & subsistence hunting shows that drilling will have bad effects on the climate that will impact this area but BLM is RUSHING to develop anyway. https://www.eenews.net/energywire/2019/12/13/stories/1061799477 #630: Skipwith Confirmed but She Wants to be “FOIAed” so do it! Make her report on her lobbying activities. She refused to answer Sen. Caper’s questions—she stonewalls just like her industry lackey boss Bernhardt. Time to make both of these unethical lackeys provide the truth. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/12/12/stories/1061793089 #629: Trump’s OMB finds REGULATION BENEFITS outweigh regulation COSTS by between $209 BILLION & $796 BILLION! So guess what, OMB deleted this fact reported in the DRAFT in the FINAL report! Deregulation by EPA & Interior is costing us BILLIONS but these liars are hiding the facts. See page 2 in draft https://www.eenews.net/assets/2019/12/11/document_pm_04.pdf and then compared page 2 in Final Report https://www.eenews.net/assets/2019/12/11/document_pm_03.pdf & EE News report of: https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/12/11/stories/1061785515 #628: Skipwith Passes Senate but Fails “Smell Test.” Law requires that head have “scientific education and experience, knowledgeable in the principles of fisheries and wildlife management." She HAS NONE. Doesn’t matter because she’s what Bernhardt loves: a lobbyist & Monsanto grad. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/12/12/stories/1061788283 #627: Bernhardt HIRES ONE MORE OIL INDUSTRY LOBBYIST! 2 Contests: Try to find one NON-Lobbyist & One Conservationist in Bernhardt's Interior! That’s correct: The answer is ZERO to both contests. Latest addition is Atty Kevin O’Scannlain whose qualifications are that he worked for Chevron & Trump White House. He’s also a Federalist Society member—the group that hires ALL of Trump’s Court Nominees. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/12/11/stories/1061785061 #626: Biggest Joke About BLM Move: Need to get employees closer to “BLM land users” (i.e., ranchers & oil-gas). ANY BLM employee who tries to control cows trampling range is immediately threatened by supervisors, county, state, & Congressional politicos. The exception are those willing to stand up to the cowboys. See testimony of former BLM, NPS, FWS employees in Mike Hudak’s Western Turf Wars & Christopher Ketcham's This Land: How Cowboys, Capitalism, and Corruption are Ruining the American West. GAO has found that BLM no longer enforces illegal grazing & Bundy et al. no longer pay fees. Something needs to happen to BLM & it is TOTAL REMOVAL of the outlaws running the agency. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/12/11/stories/1061784483 #625: Rubio may lift hold on deputy secretary nominee-Kate MacGregor. Bad news for ocean front states! When oil-gas get in trouble, they “Just Ask Kate” to help remove regulatory obstacles. If Trump reelected, you can count on her & Bernhardt to drill everywhere. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/12/11/stories/1061777555 https://departmentofinfluence.org/person/katharine-kate-macgregor/ #624: I’ve been a member of Nature Conservancy (NC) for many years but I will depart them now. Last Straw: they are supporting big increase in $ for logging roads thru National Forests. How about working for more ROADLESS AREAS! I Just finished Reading Christopher Ketcham’s This Land: How Cowboys, Capitalism, and Corruption are Ruining the American West that details how NC accommodates developers & industry time after time. I will give me $ to less accommodationist organizations. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/12/11/stories/1061778019 #623: Alaska’s oil revs are WAY DOWN as with coal in many Western states. They should be looking to their natural resources, ecotourism, and recreation that are GROWING but all they want to do is chase industry that is destroying reason to visit them! See https://www.eenews.net/energywire/2019/12/10/stories/1061769573 #622: Bernhardt Cleared in ethics probe? Interior supposed to look at the “POTENTIAL EFFECTS” of malathion but he forced them to look at ACTUAL uses. Davy wanted to rush things & not spend time on bad effects. DOI's UNETHICAL official, Scott de la Vega, who previously found nothing wrong with Bernhardt meeting with Arizona Trump donor also found this hunky dory. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/12/10/stories/1061776611 https://www.rollcall.com/news/congress/gop-finds-bernhardt-met-with-group-closely-tied-to-ex-client #621: Interior IG found Domenech guilty of ethical abuse with his former employer, Texas Public Policy Fdtn. What happens to him? He “received additional guidance and ethics training” & Interior bosses consider “the matter resolved”! Fire this lobbyist bum who violated ethics! #620: Wyoming will have sharpshooters kill mule deer w/o knowing if they have CWD. Cause of CWD is overpopulation of deer & elk & the congregation of them in small areas. Enough Wolves would solve this problem naturally—keep pop. down & scattered but stupid state officials will look into “unacceptable impacts” of wolves on elk feedground areas! Score one more point for stupidity winning out! See https://www.wyofile.com/cwd-plan-targets-mule-deer-bucks-eyes-sharpshooters/ #619: Utah finally takes action against oil-gas wells that violate rules—1st time in 25 years! Let’s hope that this Mormon-dominated state’s public finally wakes up to fact they have handed over their public lands to the devil. See https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2019/11/22/utah-oil-gas-agency/ #618: Utah Politico Yahoos devotion to drilling-mining now hurting recreation of children & rec. industry. They’re nervous because bikers & hunters want to use “Trust Lands” that state wants industry to develop (i.e., despoil). Oil versus children/recreational users—classic dilemma in this state whose politicos worship $. See https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2019/11/12/can-sitla-energy/ #617: Pendley-Bernhardt are Incompetent! BLM forced to withdraw dozens of oil-gas leases because they didn’t do adequate analyses in Utah. When will they be held to account for their incompetence? See https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2019/12/09/blm-pulls-back-utah/?utm_source=1500+CWP+List+Daily+Clips+and+Updates&utm_campaign=889ba93914-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_12_09_10_37&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_4369a4e737-889ba93914-84301189 #616: Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) provides PERMANENT FUNDING for helping WELFARE PUBLIC ranchers suffering from drought! Republicans have consistently voted AGAINST permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund & wildlife conservation programs. Why should public range ranchers get welfare when they are mostly wealthy & their cattle are despoiling public land! What's even more outrageous is that they at same time take away food stamps from poor but give nearly a trillion in tax breaks to wealthy. Why the hell blue collar workers support these creeps? See https://jeffreydavidburgess.com/livestock-forage-disaster-program/ #615: Trump Admin tests birth control on wild horses but instead needs to use birth control on unwild cows! There are MILLIONS of cattle on prime (riparian areas) public lands & they are far more destructive than horses & now Bundy’s & others don’t pay any fees for grazing & graze illegally & BLM does NOTHING about it as GAO proved. See https://www.gao.gov/assets/680/678292.pdf https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/12/06/stories/1061741847 #614: Why can’t we have a Conservationist as head of USFWS? Interior is entirely filled with energy industry lobbyists—shouldn’t at least the agency supposed to protect endangered species be headed by a conservationist?? Skipwith’s qualifications for her job? She worked for MONSANTO & she & her fiancé both tied to Bernhardt’s Westlands! Her nomination is a travesty for the party of Teddy Roosevelt. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/12/05/stories/1061732949 #613: Interior has rushed plan to drill ANWR w/inadequate evmnt reviews but there is LITTLE interest by industry in drilling! Why? They can’t wait to despoil ANWR so it can’t be held up as pristine! They are as always contemptible destroyers of public lands. See https://www.eenews.net/energywire/2019/12/05/stories/1061708927 #612: Grassley & Republicans will NOT fix coal miner benefits! They have also sided with coal companies that hurt workers & refuse to pay up. Let’s hope miners & other blue collar workers in Ohio-Pa.-Michigan remember this when next election rolls around! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/12/05/stories/1061727019 #611: Fosburgh of Teddy R. Cons. Part. (TRCP) NEVER opposed cutbacks in MONUMENTS despite being Teddy’s idea--all Fosburgh cares about is Chronic Wasting. Interior is Dept of Trophy Hunters, By Trophy Hunters, & For Trophy Hunters. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/12/05/stories/1061726967 #610: Rep. Grijalva—Bernhardt says he “provided answers to ALL QUESTIONS about BLM move!” Force this liar to testify & specify answers to unanswered questions! Time to call him to account! See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/12/04/stories/1061724337 #609: Rubio puts hold on Bernhardt’s Dep. MacGregor nomination-wants Admin. to level on offshore drilling plan! Dems should push same issue: Demand Davy give THEIR PLAN—don’t accept cowardly excuse waiting for Courts! See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/12/04/stories/1061724129 #608: Question Interior-BLM on Offshore Drilling NOW! Wall Street journal article confirms that even CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS in coastal states DON’T want it! >50% of South Carolinians oppose it & Repub. support is dropping like a rock. Demand that Bernhardt & his new Dep. Kate McGregor (who led offshore drilling planning) tell what their plan is & where they would support drilling AFTER the next election. We know they are now too cowardly to do it before November! Put them on the spot. It’s about time Dems. show some political savvy! See https://www.wsj.com/articles/republican-fervor-ebbs-for-offshore-oil-drilling-11575040183?mod=searchresults&page=1&pos=1 https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/01/stories/1061187067 #607: BLM’s plan for Drilling Nat. Petroleum Reserve has 4 options: A: Keep current plan that allows drilling in 10 MILLION ACRES not drilled yet; B that cuts drilling slightly; C increase to 17.1 acres drilled; D: Increase to 18.3 Mill. If you look at what Trump/Bernhardt have done when faced with alternatives such as ANWR drilling, they ALWAYS choose Least Restrictive Alternative following their ENERGY DOMINANCE mantra. Read these plans & you will see all of the harm that all of these plans but esp. the least restrictive would do to wildlife. See https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/Draft_NPR-A_Vol1_ExecSummary_Ch1-3_References_Glossary.pdf https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/new-trump-administration-plan-could-boost-oil-drilling-on-remote-alaska-reserve/2019/11/21/532883e2-0ae1-11ea-97ac-a7ccc8dd1ebc_story.html?utm_campaign=energy_and_environment&utm_medium=Email&utm_source=Newsletter&wpisrc=nl_green&wpmm=1 #606: No Thanks to Bernhardt/Trump for Giving away Millions of Acres of Alaskan wilderness including Tongass, ANWR, Canning River, protected areas in Nat. Petroleum Reserve, Izembeck, Pebble Mine, Bering Sea & other lands/waters to industry that belong to ALL AMERICANS (NOT just Republican Alaskan Politicos). See https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/reports/2019/09/10/474256/vast-liquidation-public-lands-underway-alaska/ & https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2019/07/23/millions-of-acres-of-public-lands-could-lose-protections #605: Teddy Roosevelt Con. Partnership: Betray Teddy R Once Again! They hired aide for Sen. Mike Crapo. He helped Crapo develop policies to “update” (i.e. weaken) the Endangered Species Act such as removing rules to protect endangered species & Crapo’s push to make it legal to openly carry weapons in National Parks. Like All of top staff at Interior, he has no professional background in conservation but he’s now heading TRCP’s conservation! One more proof that Whit Fosburgh should resigned or be fired for bringing dishonor to Teddy R. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/11/27/stories/1061661507 https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/editorials/weekly-column-needed-changes-to-the-endangered-species-act #604: Trump vs Coal Miners: Just refused to establish better stds. Against silica that causes black lung disease; His Office of Mine (Un)Safety gave favors to Blackjewel co. that went bankrupt & didn’t pay miners; Trump named coal mine official to make decisions about miner safety. In short, Trump-Bernhardt are the ENEMIES of coal miners. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/03/stories/1061195737 https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/19/us/kentucky-coal-miners.html https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/07/31/stories/1060818857 #603: Court versus “Balanced Use” of public lands. The Oregon & Cal. Revested Lands Act talks about permanent forest reduction but also providing recreation for local communities. How will Interior act when faced with choice between industry & conservation? Timber Lobby has no doubt that Interior will act AGAINST Cascade-Siskiyou’s expansion by Obama=Bernhardt totally balanced AGAINST conservation policymaking. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/11/26/stories/1061653639 #602: Utah’s politicos once again proven the worst! Their Div of Oil-Gas-Mining has not made industry pay ONE DIME for leaking wells, wastewater contamination, & non-compliance with regulations. Who’s surprised? State headed by Gov. Hebert & with Rob Bishop dictating cutbacks in monuments, state is a political cesspool of anti-conservationists. See https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2019/11/19/auditors-criticize-utahs/?utm_source=1500+CWP+List+Daily+Clips+and+Updates&utm_campaign=f26f49e5a4-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_11_20_10_14&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_4369a4e737-f26f49e5a4-84246245 #601: BLM faced with poor quality of public lands due to million cow grazing much of it illegal focuses on Wild Horses—say they are a “nuisance to sprinklers, gardens, and “décor.” What does Pendley want to do? Slaughter them. Pendley’s priorities are upside down but what do you expect from a man who thinks Bundy is a hero? See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/11/25/stories/1061646083 #600: Trump-Bernhardt “Energy Boom” Goes Bust in Wyoming: Wyoming’s gas revenues are down 74% in last 12 years. Coal revs are down 38% since 2011. When will state residents learn they are doing down wrong path & reject energy dominance politicos? See https://www.wyofile.com/wyo-gas-revenues-down-74-in-new-reality/ #599: Unbalanced Interior Decisions: they cancelled a proposed 20-year ban on mining near Boundary Waters Canoe Area & now favor copper-nick project near the area. Every time they face choice between protecting conservation versus industry, they choose the latter. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/11/25/stories/1061644085 #598: BLM move to West has another purpose: In addition to moving in with their energy industry bosses, they also are using the move to get rid of non-industry lobby types & save $ by eliminating positions related to areas like cultural resources program. I hope GAO conducts review quickly to stop Pendley-Bernhardt destruction of the agency. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/11/25/stories/1061644999 #597: Puppydog (supposed to be Watchdog!) Interior IG Greenblatt punishes whistleblower who had “argumentative” nature! How does an ethical Interior employee in Bernhardt’s LOBBYIST dominated Dept. adhere to ethics w/o arguing with these stooges? Greenblatt’s report on his activities shows absolutely no interest in pursuing MAJOR ETHICAL violations—he is focusing on “blunders” like wasteful purchase of $300 mountain bike! What a coward! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/11/25/stories/1061644737 #596: Pendley says let Local Sheriffs Enforce Federal Law if they feel like it! He states BLM should DEFER to local sheriffs. Pendley loves Bundy & others who refuse to protect endangered species & pay fees for using public lands. He loves local sheriffs who refuse to enforce Federal laws. BLM is NOT ENFORCING law against illegal grazing as GAO study proves & they fired a whistleblower who complained about it! GAO report shows that right wing nuts made 360 threats in last 4 yrs. On Fed. Employees—these threats are so common they no go unreported because employees consider them “part of their job.” We need to get rid of the lawless Pendley & Bernhardt who not only refuse to enforce Federal laws but encourage Bundy & others like him to violate it. See https://www.gao.gov/assets/680/678292.pdf https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/05/29/stories/1060426153 https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/21/stories/1061339183 #595: Good article in today’s NYT on how National Parks are in danger due to overcrowding, air pollution, cuts in NPS budget by Trump, motor boats tearing up sea grass, plans to turnover parks to private industry, cutting of monuments by millions of acres, etc. Our media (e.g., I watch NBC Nightly News) covers the hell out of any “natural disaster” & weather events far beyond anything of use. But disasters wrought by Trump & Bernhardt to parks, monuments, threatened species, ocean fronts—Not a word. If I ever run into Lester Holt, NBC’s frontman for their news, I am going to say, “Oh, I know you—you’re the announcer for the Weather Network!” It’s outrageous. I have now DOCUMENTED 594 Harmful actions that Bernhardt has done to parks & other areas that Interior manages at https://www.wildlifepolitics.org/blog I have just about abandoned hope these will be covered by major media. Parks are something people care about—apparently far more than the Ukraine scandal—if these issues were covered, maybe Trump’s popularity with his core would decline. #594: What else is new? BLM wants to open Millions More Acres to drilling in critical habitat in the National Petroleum reserve area for polar bears! They have 4 alternatives in their plan—1 would open 18.3 mill. Another “ONLY” 11.3 mill. If they follow their usual unbalanced dmking, they will choose LEAST RESTRICTIVE choice as they did with ANWR & Tongass. Once more show that Bernhardt et al are a real & present DANGER to species & public lands. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/11/21/stories/1061611297 #593: Interior’s Burman complains that Calif. Challenges their plan to threaten delta fish & go to courts to let judges “dictate projects.” Under Trump, the ONLY officials protecting species are Federal judges—they go with best science—Interior scientists go with “industry science.” See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/11/22/stories/1061618883 #591: Excellent article by Helen Santoro in High Country News on National Wildlife Refuges—their budgets have long been decreasing in real $ under Repubs & Dems but especially under Trump-now 65% fewer officers to police hunting violations—Trump has hugely expanded hunting in Wildlife REFUGES—which are now in oxymoron in this Admin. Billions to help out energy industry, ranchers, trophy hunters but nothing but Cuts for Wildlife. This is the UNBALANCED Bernhardt anti-conservation policy. See https://www.hcn.org/articles/us-fish-and-wildlife-wildlife-refuges-suffer-under-budget-cuts-and-staff-shortages?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email #590: Good news: House approves vote to stop sales of shark fins by wide margin (310:107). Cites poll that 4/5 Americans support ban! Rare instance of where popular opinion against exploitation of wildlife wins. Of course, remains to be seen whether will pass Senate. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/11/21/stories/1061604731 #589: Good news! House Comm. approves bill that INCREASE wilderness-designated areas bv 100’s thousands acres. Given the inexorable loss of habitat due to agriculture, ranching, & development along with population increase & huge demand for enjoyment of non-despoiled evmnt., this increase is necessary to provide for future generations. Big Laugh: Paul Gosar R. Ariz complains about partisanship! This Anti-ESA creep has been pushing bill after bill to weaken Act. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/11/20/stories/1061602473 #588: House Dems propose bill to stop giving oil industry $18 Billion royalty-free profit from drilling offshore—Interior’s position: Don’t take $ away from our industry friends! See details on Interior’s Asst Sec for lands & minerals defending industry’s right to rip off U.S. https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/11/21/stories/1061603581 #587: Trump Plan to Deregulate Environment & Conservation, handing it over industry to do what they want with. Includes Weaken NEPA by “streamlining it” so it won’t slow industry, avoid regulation of methane releases, rollback protections for rivers and streams, allow killing of wild horses while relaxing grazing rules for cows on public lands, allow killing of polar bears in ANWR, reconfirm allowing take of migratory birds, allowing snowmobiling, ATVs etc. in Nat. Parks, relax rules that regulate coal mining, allow roads anywhere in Tongass, & allow take of marine mammals in Pacific Northwest. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/11/20/stories/1061601447 #586: Asst BLM Head Mike Ned lists priorities: Kill Wild Horses, Allow e-bikes & ATVs in parks, speed drilling of public lands, speed NEPA reviews so don’t delay industry, streamline cows grazing on public lands. Note: these cows destroy millions of acres more than wild horses! Conservation? For Ned, conserve. is allowing e-bikes & ATVs! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/11/20/stories/1061601341 #585: Interior “Watchdog” turns out to be a puppy dog! IG Greenblatt issued report on major issues agency faces & NO WHERE does he discuss Bernhardt's ethical issues, misuse of National Park funds etc. He does talk about Bureau of Indian Affairs contracts but none of the top staff! It’s clear he's a cowardly toady. See full text of his report https://www.doioig.gov/sites/doioig.gov/files/FinalReport_TopManagementChallengesFY19_111519.pdf #584: Good Lawsuit against Dept Agric’s Wildlife Services by WildEarth Guardians. Demands they provide up-to-date evidence on why they should be able to kill carnivores without restrictions—they currently rely on outmoded studies from 1990s. And, while were at it, let’s drop the phony name & call this agency by accurate title: Wildlife Killing. See https://wildearthguardians.org/press-releases/lawsuit-targets-wildlife-killing-program-in-montana/ #583: Great move: House Dems push block for funding BLM move to West. It should not be approved until evidence for move is provided. Only argument for it by Republicans: put in same bldg. as lobby friends so they can talk face to face & avoid accbty. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/11/19/stories/1061593569 #582: Forest Service opposes ban on baiting bears in ID & WY! Pudgy Bernhardt sympathizes with unfit slob hunters who can’t shoot trophies w/o help. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/11/19/stories/1061591761 #581: Why Did Dems vote for MacGregor as Deputy Sec. of Interior? Her record: (1) She tried to allow pipelines thru nat. parks; (2) She canceled study of bad effects of mountain-top mining; (3) She led effort to plan for OFFSHORE drilling. Dems should have at least demanded plan for offshore drilling? Oh well, one more industry stooge leading Interior—nothing new! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/11/05/stories/1061464609 #580: Bernhardt’s Interior: Government by Lobbyists for Lobbyists: Forest Service gave $200K to lobbyist group to lobby for opening of Tongass to roads/logging. In Davy’s Interior, this is the way it’s supposed to be—nothing too small to help industry! Conservation? Forget it, we are for Energy Dominance! See https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/470983-democrats-ask-for-investigation-as-trump-eyes-logging-in-tongass #579: Republicans wants to “update” End. Species Act—how about updating Outmoded & destructive 1800’s Mining Acts? Utah politicos trying to use 1866 Mining Act to transfers Fed. Public lands to State! Get rid of “grandfathered clauses” & avoid giving roads to Utah politicos who love to litter public lands with ATVs, mines, snowmobiles etc. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/11/19/stories/1061586939 #578: Grijalva trying to stop Bernhardt Rush to Destruction: A key strategy of Trump Interior is to rush to implement destructive acts on public lands so they have “fait accompli”—they have destroyed ANWR/Grand Escalante etc. so that they are no longer pristine. Dems NR telling them to stop destruction until courts rule. Good move but unfortunately, guess what Davy will do: Ignore House as he has done with EVERY SINGLE IMPORTANT issue since he’s been in office. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/11/18/stories/1061584731 #577: Private lands better than public: One of the facts about public lands is that they are generally the worst lands in states—that is why they were left public and it also supports the argument that these lands should be reserved for wildlife & conservation--humans have already appropriated the rich lands--wildlife should have priority for the poor lands they have been left. Support for this viewpoint is offered by Western Landowners Alliance Executive Director Lesli Allison who stated the following in response to the issue of migration corridors in Wyoming: “Allison lamented that the current process for protecting migration routes often pressures ranchers and other landowners who operate on a mix of public and private lands."What people don't really recognize is that it's usually the private land portion that is the most important to wildlife species. It provides the most critical habitat," Allison said. "That's because the private lands were the places that were settled first: They tend to be the most water rich, the best soils, the most habitable parts of the landscape." Those features make such lands attractive not just to big game, Allison added, but to another population: "Those same pieces are the ones that are most desirable to developers." See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/11/18/stories/1061583881 #576: The Unbalanced approach to Public Lands: In Tongass & ANWR, Agric. & Interior Depts. had options ranging from LEAST to MOST restrictive on Industry & then both Chose LEAST RESTRICTIVE! In neither case, do they provide ANY EVIDENCE for their choice. The next time they mention conservation (not often), ask them WHY they chose the most UNBALANCED option. Answer: they don’t give a damn about it if it conflicts with industry profits & energy dominance. See doc. below at 544 (Tongass) & 414 (ANWR). #575: Fed Judge forces BLM to withdraw 1000s acres planned for lease to oil-gas because of threat to sage grouse. Good news but note: this judge appointed by Clinton. Future judges likely will be Trump stooges who will enjoy handing over land to industry. See https://www.eenews.net/stories/1061543717 #574: Read important story on Florida panther—some promising news on conserv. easements & wildlife crossings but inexorable dev. into their critical habitat along with proposed & existing hwys. are major threats. See #564 https://www.wildlifepolitics.org/blog #573: Great LA Times article shows how Bernhardt’s Interior continues to dish out favors to Westlands, hides details on their help (in keeping with Bernhardt’s policy of Stonewalling), & how ALL INTERIOR staff know they will Favor Westlands if they know what’s good for them in Bernhardt’s agency. See https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2019-11-15/interior-secretary-westlands-water-deal #572: Amazing: No Republican Opposition to extending requirement that coal companies give $ to clean up mines! But Not surprising: Trump-Bernhardt’s OSMRE Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement DID NOT SUPPORT THE BILL! They don’t want their lobby friends to suffer—they prefer to let affected areas pay! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/11/15/stories/1061551637 #571: How Trump-Bernhardt’s Forest Service “fight” fires. They use $2 Mill. Fed funds for fighting fires to undermine roadless rule! If this isn’t illegal, what is? Actually roads thru wilderness contribute to fires. https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/11/14/stories/1061544253 #570: Good news! Nat Park Service scrapped industry-stacked advisory panel on recreation. Now Interior should scrap Trophy-Hunter Dominated Intl Wildlife Conservation Advisory Committee made up of Safari Club types! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/11/14/stories/1061549123 & #456 below. #569: BLM may fire employees who don’t relocate West! Since BLM-Interior have NEVER shown any evidence why this move costing MILLIONS would do any good, it is Pemdley & Bernhardt who should be FIRED for cause. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/11/13/stories/1061540301 #568: Utah Politico, Phil Lyman, appealing his conviction for driving ATV in Utah Canyon. Like Other Utah Politicos, he thinks any protected area without vehicles, mines, & development is a waste. Protect us from Utah Politicos! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/11/13/stories/1061539733 #567: Excellent piece by Gary MacFarlane of Wilderness Watch on BLM’s proposal to greatly expand by 400% # of visitors to Paria Canyon-Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness on Arizona/Utah border. Trump-Bernhardt want to turn untrammeled wilderness where “imprint of man is substantially unnoticeable” as required by Wilderness Act into recreation park teeming with humans. Bikes, ATVs, snowmobiles, the more the merrier for Davy. By time he's done, our wilderness-parks-monuments will no longer be special and untrammeled. They will be like your local recreational park. See https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/16/1131 #566: Ageless questions: When is Cliven Bundy going to be required to pay grazing fees that he’s not paid since 1990? If he doesn't have to do this, why should anyone pay them? When is David Bernhardt going to be called to account for his unethical favors to industry & Trump donor? How come he has gotten away with stonewalling Congress on providing info on them? How do these creeps continue to escape accountability? See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/11/12/stories/1061531247 #565: Trump Admin. Loves Roads thru Forests like Tongass & Wilderness! Why? They know that research shows roads drive away wildlife like wolves, grizzlies etc. so roads get rid of unwanted species as well as help out industry friends. For research, see Duke, Danah L.; Hebblewhite, Mark; Paquet, Paul C.; Callaghan, Carolan; & Percy, Melanie. (2001). “Restoring a Large-Carnivore Corridor in Banff National Park.” Pp. 261-275 in David Maehr; S.; Reed F. Noss; & Jeffery L. Larkin, Editors. Large Mammal Restoration: Ecological and Sociological Challenges in the 21st Century. Washington: Island Press. & https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/11/12/stories/1061525437 #564: Grijalva makes good move—make Republicans vote on permanent funding for LWCF funding. Republicans brag about using oil-gas $ for backlog but won’t vote for LWCF funding. Trillion $ deficit for rich taxpayers but not for preserving lands for future generations! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/11/11/stories/1061522315 #563: Pendley wants promotion to permanent head of BLM! Why not? He’s perfect for Trump-Bernhardt: Hates Public Lands unless covered with industry wells & mines, hates Environmental Legislation like NEPA & ESA—perfect guy to run millions of acres of public lands! & he's too cowardly to now say actually what he would like to do with wild horses (i.e., sell them to slaughterhouses). See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/11/11/stories/1061522265 #562: Trump’s Army Corps of Engineers’ Environmental Reviews of Pebble Mine effects makes following assumption: after mine ends in 20 years, waste including acid would be “put back in the pit & covered up.” History shows that gold mines have terrible effects & this assumption is fantasyland: See https://www.eenews.net/assets/2018/10/05/document_gw_03.pdf & https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/11/11/stories/1061487013 #561: Bernhardt gives ONE MORE FAVOR to Westlands. You think he’s worried about ethics investigation of his previous favors to his former employer? Baloney. He’s giving them a new permanent contract to help out their profit line. He knows he can help them out & NO ONE, not Ethics officials, IG, or House NR Committee will do anything. One more laugh for this pudgy moon-faced trophy hunter. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/11/08/stories/1061496947 #560: Bernhardt’s consistent: he’s taking sand from protected areas to help out development. Everson of USFWS is fine with this—what good are undeveloped lands & beaches when she can help out profits of developed areas! Remember when Interior & USFWS cared about conservation? See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/11/08/stories/1061496545 #559: Great article by Coral Davenport in NYT on how Bernhardt’s so-called ethics official, Edward McDonnell, is directly asked by Bernhardt to confirm Davy’s own viewpoint that it was okay for him to participate in decisionmaking to help out his former lobby clients Westmark & US Oil-Gas Asso. McDonnell did say no once—about Bernhardt participating in a conference (that did not involved decisions!). Article cites that in previous Admins., top officials did NOT directly contact ethics officials—that would be considered inappropriate as putting too much pressure on them. Ofcourse, McDonnell denies that he feels any pressure (just like Ukranian PM did not feel pressure from Trump!). When the hell is Interior IG going to take action on this? He said investigating Bernhardt was not a top priority for him. When is House NR Committee going to make him accountable? He has totally stonewalled them (sent them 1000s of irrelevant pages in response to queries) & they have done NOTHING. We need whistleblowers in Interior that will speak up on this unethical creep. See https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/09/climate/interior-secretary-ethics.html #558: Sens. Murkowski & Cassidy (Rep. La) want to up take of states from oil-gas offshore drilling from 37.5 to 50%! Just as with public lands, they think U.S. public lands & oceans belong to states & not the U.S. Since states like AL & LA are totally dominated by energy lackeys, it’s a great way to incentivize destruction of our common heritage. Let’s hope other Senators will reject their short-sighted sell-out to industry. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/11/08/stories/1061492791 #557: Sen. Daines officially becomes Phony Public Lands Supporter: He says he supports Pendley as permanent head of BLM—guy who not only hates both public lands & environmental programs. Yes, now Pendley says he would like to sell off lands but for now will follow Trump & just lease them to oil-gas-ranchers to do whatever they want. He thinks the only big problem is wild horses! Let’s hope that Dems can find someone who respects public lands & environment to beat this phony! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/11/08/stories/1061492817 #556: Funding for Wildlife, Public Lands & Wilderness: An excellent report by Ctr. For West. Priorities demonstrates need for many new sources of funding for wildlife, public lands, & wilderness. Past funding has relied on taxes on hunting-fishing equipment but these sources are drying up due to diminished hunting & internet sales of equipment that avoid taxes. There is bipartisan support for using revs. from drilling-mining public lands & oceans for MAINTENANCE backlog which is fine except Republicans will not allow these funds to be used for acquisition of new lands. Greatly increased usage of public lands shows need for acquisitions especially for wilderness that protects wildlife. Republicans are happy to build Disneyland style operations but see land reserved for wilderness-animals as wasted. General taxes on sales, recreational purchases, etc. are needed to provide $ DEDICATED to protecting wilderness & wildlife. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/11/07/stories/1061487941 & https://westernpriorities.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Conservation_Funding_2019_FINAL_CWP.pdf #555: Bernhardt periodically states how he has consulted on decisions. Bullshit! Here are cases where he IGNORED Native Americans: (1) ANWR opposed by most natives, ignored by Bernhardt: See https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/21/us/oil-drilling-arctic.html?smtyp=cur&smid=tw-nytclimate (2) Native American opposed Tongass logging: https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/19/stories/1061001823 (3) Drilled area sacred to Blackfeet Tribe-Zinke had stopped it but Bernhardt: reversed! https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/07/26/stories/1060792811 (4) He ignored Native Americans in Bears Ears—USGAO shows he only consulted after decision to “check box”: https://www.gao.gov/assets/700/697694.pdf (5) He approved coal mining near Cheyenne Reservation w/o their approval: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/29/reuters-america-montana-tribe-rips-trump-administration-over-federal-coal-leasing.html (6) He pushed copper mine near Arizona Native American burial & archaeological sites. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/05/16/stories/1060345287 In short, Bernhardt is a shameless, bald-faced liar who believes like Trump if he repeats lies often enough, he will be believed. #554: Apparently No One Asked Interior Nominee for Deputy Secretary MacGregor to reveal plans for OFF SHORE DRILLING-she has headed Interior's planning for it. What the hell is wrong with Dems? Don’t they know this is the ONE issue that Trump & other Repubs. scared S___LESS about?! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/11/06/stories/1061472111 #553: Trump team has a plan for national parks: Amazon, food trucks and no senior discounts. Plan done by privateers who will benefit from it including firm that Bernhardt’s former employer serviced. Who cares about ethics? Like Trump, Bernhardt does dirty deeds in public & NOTHING DONE TO HIM! See https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2019-11-04/trump-administration-privatize-national-parks-tourism?utm_source=1500+CWP+List+Daily+Clips+and+Updates&utm_campaign=e2fd652d24-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_11_04_10_40&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_4369a4e737-e2fd652d24-84301189 #552: ATVs on public lands in Utah. Already 125,000 UTVs & ATVs registered in state & 1000s more that would come from out-of-state. BLM rewriting plans that allowed destroyed cult. & nat. resources. What will they do? Given nature of state leadership, it doesn’t look good. See https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2019/11/03/laura-peterson-where-do/?utm_source=1500+CWP+List+Daily+Clips+and+Updates&utm_campaign=e2fd652d24-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_11_04_10_40&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_4369a4e737-e2fd652d24-84301189 #551: One more time: Lead bullets are bad for Golden Eagles & other wildlife. Evidence now overwhelming. Futile attempt by Teton Raptor Center to convince hunters to convert to non-lead bullets. It infringes on their rights to kill animals with whatever ammo they want. See https://www.wyofile.com/bird-group-puts-lead-ammunition-in-the-crosshairs/ #550: Forests & Lack of “cleaning” not cause of fires—invasive grasses caused by roads and development in sensitive areas major reasons. So what does Interior want to do? Build more roads & have more development in these areas=Stupidity approach appropriate for Trump! See https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/04/climate/invasive-grasses-wildfires.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_191105?campaign_id=2&instance_id=13527&segment_id=18515&user_id=1575e2a05f37205a27ca72946056eae7®i_id=103654191105 #549: Situation Normal for Interior: BLM chief works with lobby partner on recusal list—Interior spokesperson: “That’s fine.” Yes, I am sure Davy Bernhardt thinks it’s just peachy. When will Dems bring them to account? Don’t hold your breath. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/11/04/stories/1061462929 #548: Why McGregor should NOT be Dep. Secy Interior: (1) She tried to allow pipelines thru nat. parks; (2) She canceled study of bad effects of mountain-top mining; (3) She led effort to plan for OFFSHORE drilling. Dems: Demand that she tell them the Ocean Drilling Plan! Do Dems & their staffs have enough smarts to know political vulnerabilities? See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/11/05/stories/1061464609 #547: Scientific study shows small (400 or fewer) bison herds likely to become extinct due to lack of genetic diversity. Note: Small no’s of grizzlies & wolves also subject to same threats yet Bernhardt’s USFWS & western states can’t tolerate more than tiny herds-packs of predators. Bye Bye bison, wolves, grizzlies. You just don’t rate in Trump-Bernhardt world. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/11/04/stories/1061460919 #546: Military wants 1 Million Acres of Nev. Desert National Wildlife Refuge turned over to them. Nevada Dems oppose. Wonder what Bernhardt will do? He thinks REFUGES are for hunters & ranchers & giving it to military is part of his “Unbalanced” approach to public lands. Bye Bye Desert Nat. Wild. Refuge! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/11/04/stories/1061461749 #545: Destructive Tag Team: Bernhardt’s Interior allows coal mines everywhere while EPA’s Wheeler allows coal power plants to release toxic waste into waterways. Wheeler proposes to undermine Obama regs to allow unlined coal ash waste ponds to stay open & only suggests “voluntary filtration” protections. Tenn. & NC have already suffered coal ash spills—they mostly affect poor communities so Trump Admin. doesn’t give a damn about them. Trump Defense: Lax rules will save industry $! See https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2019/11/03/epa-scale-back-federal-rules-restricting-waste-coal-fired-power-plants/?wpisrc=al_news__alert-hse--alert-national&wpmk=1 #544: Department of Agriculture (DA): gave minimum consultation to tribes in Tongass area before DECISION TO LOG & build roads thru forest. They had 6 alternatives for & selected least restrictive allow logging ANYWHERE in 17 Mill. Acres! They say it will only log small area & have little effect. If you have trust in Trump’s DA, their assurances will calm you. If you think DA like Interior cares NOTHING at all about forests, wildlife, & conservation, you are right! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/30/stories/1061417831 #543: Kudos to Patagonia: they will fight Trump-Bernhardt rewrite of ESA rules that removes protections for threatened species & makes it more difficult to list endangered species. Bernhardt defense? “change long overdue!” Well, it’s overdue from industry lackey perspective no doubt. From Teddy Roosevelt concern for species perspective, Bernhardt’s removal is LONG OVERDUE. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/11/01/stories/1061435199 #542: USFWS Gunnison grouse plan: goal is to remove from list when get 3,669 birds less than 3978 when bird first listed! Plan includes capturing & relocating rather than protect habitat! This is Bernhardt idea of protecting species! His version of ESA: Do less than minimally needed to assure survival. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/11/01/stories/1061435533 #541: Senate Energy & NR Committee has bill to “promote access & DEVELOPMENT” of Federal lands. I can support rebuilding existing trails & structures but anytime you let Bernhardt-Trump “develop” public lands, it’s DANGEROUS. They want to build roads & turn wilderness into DISNEYLAND, Hotels, parking lots, souvenir shops etc. etc. https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/11/01/stories/1061429461 #540: Senate rejects Mike Lee amendment to Interior funding bill to shift $ from purchasing new lands to backlog by huge margin: 29-64. Looks like even most Republicans can’t stomach Utah Politico destruction of conservation! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/31/stories/1061426697 #539: Trump-Bernhardt an International Disgrace: Nonprofit World Monuments Fund criticized decision to cut 200,000 acres from it when 450,000 visited it. National Trust for Historic Preservation took same position. Next time Trump or Bernhardt talk about conservation, they both deserve a pie in the face. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/31/stories/1061426195 #538: Too bad for Pendley: Advisory panel wants to sterilize wild horses, not kill them. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/31/stories/1061426551 #537: Democrats for Colorado lands bill to expand public & recreation lands. Republicans against it. I wonder how Cory Gardner will vote on this?!! Dems should make public lands MAJOR ISSUE in upcoming elections, state & NATIONAL! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/31/stories/1061426633 #536: Another Major Cause of Wildfires: People are moving wildland-urban interface areas. Solution to wildfires? Protect more wilderness areas from development. Trump-Bernhardt solution??: Less wilderness, fewer forests, more roads, more mines-pumps. See NYT article https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/31/us/california-firefighters-chemicals.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_191101?campaign_id=2&instance_id=13467&segment_id=18422&user_id=1575e2a05f37205a27ca72946056eae7®i_id=103654191101 #535: Republican 9th Circuit Court nominee: shows the sad future for protection of public lands. VanDyke “built his political career advocating for opening public lands to mining and fossil fuel drilling.” Nightmare: Courts filled with little Davy Bernhardts handing over Federal lands to industry & states! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/10/31/stories/1061420063 #534: Chance for Bernhardt to back conservation by stating support for Chaco & Grand Canyon bills passed by House. Davy promised 1-yr. moratorium but bill bans for future. Grand Canyon bill protects 1 million acres around it--no way energy dominance will support this?! Repub. Yahoos Gosar et al against even Chaco! Does Davy have courage? See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/10/31/stories/1061421177 #533: Something about Utah Politicos—they hate public lands! Sen. Mike Lee is holding up Senate appropriations bill because he wants to amendment that would prevent millions of dollars from land acquisitions! As population grows & data shows Utah & other parks crowded, short-sighted Utah politicos continue to be clueless. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/10/31/stories/1061421443 #532: Pendley hates NEPA—it delays him because it requires environmental assessments! Pembley also hates the Endangered Species Act & public lands. He hates horses because they consume forage & destroy habitat. But, as one member of his Advisory Comm. said, so to cows & drilling-mines destroy habitat & public lands to a much greater degree but that doesn’t disturb him! What the hell is this creep doing in this job? https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/30/stories/1061417689 #531: Wouldn’t it be great it Trump Admin. just one time favored wildlife over industry? Judge had to step into save Right Whales from NOAA’s ruling to allow gill net fishing in protected whale areas when 85% of threatened whale deaths due to entanglements with the gear. NOAA did not consult with ITS OWN Protected Resources Division on the decision. Guess where wildlife protection ranks on their list of priorities? Right at the bottom with oil-drilling-seismic testing & fishing industry at the top. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/29/stories/1061408813 #530: Amazing: Trump asks to keep End. Species records secret! Protecting wildlife is not exactly affecting National Security! Case involves energy industry so no wonder why Donald & Davy don’t want transparency! See #530 https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/29/stories/1061408879 #529: Wyoming Whistle-Blower, 35-year employee of Black Hills Bentonite (BHB) tells how he repeatedly told about violations of mining rules that harmed land & habitat for sage grouse, elk, & mule deer but BLM did nothing about the violations. Not coincidentally, mule deer pops. have been down for years. Bernhardt’s one interest in wildlife is big game but even here he is destructive force. Will BLM act now?! Under Pendley, they will do everything they can to ignore ANY VIOLATIONS by energy. See https://www.wyofile.com/whistle-blower-prompts-deq-to-probe-itself-and-bentonite-mines/ #528: Dems House Bill to protect Grand Canyon & New Mexico Chaco Nat. Park: Republicans won’t protect these areas—they’re less important than energy dominance to them. Not surprisingly Yahoos like Rob Bishop & Paul Gosar lead opposition. It will be interesting to see if Trump-Bernhardt oppose Chaco protection—they have already bragged about doing it as rare conservation moves! But denying energy is impossible for them! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/10/29/stories/1061404057 #527: Rare Good News: New Mexico rejoins cooperating with Feds on recovering Mexican wolves after previously withdrawing under Republican Administrations. Dem. Governor makes a difference! However, w/Bernhardt in charge, Fed. Mexican wolf effort not going anywhere soon. See https://www.abqjournal.com/1383463/new-mexico-rejoins-pact-to-restore-mexican-gray-wolves.html #526: Sen. Mike Lee’s Modest Proposal: Sell off public lands. Yes, he says only “garden-sized” & not national parks NOW! But then Lee thought it was a great idea to slash Grand-Escalante monument by 860K acres so let him establish principle of selling public lands & he will think big next. There is no idea too horrible for public lands that Utah politicos will not support. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/10/28/stories/1061394469 #525: Bernhardt nominates another industry lobbyist for Dep. Secretary! Katherine MacGregor pushed for oil-gas agenda & even trying to allow pipelines thru national parks. In other words, she is Bernhardt’s kind of woman! See https://departmentofinfluence.org/person/katharine-kate-macgregor/ & https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/10/25/stories/1061375187 #524: Bernhardt loses! He had to backdown on FOIA changes because even Republicans couldn’t stand his lack of transparency! Now if Dems HR Committee can INSIST on getting info on his Westlands & Arizona scandals, maybe we can get rid of the creep! See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/10/25/stories/1061375173 #523: Great essay in High Country News on Pendley’s view that wild horses are biggest threat to public lands. Rightly points out that cattle are FAR more destructive (& numerous) & threats to endangered species are far more important & show his warped mindset. As Thompson points out, Pendley’s viewpoint results from fact that wild horses don’t make $ for his friends, ranchers & industry. See https://www.hcn.org/articles/public-lands-blm-chiefs-wild-horse-fixation-distracts-from-the-real-threats-to-public-land?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email #522: Bernhardt’s Interior is Incompetent: GAO report shows they are losing $ Billions they could be making for U.S. public from leasing to oil & gas. Why is this happening? No mystery: More Bernhardt’s big energy partners profit, the happier he is. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/24/stories/1061365585 #521: Some outdoor groups (e.g., Gold County Trails Council & Back Country Horsemen) just did take a stand against e-bikes on non-motorized trails. They state there is a “time & place for them” but not on these protected areas. Why does Bernhardt push them? He loves anything which degrades the idea that an area should be undeveloped, natural, & not exploited. I hope “Big Rec” steps up & takes a stand. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/24/stories/1061365359 #520: U.S. National Polls show one more time that most Americans oppose drilling offshore & don’t want stepped up drilling of public lands. They oppose ocean drilling for good reasons: “Hazardous things happen far more often than most Americans realize. In the gulf, the nation’s largest and most productive offshore oil region, an average of 20 uncontrolled releases of oil — or blowouts — for every 1,000 wells takes place in state and federal waters each year. A fire erupts offshore every three days, on average, and hundreds of workers are injured annually.” See Wash Post article at https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2019/10/25/americans-would-rather-reduce-oil-gas-exploration-than-drill-baby-drill/?wpisrc=al_environment__alert-hse&wpmk=1 #519: One of hopes of conservationists in this era of Trump is that the Recreation Industry would oppose Trump-Bernhardt’s war on public lands & oceans & they did to some extent by opposing their cuts in monuments. However, an interesting article in High Country News tells how “Big Recreation” has not shown up to protest public land battles on the Border. I would add that they have not clear taken a position on Bernhardt’s move to open parks & monuments to e-bikes, ATMs, & other invasions of protected areas. The Bernhardt ethos is clear: wilderness & wildlife have NO priority—protected areas are for human entertainment & anything that eases access is fine regardless of its impact on the land, fora, & fauna. If Big Recreation doesn’t show up to oppose these other harmful actions, going to parks & monuments will soon be like visiting Disneyland. See https://www.hcn.org/articles/public-lands-how-big-rec-chooses-its-public-lands-battles/?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email & #493 & 495 below #518: Bernhardt One does a new favor for Westlands that he has already helped with unethical actions. His Interior got rid of scientists who said taking away water from threatened salmon would be harmful & replaced them with "Yes sir scientists” who okayed the harmful move. Raises issue again: When the hell are House Dems going to investigate Westlands & Texas scandals of Bernhardt? See https://www.kqed.org/science/1949697/trump-water-rules-erode-protection-for-endangered-salmon?emci=4ed5ae9c-32f1-e911-b5e9-2818784d6d68&emdi=d5d58e8c-57f6-e911-828b-2818784d6d68&ceid=326118 #517: Grijalva & Dems: Demand mandatory funding for LCW fund before support of maintenance backlog funding. Bishop & Drill-happy Republicans only want $ from drilling for Interior. LCW is popular program—use it as leverage—this is strategy that Mitch McConnell & Republicans understand. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/10/24/stories/1061358691 #516: Republicans say challenge to Federal land ownership does not inspire attacks on Fed. Employees! Well, how their support for the Bundy's who refuse to pay fees and threatened to shoot employees if they tried to enforce environmental regulationsand pardoning public lands arsonists, the Hammonds? That pardon sent a clear message: It’s fine to destroy public lands--illegal actions are okay with this Administration. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/10/23/stories/1061351541 #514: Bernhardt-Trump on how to Avoid Environmental Review & Public Participation: exempt from NEPA reviews & hand over decisions on roads & logging of Millions of Tongass Forest acres to single Forest Mgr. appointed by Trump. Bye Bye forests, Hello Logging & Roads. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/22/stories/1061347931 #513: Senate Democrats agreed on Interior-EPA spending bill that would NOT include limits on offshore drilling & gives 1.5B less than House bill. How about some spine from Dem Senators? Offshore drilling issue is BIGGEST THREAT to Trump winning Florida & spending for conservation should be fought for! What about Dingell’s bill for wildlife conservation? Maybe we do need a Green Party if this is weak support of Senate Dems for the environment! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/10/22/stories/1061342591 #512: Press & Public go crazy over “attacks” on humans by wolves, grizzlies, & sharks but GAO report shows that Right Wing Nuts made 360 threats to Federal public employees during last 4 years. So common are threats that most go unreported because they see it as a “normal part of their job!” Time to put law enforcement to prosecute & prevent these threats. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/21/stories/1061339183 #511: Mike Lee on how Utah would improve Federal lands: (1) No more wilderness; (2) Put new roads thru parks-monuments; (3) Slash size of monuments & no new monuments; (4) Eliminate protections for sage grouse & other wildlife that interfere with industry. If we could just get the American public to see what Lee, Trump, & Bernhardt want to do to public lands we could get rid of these creeps immediately! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/10/21/stories/1061331645 #510: Republicans want to “update” (i.e., destroy) Endangered Species Act: How about updating 1872 General Mining Act that prioritizes mining over other public uses & does not charge royalties! How about protecting public lands for a change instead of giving handouts to industry! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/10/21/stories/106133146 #509: Streamlining NEPA for Pebble Mine & and all other developments that industries want: Goal of Trump, Bernhardt, EPA etc. What does “Streamlining” actually mean=Approve regardless of negative impacts on environment. A streamlined NEPA is not Protection but Prostitution, not streamlining! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/10/21/stories/1061314169 #508: Skipwith has been proven to be totally unqualified to head USFWS. She couldn’t name a single conservation scientist—the only name she came up with (incorrectly) apparently was a Monsanto technology officer! Who is her hero? Pemdley, acting head of BLM who hates public lands & any restrictions on wildlife that interfere with industries. Who supports her? Only same suspects that supported Bernhardt like trophy hunting Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Isn’t there a Republican Senator or 2 who care about wildlife & conservation to reject this loser? See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/18/stories/1061312553 #507: Bernhardt-Utah Politico Vision for National Parks: off-highway vehicles racing through even the most remote areas of Capitol Reef National Park & destroying any claim that these lands are and should be untrammeled. Destroy them so the Yahoos can enjoy themselves. See https://www.hcn.org/articles/national-park-service-allowing-off-highway-vehicles-in-utahs-national-parks-is-a-mistake?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email #506: Big Laugh: Whit Fosburgh blames Chronic Wasting Disease for drop in hunting! Sorry, stupid: data shows that there are just fewer hunters for decades long before CWD. By the way, Excise tax drop not only due to huge drop in hunters but also because Internet purchases of guns-ammo not taxed. Does Bernhardt or Fosburgh see need for Non-Hunting Revenues to devote to wildlife? No, they have no interest unless it can be hung on a wall. See Internet purchasing issue at https://wildlifemanagement.institute/outdoor-news-bulletin/october-2019/evolving-business-models-and-antiquated-excise-tax-collection & Fosburgh’s stupidity at https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/10/18/stories/1061307939 #505: Pendley admits & indeed demands that ALL important decisions be made in Wash.D.C.! Just as Mulvaney admitted Trump’s guilt, Pendley shows the move West is a sham! Actually, we already knew this because they have been busy destroying local resource advisory councils. Will mass media ever focus on these clowns & their prostitution of our lands & oceans to energy industry? See https://news.bloombergenvironment.com/environment-and-energy/public-lands-decisions-best-made-in-d-c-acting-blm-chief-says #504: One more Dirty “Cleanup”—Blackjewel was allowed to ruin communities with coal & get away with it. Now EPA allows uranium cleanup firm with dishonest past to do Navajo area cleanups. Bernhardt claims all of the great results from energy industry but actual story is communities are destroyed by his energy dominance above all attitude that rewards bad actors. See https://www.hcn.org/articles/indigenous-affairs-feds-give-navajo-uranium-clean-up-contract-to-firm-with-sketchy-past?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email #503: Revealing story on how Pendley hates BLM bureaucrats & hated rare action by Zinke’s Interior to appeal mining near Blackfeet Nation’s revered area! His defense: None except he will do what Bernhardt orders him to do! In that case, he won’t have to worry about enforcing conservation! What a disgusting creep he is! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/17/stories/1061304079 #500: Bernhardt’s Hero: Pendley has LIFELONG benefits from Mt. States Legal Fdtn.—anti-public lands group & is head of agency in charge of public lands! Only in Bizarro World of Trump could this happen. Davy wishes he had same deal from his lobby partners or more likely, he does & we’ll never know it since Congress can’t get him to reveal any info about his ethical scandals. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/16/stories/1061295629 #499: Where does Bernhardt stand on Chaco & Grand Canyon Protection Acts? He bragged about his protecting Chaco & his “balance” so let’s see him give strong support to BOTH acts. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/10/17/stories/1061297757 #498: Dems: Focus on getting ban on ocean drilling thru Senate—bill passed House with Repub. support. House Dems: Demand Interior officials in charge of planning effort release their plans NOW. Of course they don’t want to do this & alienate Florida (& other coastal states). This is chance to force Trump-Bernhardt to show cowardice & lying about drilling. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/10/17/stories/1061296811 #497: Interior hires another energy company lackey & anti-conservationist for top staff position to head communication, external affairs, and intergovernmental relations. Qualifications? He worked for Rep. Gosar Ariz who competes with Rob Bishop for being most anti-Endangered Species Act & pro-drilling of public lands & oceans. There are no professional trained conservationists in appointed staff positions in the entire Dept. That’s what Bernhardt calls “balance.” See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/10/16/stories/1061288505 #496: Interior’s International Hunting Council meets again but neither transcripts nor videos of their meetings will be made public in keeping with Bernhardt’s Policy of No Transparency. He refuses to provide calendars & info about his ethical scandals & is cutting FOIA so he doesn’t have to release info about energy domination of their policies. Apparently, House Democrats can not do anything about his lack of transparency. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/15/stories/1061286649 #495: Congress is actually proposing to do something about wildlife conservation! Debbie Dingell has proposed for new $1.3 Billion in funds from Treasury (Not oil companies fund!) to aid state wildlife protection efforts. Will it get Interior Dept & Republican support? It prominently mentions hunting & fishing throughout so it might have a chance—Trophy hunting is Bernhardt’s only interest in wildlife & he only likes $ that come from drilling so I am skeptical that he will throw support behind it as is. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/10/15/stories/1061279345 #494: Stupid Pendley calls 56K wild horses biggest threat to public land when research shows 2.1 Million cattle are destroying health of land. Lots of research on subject—e.g. Debra Donahue TRAMPLING THE PUBLIC TRUST Evmntal Affairs 2010. One of reasons for growing #’s horses: Nat. Academy Sciences says reduction in wolves by humans! Bigger problem: huge numbers of people visiting parks-monuments but Interior cutting their size & handing over to drilling. See http://dailypitchfork.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/BLM_USFS-grazing-analysis_2014_Daily-Pitchfork.pdf https://www.nap.edu/catalog/13511/using-science-to-improve-the-blm-wild-horse-and-burro-program https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/14/stories/1061278197 #493: Bernhardt’s Nat. Park Service to allow ATV’s! Park Superintendents are alarmed—noise & going off road will destroy parks. But this is vision of Bernhardt’s “wilderness:” Lots of ATVs, snowmobiles, e-bikes on trails, cows grazing, lead bullets to kill any animals that threaten cows, roads thru wilderness to better access to trophy hunters—This is what Bernhardt is implementing. Sad thing: Nobody can stop him. Apparently, House NR Committee is impotent & rest of Congress too invested in impeachment to care about what’s happening to public lands. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/11/stories/1061251645 #492: BLM moving West to get local input?? They don't want local input! BLM has eliminated local input from western local Resource Advisory Councils that is supposed to do that! BLM has eliminated or refused to have most of them meet or recomposed them to be sure they follow Trump priorities. Why? Because they don’t want local input that could slow down drilling & mining—they only want energy dominance input! See excellent article by Jesse Dunn at https://medium.com/westwise/how-the-interior-department-squashed-public-advisory-committees-1d6e3d935460 #491: Interior wants to cut royalty rates on industry for non-energy from 6% to 2%--2/3 cut. So the public which owns these lands gets LESS $ & the land is disfigured but industry profits. Par for Bernhardt: Everything for industry, Nothing for public or conservation. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/10/09/stories/1061234649 #490: Even Republican Rep. from Nevada don’t know what the hell is going on with BLM move! Rep. Amodei’s state is Nev. & HE is DEMANDING more info & Interior won’t provide it! What more does House NR Committee need before they put the screws to this stupid move? See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/09/stories/1061233037 #489: Bernhardt just said protection of sites near Chaco Nat. Park shows “balanced approach.!” He & BLM have pushed for 3 years to drill nearby Chaco & opposed legis. to protect it! Once again, Bernhardt shows he is complete LIAR & needs to go immediately. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/09/stories/1061232889 & https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/05/15/stories/1060335143 #488: BLM Miniature Bernhardt: Amanda Kaster, BLM’s acting Chief of Staff. She resented House oversight visit & charged that she was bullied. Like Davy, she refuses to have any oversight. E&E asked for info supporting her allegations & None was provided. Bernhardt used her false allegation as excuse to stop ANY Oversight visits by House staff. Shows once more that Bernhardt & his flunkies have NO RESPECT for Congress at all. Until Congress does something SUBSTANTIVE (e.g., funding cuts/subpoenas), Interior will continue to laugh at them. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/09/stories/1061233409 #487: Even more stupidity of Trump-Bernhardt: Zion attendance DOUBLED over last decade so they are trying to expand access to east side of park. Imagine demand for monuments in a few years? What are they doing about rapidly expanding demand for parks-monuments? They slashed Grand Staircase-Escalante to about half of its original 1.9-million-acre footprint and reduced the 1.35-million-acre Bears Ears monument to 202,000 acres. Our children & grandchildren will curse Trump & Bernhardt for their blindness & subservience to industry. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/08/stories/1061224051 #486: Wilderness From Untrammeled to Bikes, ATVs & Snowmobiles. Wilderness Act of 1964, lawmakers defined wilderness as "an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.” Bernhardt & Sen. Lee allow e-bikes/mountain bikes “in wilderness areas.” Of course, with people riding at high speeds the areas are no longer wilderness! But that doesn’t matter to these Yahoos. For them: Wilderness areas are FIRST & FOREMOST for humans, especially those who like speed & comfort. Too bad if it harms wildlife. Even more troubling, Many in Recreational industry support e-bikes & multi-use in wilderness. I used to think that wildlife would be restricted to tiny but at least protected areas where they would have priority. Now it’s clear to me that Republicans & recreationists like e-bike proponent Kurt Gensheimer don’t give a damn about wilderness or wildlife, only satisfying themselves. John Muir, your hopes are lost. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/08/stories/1061224691 #485: E-Bikes Versus Bears: Which do you think USFWS favors? Trump-Bernhardt has allowed e-bikes on paths in wildlife areas that contain grizzlies. A biker traveling at 25mph was killed by a grizzly in Glacier Nat. Park. Investigation showed that bear had never bothered people before demonstrating danger to humans & bears since humans want to kill any wildlife that threatens them even if the fault of the humans. Wildlife like grizzlies are restricted to tiny areas compared to historical range but USFWS & Trump can’t even allow them to have priority in habitat supposed to be for them. Research shows similar findings for elk who flee from bikes & ATVs. USFWS under Trump-Bernhardt is supposed to be major advocate for WILDLIFE but has totally abdicated this role. See https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/07/science/bears-biking-national-parks.html?te=1&nl=science-times&emc=edit_sc_20191008?campaign_id=34&instance_id=12919&segment_id=17684&user_id=1575e2a05f37205a27ca72946056eae7®i_id=10365419 #484: Coal Mining David Bernhardt has in his short time in office proven to be an even worse Secretary of Interior than Ryan Zinke. Below are DOCUMENTED reasons why he should be removed from office before he further destroys conservation & wildlife. But Trump's other agencies have also been extremely harmful including EPA and Agriculture. Below I comment on wildlife politics broadly as well as on this destructive Administration. #485: E-Bikes Versus Bears: Which do you think USFWS favors? Trump-Bernhardt has allowed e-bikes on paths in wildlife areas that contain grizzlies. A biker traveling at 25mph was killed by a grizzly in Glacier Nat. Park. Investigation showed that bear had never bothered people before demonstrating danger to humans & bears since humans want to kill any wildlife that threatens them even if the fault of the humans. Wildlife like grizzlies are restricted to tiny areas compared to historical range but USFWS & Trump can’t even allow them to have priority in habitat supposed to be for them. Research shows similar findings for elk who flee from bikes & ATVs. USFWS under Trump-Bernhardt is supposed to be major advocate for WILDLIFE but has totally abdicated this role. See https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/07/science/bears-biking-national-parks.html?te=1&nl=science-times&emc=edit_sc_20191008?campaign_id=34&instance_id=12919&segment_id=17684&user_id=1575e2a05f37205a27ca72946056eae7®i_id=10365419 hjnn[p-////////// Fiasco: Wyoming Coal mining Companies shut down, not paying workers or health plans or taxes owed to local communities. Deal made for another co. to take over but they don’t pay taxes owed. Also, 2 Wy coal units will be shut down in coming years to be replaced by lower-cost wind, solar and storage. As usual, Bernhardt-Trump total energy dominance goal is not only destroying public lands but propping up doomed & dirty industry—Stupid, Stupid! See https://www.wyofile.com/analysis-a-breakdown-of-the-blackjewel-esm-deal/ & https://www.wyofile.com/pacificorp-details-early-bridger-naughton-coal-closures/ #483: Excellent article by Rosenberg of Union of Concerned Scientists on Meaningless Recusals by Pendley & Bernhardt—it means to them only they not directly talk with former clients but SHOULD mean not working on matters of interest to them. Pendley has 60 former clients. He should AVOID the appearance of wrongdoing but given # of conflicts, it is impossible for him to do job as head of BLM & avoid appearance of wrongdoing. Of course, the very same situation has not stopped Bernhardt either. Moreover, with Bernhardt, he has continued to talk to clients even when not supposed to as in Westlands case but simply refuses to provide evidence to Congress so that he can be evicted from his job. They are epitome unethical public servants with scandalous behavior far exceeding that of the Teapot Dome Scandal that hit Interior Dept during Harding era. See https://blog.ucsusa.org/andrew-rosenberg/recusal-is-not-an-excusal-william-pendley-and-conflicts-of-interest-at-the-blm#.XZtzv7Qquiw.twitter #482: First Lady & Bernhardt had students pledge “protect and respect Grand Teton National Park and all wild places.” I guess that doesn’t include Grand Escalante, Bears Ears, or ANWR! & encouraged children spend more time outdoors—for Bernhardt that means shooting trophies. What phonies! https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/10/04/stories/1061200761 #481: Trump Jr. Cowardly Trophy Hunter. Donald Jr. is raising funds for Hunter Nation by trophy hunting. He’s killed elephants, prairie dogs, & leopards. Hunter Nation calls him a “modern day Teddy R.!” Well, Teddy hugely EXPANDED monuments & unlike Trump Jr. & Sr. VOLUNTEERED for Service. He’s a modern day coward. See https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/464226-raffle-offers-deer-hunt-with-modern-day-teddy-roosevelt-donald #480: BLM Move West & Ocean Drilling Plan are 2 major pressure points to get Bernhardt to be accountable. The move has little Cong support, No employee enthusiasm, & NO EVIDENCE to justify it. They’ve worked on Drilling Ocean Plan for months yet are scared to death to release it. Push them on both! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/04/stories/1061200019 #479: Interior’s Office devoted to Mine Safety (OSMIRE) just gave Coal Company that’s taking over Blackjewel’s disastrous mine deal to promise to keep them out of “Applicant Violator System” & does not mention fate of unpaid royalties & rents! Interior’s Policy: Nothing Too Much for Energy Industry, Nothing Too Little for Conservation. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/03/stories/1061195737 #478: Greens have to sue to get FWS to protect caribou in Idaho & Wash. FWS only took move to protect woodland AFTER greens sued. Bernhardt supposed to be in favor of protecting big game but if it conflicts with energy-developers, forget it. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/03/stories/1061195305 #477: BLM moves West to be closer to stakeholders? Well, Western voters reject Pendley-Bernhardt Energy Dominance goals—they put HIGHER PRIORITY on protecting than developing public lands! Only the greedy energy companies & their lackey western pols buy into Trump agenda. See https://westernpriorities.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/WTW_2020_SLIDES_Report.pdf #476: Bird Populations Including Sage Grouse Decline: How does Forest Service Respond? They removed 200K acres of prime habitat for the bird. BLM previously removed other prime habitat. Bernhardt’s Interior is consistent—AGAINST CONSERVATION. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/10/02/stories/1061191921 #475: Travesty—Bernhardt to tour site of proposed Teddy Roosevelt Library! Teddy R. initiated protection of birds—Davy weakened it; Teddy R. initiated monuments, Davy made huge cuts; Teddy initiated Federal protection of wildlife—Davy trying to destroy ESA! To top it off: Bernhardt hands (Teddy) Roosevelt Reservation to Army! If Teddy were alive, he would SPIT on Bernhardt! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/02/stories/1061191115 #474: The First Lady visited Washington Monument w/Bernhardt in tow & now visiting National Parks. Her “pillar” is “Be Best”—she should visit monument areas cut by Trump & Bernhardt & try to convert them to her “pillar” because they have been the Worst. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/01/stories/1061187093 #473: Bernhardt nominates Energy First & Foremost lackey as Deputy Sec. of Interior. Kate MacGregor has led Dept.’s Plan for OFFSHORE oil & gas drilling! Senate: Don’t approve her UNLESS she releases Plan Details NOW! House NR Committee: if she refuses to release it, subpoena her plan! She led effort to deregulate methane, reduced renewables budget, & doesn’t mention conservation in statement of her goals for Interior! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/10/01/stories/1061187067 #472: Worst Sec. of Interior Ever Reappoints Worst BLM chief ever! The two are in love affair over mutual obsessions, giving favors to industry, spoiling public lands & oceans. It’s a coupling made in hell. Notice that all of Bernhardt appointments are so bad they are either NEVER approved or get no Democratic support because they’re so bad which is why his staff is full of part-timers. House NR Committee: Save us from this destructive Creep! See https://www.eenews.net/stories/1061184869 #471: Interior & Republicans don’t want mandatory funding of LWCF program even though that program has huge public & Cong. support & Bernhardt bragged about more $ for funding it even though he had zero-funded it! They only will fund it with $ from oil leasing. Don’t claim any credit for Lousy LCWF support at election time! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/09/30/stories/1061184047 #470: Who is Bernhardt’s worst appointee? It’s a tough competition!: Jorjani who weakened Intl Migratory Bird Treaty & other anti-conservation opinions; Karen Budd-Falen & Susan Combs who hate the ESA & public lands; Aurelia Skipwith, unqualified Monsanto pesticide lackey who’s in charge of USFWS, but Pendey, who never saw public lands OR OCEANS that he didn’t want to hand over to energy industry takes the cake! See detailed account of his Reagan years where he pushed “excess leasing” of public lands that proved to be “fire sale” & had coal industry pay illegally for meal—also wants to hand over oceans to them too! He truly is a Bernhardt industry lackey clone! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/09/30/stories/1061183795 #469: Bernhardt has never tweeted about wildlife conservation, only killing wildlife. His only "Nature" tweets (i.e. not bragging about energy-border patrol-GNP etc.) are about TROPHY hunting. (See blog #’s below for doc. of each point). He’s opened wildlife REFUGES to more hunting (#404) & lead bullets (#289), set up Intl Wildlife Council run by Safari club trophy hunters (#401) & opposed CECIL act protecting lions (#287), allowed killing of cubs & pups in dens & airborne hunting in Alaska (#421), stopped protection of wolves (#90). Contrary to his bullshit, reliance on hunting to support conservation is STUPID & is threatening preservation of wildlife-recreation in U.S.—hunters #’s & expendits. WAY down (#422-423)—95% of visits to Wildlife Refuges are to WATCH, not kill, wildlife (#275). I am going to track subject matter of his future tweets to provide AMMO for his impeachment. #468: The Last straw: How Many more outrages does it take before Bernhardt is impeached?? He’s refused to provide details on Westlands & Trump donor scandals. Now he’s trying to do lobby partner Westlands another favor by enlarging dam & telling USFWS ignored science says it’s bad & telling USFWS ignore impacts on salmon. His appointed USFWS head who (& also her fiancé) worked for Westlands! He’s asked for $20 Mill. For this project while zero budgeting LWCF & cutting other conservation funding. He has totally ignored requests for accbty info providing 1000s pages of junk instead. He has demonstrated long ago he’s a totally despicable human being unfit for his job but NOTHING has happened to this creep! See https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/28/climate/bernhardt-shasta-dam.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_190928?campaign_id=2&instance_id=12574&segment_id=17423&user_id=1575e2a05f37205a27ca72946056eae7®i_id=103654190928 #467: Rare Conservation Win: BLM appeals Bd. rejects snowmobilers bid for priority over protection of cultural resources. Worry: This decision can be appealed to Pendley, BLM head who never saw a conservation measure he didn’t oppose! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/09/27/stories/1061175125 #466: Skipwith so bad she should be immediately investigated. She refused to provide answers to Senator, telling him to FOIA her! How can Congress tolerate such a response? She worked for Westlands, same org. that involved with Bernhardt scandal & her fiancé worked for it during the time that Bernhardt’s violated ethics. She is rare minority female in this Admin. which is why I guess questioning by Dems was weak but that does not excuse letting an unqualified person with open ethical questions take this job! See https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/sep/25/trump-wildlife-service-pick-anti-animal-protection-groups-aurelia-skipwith?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other #465: Good News: Senate Interior funding gives no NEW $ for BLM Move. But watch out for Bernhardt—he’ll take $ from areas of NO PRIORITY to him like conservation. Don’t let him do this—BLM move $ one of few levers you have over him. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/09/27/stories/1061173173 #464: Jorjani appearance before House NR Comm. proves ONLY funding & subpoenas will make him produce requested information. He brags about 1000’s of irrelevant pages Interior handed over to Comm. knowing that it's all irrelevant & intended to waste time. Let’s be clear: Bernhardt’s Dept. will NOT provide anything harmful to him UNLESS LEGALLY FORCED TO, whether through funding or subpoenas. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/09/27/stories/1061172861 #463: House Dems Should Investigate Skipwith Immediately. She refused to answer Senate Committee questions about her agribusiness work abusing animals & meeting with industry—she said “FOIA” me. Also, she’s tied into Westlands scandal of Bernhardt’s! Since she is to head agency over which you have oversight, it is appropriate to demand answers to these questions! See https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/sep/25/trump-wildlife-service-pick-anti-animal-protection-groups-aurelia-skipwith?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other #462: Rob Bishop angry with delays on blacklog bill! Why isn’t he angry about delay in Interior’s Plan for Drilling oceans? Or in providing details on Bernhardt’s scandals that Grijalva asked for months ago? This anti-ESA creep is a joke. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/09/26/stories/1061170583 #461: UN Report shows oceans in danger from climate change. Some energy officials admit that humans responsible & Trump giveaways to them are harmful! But NOT a word from Interior or NOAA on this report—they’re forbidden to talk about it. See https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/25/climate/climate-change-oceans-united-nations.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_190926?campaign_id=2&instance_id=12572&segment_id=17339&user_id=1575e2a05f37205a27ca72946056eae7®i_id=103654190926 & https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/when-it-comes-to-acknowledging-humans-role-in-climate-change-oil-and-gas-industry-lawyer-says-that-ship-has-sailed/2019/09/26/63c0d250-c9c2-11e9-a4f3-c081a126de70_story.html?wpisrc=al_environment__alert-hse&wpmk=1 #460: New USFWS Head Aurelia Skipwith Refuses to Answer questions on her jobs in agribusiness or meetings since got job! Wow! She said to Senator: Use FOIA to get answers! Wow, she learned STONEWALLING from Bernhardt & like Bernhardt gets away with it—she’s approved by Senate—Republican Senators don’t give a damn about stonewalling if it’s by a industry lackey. Let’s start preparing her impeachment for stonewalling now along with Bernhardt’s! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/09/25/stories/1061169053 #459: Democrats: Push Bernhardt to release Drilling Plan Now! Florida’s Republicans are dying to have legislation forbidding drilling off their state. This is perfect pressure point to force Davy to have to respond NOW & not wait until after election which is what the 2 cowards (Bernhardt & Trump) are hoping to do. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/09/25/stories/1061167269 #458: Who Defends the Endangered Species Act? The “Energy Dominance” Department’s ESA team led by Budd-Falen, Bundy-lover & anti-Federal fanatic. Not a word in from USFWS’s Skipwith! 17 State govts. are acting to protect wildlife. We can’t get rid of Bernhardt soon enough! See https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2019/09/25/trump-administration-weakened-endangered-species-act-rules-today-state-attorneys-general-sued-over-it/?wpisrc=al_news__alert-hse--alert-national&wpmk=1 #457: Recusals by Pendley & Bernhardt Meaningless: Pendley has recused self from Escalante court case because he lobbied to support reductions but ALL of HIS STAFF are just as closely tied to Energy-Ranching industries as he so recusal it means nothing. Note: Scott de lab Vega, Interior’s Corruption Officer didn’t see anything wrong with Trump’s Arizona donor project actions involved! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/09/24/stories/1061166039 #456: Interior’s Intl Wildlife Conservation Advisory Committee: Lawsuit over trophy hunter group reveals Interesting Fact: Advisory Comm. Meetings are supposed to be TRANSPARENT but there are NO TRANSCRIPTS for 2 meetings & omitted words in ones that are available. Situation Normal for Bernhardt’s Interior: No Transparency & Lots of Stonewalling. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/09/24/stories/1061165993 #455: Read Tom Friedman’s NYT article—he argues & I agree that Dems. have ignored environmental issues in attack on Trump. They like TV news have been totally fixated on Russia & ignored area where they have STRONGEST Case—suburban Republicans care about these issues. How many times has Interior’s destructive actions turned up on MSNBC or other news outlets? Rarely. Put Trump on defensive! See https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/24/opinion/democrats-climate-change.html?te=1&nl=david-leonhardt&emc=edit_ty_20190925?campaign_id=39&instance_id=12623&segment_id=17313&user_id=1575e2a05f37205a27ca72946056eae7®i_id=10365419 #454: Bernhardt Should Be Impeached for Stonewalling: Listening to discussion tonight of why Trump promises to provide transcript of conversation with Ukraine’s President: Stonewalling on this would be sufficient reason for impeachment & Trump is aware of this. If that is the case, there are Tons of Reasons to Impeach Bernhardt for his stonewalling, refusal to provide detailed calendars, employees to testify on his misdeeds, details on his involvement in Arizona Trump Donor & California Westmark scandals (see #419 below). His performance on the job has been terrible, refusing to provide plan for ocean drilling & not provide justification for spending millions to move BLM west, (Below are 453 documented details of his disastrous actions). In short, he has NO REDEEMING VALUE. The U.S. & Dept of Interior (and public lands-oceans-environment) would be freed from their main threat. #453: Gist of Cornell Study on Vanishing Bird: Biggest causes are agriculture, development, & pesticides. “Every field…plowed under…every wetland area…drained loses birds in that area..pesticides…neocotinoids make it harder put on weight for migration.” Note: Skipwith head of USFWS worked for Monsanto, the major producer of these pesticides. See https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/19/science/bird-populations-america-canada.html?te=1&nl=science-times&emc=edit_sc_20190924?campaign_id=34&instance_id=12600&segment_id=17282&user_id=1575e2a05f37205a27ca72946056eae7®i_id=10365419 #452: Rob Bishop is mulling run for Utah governor! He’s the guy who’s led attacks on End. Species Act & conservation forever (see #9 below). Where would he do less harm? Current gov. Hebert is total loser too so wouldn’t have any impact on Utah & anybody better than this creep in Congress so I hope he runs. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/09/24/stories/1061164427 #451: House May Take Action on Bernhardt this week!! Hurrah!!! Stop funding of BLM Move until Bernhardt provides info he's been stonewalling on forever. This is the chance to become relevant! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/09/24/stories/1061164481 #450: Republicans try to complete their destruction of Teddy Roosevelt Heritage by trying to weaken the ESA. They’ve already handed over (Teddy) Roosevelt Reservation on Border to the Army (see #437), Cut monuments (Teddy originated monument idea), & weakened Migratory Bird Treaty (Teddy love & protected birds-See #322). There are NO MORE CONSERVATION-MINDED Republicans left. Time for all of those who care about wildlife, conservation, & public lands to vote Republicans out. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/09/24/stories/1061164437 #449: Bernhardt solves accountability problems: He & BLM will share offices with energy companies. No longer will he need to have formal meetings, phone calls, emails. No FOIA will be able to detect their face-to-face meetings! They can get together at the toilets—where they all belong. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/09/23/stories/1061162935 #448: Royalty Bills for fossil fuel cleanup: Interior & Republicans don’t want to protect communities when it costs energy companies. The USGAO report showed that ¾ of bonding on Federal wells is insufficient. BLM’s response to the Report? Nothing—they will continue as is. Bloated Bernhardt brags all the time about all of the drilling but NEVER talks about the bad impacts on communities that I have detailed (#429 below). I hope Democratic Reps. & candidates in these states will make an issue of this & that media will take notice. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/09/23/stories/1061159611 & full GAO report at https://www.gao.gov/assets/710/701450.pdf #447: The Senate is moving to confirm Skipwith--Travesty! Why didn’t Democrats ask Skipwith nominee to head USFWS tough questions? Where does she stand on Endangered Species Act? On compensatory mitigation for lost habitat? On weakening of International Bird Migratory Act? On drilling ANWR? USFWS is ONLY agency whose purpose is to protect species—why should someone who supports these actions, especially if they are not a conservation professional but a former Monsanto employee serve in this job? What the hell is wrong with Democratic staff? See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/09/23/stories/1061160491 #446: There are NO TEDDY ROOSEVELT Republicans anymore. Senate Republicans are pushing through Jorjani even tho Dems oppose & he has weakened Migratory Bird Treaty as well as other anti-conservation measures. They have abdicated any right to receive votes of any citizens that care about conservation & wildlife. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/09/23/stories/1061159631 #445: House & Senate: Use Interior Funding to force action on accountability, BLM move, & ocean drilling plan. Finally, Grijalva is threatening action against Bernhardt (Hurray!!) but Interior's response that they provided thousands of documents (but NOT WHAT WAS REQUESTED) shows that stonewalling just continues. The ONLY thing Bernhardt respects is HARD action & nothing such as been done to him yet. It looks like the Senate is moving to compromise on Interior Funding. Dem House Reps should contact their Senate colleagues & tell them why compromise is FAILURE unless they get Bernhardt to stop stonewalling. Holding the budget & subpoenas are not only justified, they are NECESSARY if Congress is to do its job. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/09/23/stories/1061159567 https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/09/23/stories/1061159559 #444: Stupidity of Trump, Bernhardt & Utah Pols Proven Once Again: They cut monuments in order to boost oil production but latest report shows that outdoor recreation is growing faster & contributes more to the overall GDP than some other traditional industries, including farming, ranching and mining. What’s more, as population growth & development continues, the value of unspoiled lands will grow geometrically compared to energy-ranching. Also note that the growth in outdoor recreation is due to WATCHING wildlife, not hunting it—hunting continues its downward spiral as in #422-423 below. See https://phys.org/partners/university-of-california---san-diego/ #443: Hallelujah! Wyden slows down Jorjani’s vote. It’s about time that SOMEBODY in Congress stopped automatic approval of Bernhardt’s Interior appointments ALL of WHICH like Jorjani (Koch brother’s graduate) are proven industry lackeys but also ACTIVELY oppose conservation function of the Dept—like Pendley & Budd-Falen who oppose public lands & Jorjani who weakened Intl Migratory Bird Treaty. Now if we could just get House Dems to do something significant like punishing stonewalling Bernhardt, we might get somewhere. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/09/20/stories/1061144367 #442: EPA again challenges for Worst Agency status. Even oil-drilling fanatic Alaska Sen. Murkowski has doubts about the Pebble Mine that EPA has approved. EPA under Wheeler & Interior under Bernhardt: Twin faces of evil & destruction. Need to get rid of both of them. 4 more years of these 2 creeps would totally destroy public lands-oceans. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/09/19/stories/1061139375 #441: Bernhardt to headline Colorado fundraiser for Gardner?? Well, Davy will solidify support among the Bundys & their kin! He will brag about wells-mines-roads thru wilderness, trophies & all the things Coloradans love. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/09/20/stories/1061140359 #440: Mitch McConnell forcing vote for Jorjani to be Interior Solicitor. This comes at time when Cornell studies show loss of billions of birds which Jorjani is hastening by weakening International Migratory Bird Treaty! Well, I guess he doesn’t depend on votes of anyone who cares for the environment so why be surprised? See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/09/20/stories/1061141151 #439: Bernhardt didn’t even bother to tell Republican Senators about plan to hand over border to Army! Shows once more how this pudgy moon-faced trophy hunter thinks he is beyond control of Congress. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/09/20/stories/1061141059 #438 Bernhardt to Park Superintendents: Shut Up. Don’t criticize energy developments even if they are based on NPS scientific studies in keeping with opposition to all forms of accountability such as FOIA, testifying & providing docs. to Congress, NEPA reviews, time to make public comment on rules. He has acted this way from the very start but gotten away with it because Republicans don’t care or cheer him on & House Democrats have been totally ineffective—his scandals are far worse than Zinke’s but nothing happens to this creep. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/09/19/stories/1061139951 #437: Bernhardt hands (Teddy) Roosevelt Reservation to Army: Well, Davy never said he’s was a TR Republican like Zinke—no, he’s in James Watt line. How does Whit Fosburgh of TR Conservation Con. feel about HIS Secretary! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/09/19/stories/1061139481 #436: North America has lost 3 billion birds in 50 years according to rigorous study due largely to loss of habitat due to dev. & agric. & pesticide use . What is U.S. Dept of Interior doing about it? They weakened Migratory Bird Treaty and End. Species Act, did away with Compensatory Mitigation, & USFWS Director Skipwith is graduate of Monsanto that manufactures Glyphosate a MAJOR CULPRIT responsible for killing birds & bees. In other words, the Dept. in charge of PROTECTING species is directly UNDERMINING protections for them. We need to stop their harmful actions NOW-the only solution is budgetary power cut off funding until they change harmful policies & impeachment of Bernhardt & top staff. See https://www.ulib.niu.edu:2782/content/early/2019/09/18/science.aaw1313 https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/sep/24/monsanto-weedkiller-harms-bees-research-finds https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2019/09/19/north-america-has-lost-billion-birds-years/?wpisrc=nl_green&wpmm=1 #435: Decision Time here: Will Democrats Fold & let Bernhardt do whatever he wants—move West & continue stonewalling or will they use BUDGETARY power to make themselves RELEVANT for a change? Unfortunately, given Grijalva’s apparent fear of Bernhardt (I am beginning to think he’s being blackmailed), I’m not optimistic. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/09/19/stories/1061136099 #434: Close & Depressing Competition Continues: Who’s worse: Bernhardt or Wheeler? Wheeler has fixer to get polluters off Fed-state regulator & has industry reps stacking advisory comms. Interior entirely made up of industry lackeys. Both should be impeached. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/09/18/stories/1061135015 https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/09/18/stories/1061135621 #433: Florida Senators & Reps: Maybe Bernhardt will listen to you? You propose permanent moratorium on drilling off Florida. Davy has IGNORED House Dems requests for info but maybe he is more afraid of you since Trump needs Florida? Time to produce their 5-year plan. If he refuses, Impeach him & get replacement who will! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/09/19/stories/1061136083 #432: House NR Committee approved bills against trophy hunting of lions. However, Blowhard Don Young of Alaska opposes the bill. He & fellow Alaskans see nothing wrong with killing cubs & pups in dens or wolves from planes. So what’s the big deal with lions? Oh, that’s right, Donald Jr. and Eric like their trophies. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/09/18/stories/1061135533 #431: The Swamp Merry Go Round at Interior Continues: Attny Burke who worked on energy left Dept to join firm where she will work with energy clients! This comes after Balash who headed ANWR drilling did the same just recently. Indeed, you cannot find a top Interior staff person who is not an industry lackey. Swampy Behavior—thy name is Bernhardt & Trump. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/09/18/stories/1061135445 #430: Interior Crappy Personnel Management: BLM did not meet its own deadline to inform personnel who will be transferred to West. Every once in a while, Bernhardt et al. talk about their staff. Well, their treatment of them is now revealed—they treat them like trash that can be disposed of. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/09/18/stories/1061134969 #429: More on Bad Effects of Drilling: House Democrats want to force oil-gas industry to put up $ to assure wells are plugged before they drill. The Poor Industry claims they can’t afford it! Bernhardt et al. brag every day how much oil is produced but he doesn’t want to ensure safety of public lands. He should be impeached. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/09/18/stories/1061131183 #428: Bernhardt’s Anti-ESA regulations are being opposed by House Dems. In essence, it will allow USFWS to determine whether to provide protections to threatened species. Guess what will happen when Monsanto’s Skipwith (now USFWS Director!) will do when industry interests conflict with species. And why didn’t anyone question Skipwith about her position on ESA?? https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/09/18/stories/1061132049 #427: No Wonder Bernhardt wants to Weaken Freedom of Info. Act (FOIA)—Wash Post used it to get Nat Park Service Report that says Border Wall will imperil archaeological & Native American sites. Now if we could just use it to get real story on Bernhardt scandals, we could get rid of this scoundrel. See https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/border-fence-construction-could-destroy-archaeological-sites-national-park-service-finds/2019/09/17/35338b18-d64b-11e9-9343-40db57cf6abd_story.html #426: Amazing: Interior Board of Appeals overrules Bernhardt plan to raze Grand Escalante forest because it would hurt migratory birds though they allowed other devegetation efforts to happen. Apparently Bernhardt hasn't been able to fully staff this part of INterior with industry lackeys. Expect Bernhardt to soon appoint more industry-friendly members to Board. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/09/17/stories/1061130453 #425: League Conserv. Voters push for full LWCF funding. Where do Bernhardt & Skipworth stand? They ZEROED out funding for it! They only like $ from drilling. Interior should commit big $ from their own internal budget. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/09/17/stories/1061127533 #424: Report shows Tourists Overwhelm Utah’s 5 National Parks! Guess what demand for parks 7 MONUMENTS will be in 5, 10, 50 years? As dev. & pop. grows, public need for wild & unpaved public lands will SO FAR OUTWEIGH drilling-ranching that there will be Waiting list to visit them but Trump monuments cuts show he doesn’t give a damn. See https://www.wsj.com/articles/tourists-heeding-utahs-mighty-5-campaign-overpower-moab-11568638923?mod=searchresults&page=1&pos=1 #423: Big Drop in Hunting Excise Revs: Wildlife Restoration account during the 3 qtrs of FY 2019 continue to slip and are now showing 7% reduction from the same period last year… arrow shaft excise tax collections are down a whopping 24% from last year’s collections. Firearms…are showing moderate reductions (3%-4%..). Ammunition…showing a much larger loss (15%) from the same period in 2018. See full report at https://wildlifemanagement.institute/outdoor-news-bulletin/september-2019/excise-tax-snapshot #422: One More Nail in Coffin of Hunter-based funding of conservation: Wildlife Management Institute (Pro-Hunting group) says “large internet-based hunting equipment sales have made the connection between consumers and foreign manufacturers easier” cutting excise taxes for Pittman-Robertson. This is in addition to the fact that last generation the percentage (and even actual numbers) of hunters is been CONSISTENTLY DOWN and promises to go much lower. What to do? Don’t look to Interior or most states-they are doubling down on trying to recruit hunters as solution (they either are dumb &/or determined not to allow wildlife watchers to dominate policy). See https://wildlifemanagement.institute/outdoor-news-bulletin/september-2019/leakage-american-system-conseration-funding-part-1 #421: In addition to opening hunting in 70 Nat. Wildlife REFUGES, Bernhardt removed the rule against same-day airborne hunting of in Alaska National Wildlife REFUGES. This is great news for pudgy overweight trophy hunters like Bernhardt. In Alaska, they can begin by killing baby cubs & wolf pups in their dens & then board airplane & shoot their harder to find parents from air. This is Davy's idea of "fair chase." Teddy Roosevelt would shoot this creep! See https://wildlifemanagement.institute/outdoor-news-bulletin/september-2019/fws-expands-hunting-and-sport-fishing-opportunities #420: Florida Republicans like Rooney are against coastal drilling & trying to base credentials on this opposition but how about PUSHING BERNHARDT to release drilling plan NOW. After the election, you know Trump-Bernhardt will drill! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/09/16/stories/1061125941 #419: New IG Watchdog, Mark Greenblatt, to go after small infractions by low level employees??? when he should investigate MAJOR ethical misdoing by Bernhardt such as missing calendars, Trump Arizona donor project, & Calif. Westlands scandals. Don’t dodge the tough important issues! Show some courage & professionalism. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/09/16/stories/1061125995 #418: House Democrats & Conservation: Priority #1 should be make Bernhardt’s Interior accountable for missing calendars & unethical lobbying & his stonewalling on needed information: He has not just ignored your committee but attacked its ability to do their monitoring job. What more needs to be said? The most obvious method is to STOP FUNDING BLM MOVE West until Bernhardt is forced to answer. If you don’t do something strong about his disrespecting you, your committee will be irrelevant & a laughing stock. See below for numerous items supporting the need for this priority. #417: Is McCollum tough enough to take on trophy hunter Bernhardt? It seems that for whatever reason, Grijalva is AFRAID of him. Davy has totally disrespected House NR Committee & so far NOTHING has been done to him in response! Cut appropriations for Move West until he has produced responses to not just move but ALL OF HIS SCANDALS. He has laughed at your committee long enough. https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/09/13/stories/1061115401 #416: Another Energy Lackey put in top job! Hammond replaces lackey Balash (who now directly works for energy company instead of just giving them favors.) Hammond worked to destroy Sage Grouse protections. By the way, sage grouse nos are WAY DOWN THANKs to him. There is NOT A SINGLE TOP STAFF PERSON in Interior (USFWS or BLM) who prioritizes conservation. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/09/13/stories/1061116287 https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/09/13/stories/1061116233 #415: In my Wildlife Politics book (Cambridge U.P. 2017) I discuss how environmental issues crucial to humans such as clean air & water get more attention & support than those aimed at wildlife. However, I have to admit that the Trump Admin. EPA is challenging this as they consistently have taken away rules that protected clean air & water (in addition to their attack on wildlife such as approval of pesticides.) In short, this Admin. is truly horrible to all living life, human and other! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/09/11/stories/1061111769 #414: Trump Admin. has blasted use of scientific models to estimate climate change effects. Check out vague assumptions & models used to “predict” oil in ANWR in Appendix B of BLM’s Report (See, e.g., B5-B6). No hard data! Assumptions Only! And they did not do seismic studies or aerial surveys to provide hard data. The ONLY exploratory well ever drilled was DISAPPOINTING & kept confidential. In short, this entire report is FICTION & garbage science. See Appendix at https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/projects/nepa/102555/20003764/250004420/Volume_2_Appendices_B-R_only.pdf & New York Times on hidden report at https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/21/us/oil-drilling-arctic.html?smtyp=cur&smid=tw-nytclimate #413: One Day of Bernhardt: (1) Approves broadest drilling option for ANWR; (2) Bans travel for House NR Committee staff oversight; (3) Approves thousands of acres of lease near monument & tribal area opposed by tribes. These harmful actions in SINGLE day show why Bernhardt has to be removed immediately to conserve public lands. See #409=412 https://www.wildlifepolitics.org/blog #412: BLM to lease 32,000 acres of public land near tribal grounds & national monument. Tribal groups including All Pueblo Council & Navajo Utah Commission against this but BLM lackey Finch said they “consult with tribes.” Well, every single instance they decide AGAINST tribes, their so-called consultation is CRAP. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/09/12/stories/1061115063 #410: Interior’s BLM chose open ALL ANWR to drilling-“broadest option” & BLM lackey Padgett called this “balanced!” What bullshit? They hid report that showed LITTLE REVENUES will result from this exploitation. There are NO CONSERVATION PROFESSIONALS left in Interior to protest! Change the name of Interior to Department of Oil-GAS-Coal Exploitation. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/09/12/stories/1061115007 https://www.wsj.com/articles/oil-drilling-in-alaskas-arctic-wildlife-refuge-to-have-negligible-impact-interior-department-says-11568319433 #409: Bernhardt bans House NR Committee Travel! He’s refused to provide info on unethical Westlands & Arizona Donor scandals, refused to provide report that shows No Big Oil Revs in ANWR, & now plays hardball with House NR Committee! When is Grijalva going to respond in kind? Take away All funding for BLM move. DEMAND info by subpoena? Take away funding of salaries UNTIL they are responsive? Do House NR Committee have any spine? If they don’t respond with HARDBALL actions, they have just proven they are IRRELEVANT & no sense paying any attention to their statements anymore. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/09/12/stories/1061114837 #408: BLM offers cash bonuses to Move West??! Well, when you can’t offer COHERENT RATIONALE FOR MOVE, they are necessary. Was $ for this in Budget? They zeroed out LWCF & reduced conserv. $ but find $ to move close to energy-ranching industries so they can accede to their wishes. https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/09/12/stories/1061114803 #407: News accounts show nothing but Softball questions for Skipwith, nominee to head USFWS. She does NOT have required credentials. She has done NOTHING to speak up for conservation during period when Bernhardt has done numerous anti-conservation actions. Did anybody ask her position on changes to ESA?!! Whether she supports compensatory mitigation? What she thinks about use of least-restrictive option for Grand Escalante destruction? Her position on ANWR drilling & fact that BLM hid report showed little oil revs there? Drilling on oceans? Do the Democrats on this Committee lack competent staff? I am disgusted. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/09/12/stories/1061113479 #406: New IG patrolling Interior Dept. Start with TOP SCANDALS—Bernhardt’s involvement with Calif. Westlands & Ariz.Trump Donor projects. He has stonewalled House NR Committee, laughing at their info requests & needs your authority to be accountable. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/09/11/stories/1061113125 #405: Grijalva is mulling subpoena on BLM relocation! Yes, do it! & No $ for move! How about subpoenas for Westlands Water Dist, & Ariz Trump Donor scandals, Drilling Plan for Oceans, & ANWR study that showed little oil revs there. See #314 & 362 at https://www.wildlifepolitics.org/blog #404: USFWS opens 77 wildlife refuges to much more hunting. The definition of refuge is “a condition of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble.” Trophy hunter Bernhardt is too dumb or doesn’t care about PRIMARY purpose of refuges. USFWS & Skipworth are lackeys of this jackass—another question for her confirmation. Skipworth's lack of credentials pointed out by USFWS employees too. See https://phys.org/news/2019-09-fishing-national-wildlife-refuges.html & https://www.google.com/search?q=what+is+the+definition+of+a+%22refuge%3F%22&rlz=1C1AJZK_enUS764US764&oq=what+is+the+definition+of+a+%22refuge%3F%22&aqs=chrome..69i57.6098j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/09/10/stories/1061111811 #403: Pendley-Bernhardt’s Defense of BLM Move to West is that it should be controlled by local & state interests which are dominated by energy companies & ranchers. Here’s some news: Western Public Lands Belong to ALL AMERICANS, NOT these selfish interests. Data proves that general public opinion in Western states supports conservation, not drilling-grazing. But selfish interests dominate politics in these states. See proof at https://www.wildlifepolitics.org/the-politics-of-state-wildlife-management-why-anti-conservation-forces-usually-winpapers-on-wildlife-politics--policy.html #402: One More Time: House NR Democrats: Time to Grill coward Bernhardt on drilling plan. He’s had months to come up with it. He’s vulnerable & knows it—Time to put the screws to him. You have Florida Repubs with you & Trump has to win Florida! This is when you have leverage! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/09/10/stories/1061111731 #401: Member of Interior’s Intl Wildlife (i.e. Trophy hunting) Council got to import rhino horn. He sees no conflict behind this & his membership on the Council=Bernhardt’s No Ethics Required approach to job. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/09/09/stories/1061111633 #400: Democrats to Bernhardt: Respect GAO opinion on entry fees. Bernhardt to Democrats: Go to Hell! Democrats called on Bernhardt to respect GAO’s decision that use of park fees to keep parks open was illegal. In effect, his response: I’ll do what I want & you can’t do anything to me. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/09/09/stories/1061111643 #399: Still more questions for Skipwith: She wants to head USFWS responsible for protecting endangered species. Tell us what you have done to protect them—what is your position on ANWR drilling in which Interior’s own report showed would harm critical habitat; what is your position on BLM choosing least restrictive option for developing Grand Escalante, what is your position on compensatory mitigation? What is your position on proposed weakening of ESA? Have you EVER forced a decision made where conservation was prioritized over energy dominance? #398: Louisiana wants lower royalty rate from Trump-Bernhardt for shallow water drilling! One more reason to DEMAND Bernhardt testify on coastal drilling plan with NO MORE DELAYS. This is a winning political issue for Dems--take advantae of it! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/09/09/stories/1061111363 #397: Monsanto employee to head USFWS??? Grill Skipwith on Trump’s EPA stance on chemicals that harm wildlife. Ask her why a Chemical company grad should head agency rather than CONSERVATION PROFESSIONAL. Indeed, let her list all of the TOP USFWS staff who are career conservationists. It will be a blank list! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/09/09/stories/1061111349 #396: Good News—House NR to grill Pendley on BLM relocation. Even better news: If they grilled Bernhardt on oil drilling plan. Trump doesn’t want to alienate Florida but opposes legislation to protect coasts so force cowardly Bernhardt to produce plan. He's had Interior working on it forever even during shutdown--there's NO EXCUSE for not having a plan. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/09/09/stories/1061111351 https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/09/09/stories/1061111369 #395: Bernhardt lauds Trump who just recently has tried to kill state clean car standards, expanded use of bee killing chemicals, ignored terrible impacts of coal industry such as polluting discharges, miners not paid, etc. What more can you say about this disgusting toady? See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/09/06/stories/1061111357 https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/09/06/stories/1061111359 & #384 below. #394: Rep. Grijalva & House NR Committee: It’s time to bring Bernhardt to account. Grijalva admits he is “one of most conflicted Secretaries” & there is clear evidence that he transgressed ethics & rules with lobby partners. Questioning him on these in public hearings would bring Mass Media attention to his selling out public lands which has gone largely uncovered by TV because NR Committee has done NOTHING SO FAR about it. Bernhardt has OPENLY STONEWALLED Congress & taken illegal actions as proven by bipartisan USGAO ruling. But he has got away with it without a hint of disapproval from NR Committee. Are they in the final stages of presenting their case against him? Does he have something on Grijalva that is preventing him from acting. I don’t know. All I know is that additional day in office, Bernhardt does harm to public lands, oceans, & conservation & he needs to be GONE. See https://www.audubon.org/sites/default/files/greater_sage-grouse_habitat_reportfinal_20190725.pdf &https://medium.com/westwise/ra%C3%BAl-grijalva-friends-on-the-power-of-storytelling-and-why-the-sonoran-desert-is-worth-protecting-1c55ce609d0e #393: Pendley-Bernhardt’s Big Lie: They deny selling off public lands—No, they are AFRAID to try that because they know the public even in most conservative western states opposes sale. They just hand them over to industry via leasing such as with Bears Ears choosing least restrictive option & expanding leasing in Sage Grouse habitat as proven by empirical study. In short, they ruin the lands just as bad as if they were handed over directly to industry & states. Pembley is SO BAD that he doesn’t have a chance to be approved by Senate but that doesn’t bother Bernhardt-Trump—they will just appoint more industry lackey temps to destroy public lands. See https://www.audubon.org/sites/default/files/greater_sage-grouse_habitat_reportfinal_20190725.pdf https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/09/06/stories/1061111329 #392: GAO says that Bernhardt clearly broke law when ordered use of entry fees keep parks open. Interior refused to respond to GAO requests for info. Bernhardt has not responded also to House NR Committee several times. He has repeatedly scorned Congress & GAO but suffered no consequences. Bernhardt’s (un)ethics office says he’s fine. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/09/06/stories/1061111333 #391: Project on Govt Oversight asked for investigation of Balash taking job with oil Co. that will exploit ANWR that he pushed for. Yes, do that & how about also investigations of Bernhardt’s illegal influence on Westlands Water District & Arizona Trump Donor projects? See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/09/06/stories/1061111331 https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/07/09/stories/1060717043 https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/07/09/stories/1060717043 & http://californiawaternewsdaily.com/industry/reps-huffman-grijalva-initiate-new-inquiry-on-secretary-bernhardts-ties-with-westlands-water/ #391: Department of Non-Transparency (Interior): BLM head Pendley said he was unable to answer employee objections to move & apologized for “non-transparency.” At least Pendley met face-to-face with employees unlike Trophy Hunter coward David Bernhardt who never exposes himself to input. Pendley says they will spend $5.6 M on move even tho they have not responded to Congressional demands for details. (Note: Bernhardt ZERO FUNDED LWCF program—couldn’t come up with $1 for it). If this spectacle is not enough for House Dems to grill Bernhardt on this & his ethical transgressions, what is? If they don’t do anything to this creep now, they are worthless. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/09/06/stories/1061111343 #390: Interior’s “Ethics” Officers Policy: Let Bernhardt & his underlings communicate with their industry friends as they wish. If they are found out, excuse them. Udall is trying to find some justification for Balash’s new job with company that will drill ANWR after he approved drilling—Good luck! These officials would have excused Hitler if they worked for him. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/09/05/stories/1061111225 #389: No Balance: There is supposed to be a balance in use of public lands (& oceans) between environmental-conservation & other uses. Under Trump-Bernhardt, there is no balance. In EVERY SINGLE decision, they have sacrificed conservation-environment-wilderness to industries such as (documentation for each point at #s below): Grand Escalante planed chose LEAST restrictive option (368), build road thru old-growth Tongass Forest (357), build border wall thru protected areas & refuges (381), drill ANWR despite evidence of little oil & negative consequences for wildlife (310), eliminate NEPA reviews for roads thru wilderness (335), open badlands to ATVs (326). These are just a few—more lack of balance examples to come. #388: Great article in Yahoo News that proves Bernhardt’s constant talk about “backlog maintenance” is hugely exaggerated & aimed at getting more privatization of national parks to “enhance their experience” and “access” by building roads & allowing ATVs etc. in the parks. Bernhardt just settled (i.e., gave) #3 million to Delaware North company whose owner is most generous Trump supporter! Bernhardt-Trump’s budget made huge cuts in Park funding. Bernhardt-Trump solution? Allow more drilling on public lands & waters to finance maintenance—no DIRECT CONGRESSINAL funding. It’s time for Dems on House NR Committee to question this whole funding charade. See https://news.yahoo.com/trump-wants-the-national-parks-to-generate-revenue-critics-see-creeping-privatization-151558607.html #387: Pendley moves BLM employees without providing any justification for moves. When Udall (Sen. NM) asked for details, BLM threatened his state with loss of New Mexico jobs. Wow, this is our non-transparent & shady political Department of Interior at work. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/09/04/stories/1061110927 #386: Bernhardt-Trump Swamp Continues to Grow: Joe Balash former BLM official who headed effort to drill ANWR has just joined company in charge of drilling it! Of course, he will “keep pledge to not lobby”—just like Bernhardt (who lobbied anyway but was excused by Trump so-called “ETHICS” official (see #375 below). See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/09/04/stories/1061110933 #385: Forget Sharks: Pay attention to panthers! The 14th Florida panther was just killed by cars. It’s amazing how tiny non-fatal encounters with sharks makes national news while every day endangered species are killed by humans w/o fanfare. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/09/04/stories/1061110909 #384: Coal is having disastrous impact on states where Bernhardt-Trump are pushing exploitation of their public lands. (1) Across Wyoming over the last six months, power plants have shut down, mines have been abruptly shuttered and major coal operators have declared bankruptcy. (2) Coal miners are not paid in Kentucky & Trump’s doing nothing about. (3) Bernhardt approved Wy oilfield plan that will discharge millions of gallons of polluted water into a Reservoir. (4) Bernhardt’s withdrew a rule that would protect public health near coal blasting that results in toxic clouds. (5) : Bernhardt pressured USFWS to reverse his position & approve an open pit copper project that will disturb important habitat near Tucson after Dev. Company called Davy about it (6) Bernhardt ignored input from a Montana tribe on coal leasing. In short, his toadying to coal industry is harming the beauty, safety, & health of public lands & their nearby communities. (7) Bernhardt-Zinke allow former coal lobbyists to allow pollution of West Va. Streams & rivers threatening crayfish. Wash Post has DETAILED based on FOIA discovery (No wonder Bernhardt wants to weaken INTERIOR FOIA!) how Tucker Davis, former West Va. Coal rep. given Interior top staff position & worked overtime to overrule the stream protection rule Obama Admin. had issued Refs Support Each Above Point: (1) https://www.wyofile.com/powering-down-examining-coals-shaky-ground-from-jim-bridger/ (2) https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/19/us/kentucky-coal-miners.html (3) https://www.wyofile.com/epa-significant-environmental-impact-in-blm-oilfield-plan/ (4) https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/07/29/stories/1060806313 and also a video of Wyoming coal blasts https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=8&v=4fNLrU91qO4 (5) https://www.hcn.org/articles/u-s-fish-and-wildlife-the-shenanigans-behind-a-federal-employees-decision-to-blow-the-whistle?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email (6) See https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/29/reuters-america-montana-tribe-rips-trump-administration-over-federal-coal-leasing.html (7) https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/how-the-west-virginia-coal-industry-changed-federal-endangered-species-policy/2019/05/10/56d28de0-4bf0-11e9-b79a-961983b7e0cd_story.html?utm_term=.4e45ec66fa2b&wpisrc=al_environment__alert-hse&wpmk=1 #383: The Big Stupidity: Funding for conservation of wildlife & habitat has been decreasing for a generation but trophy-hunter dominated Federal & state officials continually pursue ONE SOLUTION sure to fail: recruit more hunters rather than turn to New Model of Funding based on general taxes. I have documented this in detail in my paper—see pp. 13-15. Heads of organizations like Teddy Roosevelt Conservation Consortium, Ducks Unlimited, Boone & Crockett—are all headed by similar moronic thinking. Indeed, they actively oppose the idea of expansion of general taxes because they fear LOSS OF CONTROL over wildlife policy. See The Politics of State Wildlife Management: Why Anti-Conservation Forces Usually Win at https://www.wildlifepolitics.org/uploads/9/2/1/7/92174584/rocheleau.politics_of_state_wildlife_management_medium_numbered_.pdf #382: New York Times Editorial Board Has It Right: Trump-Bernhardt see public lands as property of Miners, Loggers, Drillers (Add: welfare ranchers), not general public. They have zero funded LWCF & reduced support for conservation—the ONLY interest in nature is to try to build roads thru it for dev. or support of trophy hunting. The editorial details consistent attack in cases of Pebble Mine, Tongass National Forest, Boundary Waters—many more examples are covered below. There is plenty of evidence to prove ethical transgressions of Sec. of Interior Bernhardt & his removal would allow debate over these issues in Senate where so far Murkowski & Manchin have dominated with policy aimed at allowing drilling-mining regardless of harms. We can’t afford to wait any longer, House Natural Resources Committee! See https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/31/opinion/trump-nature-minnesota-alaska.html #381: Conservation Not of Interest to Interior-Bernhardt-Trump: They are allowing const ruction of Border Wall to run roughshod over ESA & NEPA—not attempt to work around. They don’t give a damn. They have forfeited the right to EVER speak about conservation accomplishments—their relationship to it is totally destructive. See https://www.hcn.org/articles/opinion-borderlands-border-wall-construction-in-organ-pipe-cactus-national-monument-is-a-travesty?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email #380: Tribes fighting reduction in Utah Monuments: the Navajo Nation, the Ute Indian Tribe, the Zuni Tribe, & Utah Diné Bikéyah. Remember this for next time Bernhardt talks about “consulting” with tribes. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/30/stories/1061110679 #379: Bernhardt issues order to allow e-bikes on Park Service trails without discussion or input from anybody. Situation Normal for Bernhardt: No transparency, No participation for users “except interested industries.” He should not be allowed to be Secretary for ONE DAY More. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/30/stories/1061110687 #378: How much will somebody who wants to “sell off all BLM lands” pay attention to environmental & conservation priorities of public? Nothing. Reason to get rid of not only Pendley but Bernhardt who hired him. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/30/stories/1061110671 #377: Pendley BLM head claims support for sale of Fed. Lands “irrelevant!”??? Irrelevant? He’s in charge of millions of acres of public land! He also praised cut back of Bears Ears & other monuments & pardoning of arsonists of Fed. Lands. This is the guy we want in charge of deciding whether to drill & develop lands & protect habitat & sacred areas?? No! Would we put someone in charge of public health or doesn't believe in vaccinations? No.! Minn. Steve Daines supports him—one more great reason to get rid of Daines from Congress. #376: While Bolsonoro is destroying Amazon forests, Trump-Perdue-Bernhardt trying to do the same to old growth Tongass National Forest in Alaska. Just as with lower Bears Ears & other monuments, they think habitat belongs to small # of selfish interests that live in states where forests exist when they belong to ALL citizens. See https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/trump-pushes-to-allow-new-logging-in-alaskas-tongass-national-forest/2019/08/27/b4ca78d6-c832-11e9-be05-f76ac4ec618c_story.html?wpisrc=nl_headlines&wpmm=1 #375: Big News: Bernhardt Guilty! Bernhardt met with ex-client during period when illegal! Proof: Republicans are trying to argue that because “ethics” (=sleazeball) official okayed it. Of course, he’s kept it HIDDEN for all of this time—he knows he’s guilty. Time for him to resign or be forcibly removed from office. And get rid of Scott de la Vega—the lackey who says it was okay. See https://www.rollcall.com/news/congress/gop-finds-bernhardt-met-with-group-closely-tied-to-ex-client #374: Republicans admit that Bernhardt met with former client but it’s okay because Interior “Ethics” official said so! So, as long as Bernhardt’s underlings approve of illegal activities, their legal??!! What total Bull____! This ethics official should be renamed “Sleaze.” If this is okay, there is no meaning to recusals & "ethics" laws are meaningless. See https://www.rollcall.com/news/congress/gop-finds-bernhardt-met-with-group-closely-tied-to-ex-client #373: Guess who harms mule deer the most—not wolves, grizzlies, or mountain lions but oil-gas industry! 20-year long scientific research shows that their disturbance of land reduces their habitat. Trophy hunters—your enemy is energy—not animal predators! And guess who is pushing ALL OUT for more energy disturbance of land! Trump-Bernhardt! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/27/stories/1061091309 #372: Interior political appointee “harassed” by HR staff! Bernhardt’s staff who have stonewalled Grijalva's Committee refusing to provide details on meeting with former companies & ethical questions about Arizona & California—they don’t like to be questioned! Hey, Bernhardt lackeys, you are SERVANTS of the public & it is Congress’s DUTY to get answers. Until Bernhardt et al. provide these, their salaries should be withheld. The good news about this is maybe Grijalva's Committee is finally doing something about the cesspool that is Bernhardt's Interior Dept. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/27/stories/1061090955 #371: It’s about time: Dem. Appropriators challenged BLM move. Yes, forbid any funding for this move until Bernhardt demonstrates fully how it will SAVE $ for Interior—not for Energy-Welfare Rancher industries. And, while at it, how about why there has been NO MOVE on Bernhardt Scandals (California & Arizona & meetings with lobbyists scandals). Does he have something on Grijalva who a while back said “you’d better bring you’re “A” game if you challenge Bernhardt?? It’s long past due to do something about this creep—every day he does something new to threaten conservation. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/26/stories/1061079279 #370: Gordon long-time ESA opponent who doesn’t believe in use of scientific models to protect species put in charge of USGS research related to ESA! What data does Low IQ Gordon use? The orders he receives from industry. This is just latest in series appointments by Bernhardt of people who oppose functions (e.g,, Pendley against public lands in charge of BLM & Combs against ESA put in charge of wildlife policy). It is totally outrageous but in constantly outrageous Trump world, it hardly gets a peep from Congress. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/26/stories/1061079745 #369: BLM’s plans for land taken back from Grand Escalante Monument involve handing it over to public lands ranchers who are a small & declining percent of population & their contributions to state economies are small compared to wildlife watching. Moreover, these “so-called independent cowboys” are generally wealthy & receive much more in benefits from government than they pay for with the paltry fees charged for using public lands. Nevertheless, because these ranchers often run for & win office & go all out for their own economic interests, they dominate decisions about wolves & other wildlife. For details & proof of these points, see pp. 11-12 in https://www.wildlifepolitics.org/uploads/9/2/1/7/92174584/rocheleau.politics_of_state_wildlife_management_medium_numbered_.pdf# 368: BLM’s just released BLM plan for Grand Escalante is trash. They choose an alternative to allow huge grazing with ONE SINGLE irrelevant reference for support (Bowker et al., 2013). There is a TON of scientific evidence to show harmful impacts of grazing on public lands they don’t mention at all. This review is a joke--it is totally incompetent. Is there ANYONE on House’s HR Committee professional staff who is knowledgeable enough to CALL THEM ON THIS?? Can anyone contact them about this? See BLM’s pathetic justifications on p3-105 of their report: https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/projects/lup/94706/20001993/250002378/02_GSENM-KEPA_Proposed_RMPs-Final_EIS_Volume1.pdf Laughably they talk about how the harmful effects of cattle grazing can be “mitigated”—Maybe they haven’t heard that Bernhardt doesn’t believe in mitigation for industries—it would increase their costs! See #368 https://www.wildlifepolitics.org/ For a partial documentation of harmful impacts of grazing, see Debra Donahue, Western Grazing: The Capture of Grass, Ground, and Government, 35 Envtl. L. 721(2005) 721-806. #367: Bernhardt’s PREFERRED Alternative for (Destroying) Grand Escalante Staircase Monument: Here is BLM's OWN summary of it: “…emphasizes resource uses...educes constraints …Compared to other alternatives, conserves the least land area for physical, biological, and cultural resources; designates no ACECs or SRMAs; and is the least restrictive to energy and mineral development in KEPA.” See https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/projects/lup/94706/20001992/250002377/01_GSENM-KEPA_Proposed_RMPs-Final_EIS_Executive_Summary.pdf #366: Julián Castro rolled out animal welfare plan just as Trump weakens ESA. Booker, Sanders, and Warren also have strong programs for endangered species & animals. This could be strong positive differentiation from Trump whose Interior Dept’s ONLY interest is in killing them for TROPHIES. Surveys show overwhelming support for protections including among suburban Republican constituencies. For documentation, see, e.g., #356, #334, #287 & other items below & https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2019/08/19/julin-castro-rolls-out-animal-welfare-plan-trump-snubs-endangered-species/?wpisrc=nl_animalia&wpmm=1 #365: Bernhardt's BLM Grand Staircase Plan: Choose LEAST RESTRICTIVE alternative that allows most oil-gas-coal & cattle-grazing on 860,000 acres he stole from the monument. It makes NO “provisions to lands with wilderness characteristics specifically to maintain, protect, and preserve their wilderness.” The next time Bernhardt or Trump even MENTION the word “conservation,” everyone present should first laugh with scorn & then leave. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/23/stories/1061045261 #364: Budd-Falen says gutting of End. Species Act is just beginning—more bad changes on way to help “collaboration.” Low IQ Falen apparently unaware that current ESA has Habitat Conservation Plans, ITPs (Incidental take permits) & many other collaboration methods that include ALL KEY stakeholders. What Budd-Falen & Bernhardt want is a process dominated by industry & their western state lackeys. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/22/stories/1061032889 & https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/stories/1060088989/ this latter link shows western republicans for destroying ESA! #363: Report says Interior has “vacancy problem” with no permanent employees in many positions. Actually, problem is not vacancies—it is that ALL of Bernhardt hires are industry lobbyists—nobody committed to conservation & with conservation background. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/22/stories/1061033723 #362: Must Reading: New York Times report shows that Bernhardt has put False Spin on ANWR drilling: Little evidence of any big bonanza from drilling—probably at most 45 Billion—for which pristine wildlife refuge will be destroyed. Only 1 exploratory well has been drilled & Interior won’t release it! (Guess what this means about the results!) There has been little interest of interest from oil industry because they know it’s not going to be very productive. Most Native Americans have been ignored as Interior has rushed past usual requirements & reviews & negative comments on its impact. Indeed, the official who initially proposed fieldwork found little evidence of oil but his disappointing results were stripped from the final report. In short, Bernhardt-Trump want to drill fast to destroy any claim to pristine nature of the Refuge so there is no turning back. It’s time to put a stop to this monstrous attack on conservation in Alaska. See https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/21/us/oil-drilling-arctic.html?smtyp=cur&smid=tw-nytclimate #361: Overwhelming evidence shows that trophy hunters nos. have been declining for 40 years & their contribution to state & national economies pales in comparison to wildlife watchers, nevertheless they dominate state wildlife decisions. See See pp. 3-11 https://www.wildlifepolitics.org/uploads/9/2/1/7/92174584/rocheleau.politics_of_state_wildlife_management_medium_numbered_.pdf #360: Maybe Bernhardt-Trump’s devastation of public lands-oceans finally become issue?! E. Warren is first to oppose mining near Boundary Waters. Now Julian Castro has plan to protect wildlife as well as public lands. These issues are key & ones that Trump has No Defense for in his all out energy-dominance-the-environment & wildlife be damned approach. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/08/19/stories/1061003191 & https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/20/stories/1061011813 #359: Coal Miners not paid in Kentucky. What is Trump doing? Nothing! There are No unions to help out anymore—there used to be but Republicans have destroyed them. Trump’s Sec. of Labor is ANTI-LABOR. So next time Trump-Bernhardt brag about energy dominance economy, refer to coal mine disasters & bankruptcies—speak truth to power! See https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/19/us/kentucky-coal-miners.html #358: Still another example of harmful oilfield discharges onto public lands in Wyoming that violate state & Federal laws & they are asking BLM to be able to build on & pollute over 327,000 acres more land! Current discharges are not good enough quality to be used for livestock. What’s more “there is no requirement for what’s known as “whole effluent testing” to ensure those [hazardous] chemicals are not being loosed into the environment.” BLM BLM, which proposes to approve the oilfield expansion, found in its own study that Alkali Creek already “has been severely impacted,” by discharges from the energy field.” Wyoming’s Fish & Game Dept. wrote it “is very concerned about fish and aquatic macroinvertebrate exposure to produced water.” With all of this negative evidence, what do you think head of BLM, Pendley, the guy who wants to hand over public lands, will do? See https://www.wyofile.com/groups-current-moneta-oilfield-discharges-already-violate-law/ #357: Bernhardt’s Forest Service (FS) ignores Alaskan Native Tribe’s opposition to road-building in Tongass National Forest. FS wants to end Obama’s Roadless Area Conservation Rule in the nation’s largest national forest. Nearby tribes oppose this change. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/19/stories/1061001823 #356: Stop shaking your knees, Mighty trophy hunters, Bernhardt’s USFWS is protecting against release of names of Safari Club & other trophy hunters who get FEDERAL PERMITS to import trophies. They are frightened of release of names. So cowardly! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/19/stories/1061001493 #355: Abandoned coal mines cause acid mine drainage so bad that it turns rivers strange colors, sink holes & collapsing backyards forever—huge downsides of Coal Industry but funds to restore contaminated lands are totally inadequate & Trump-Bernhardt are doing NOTHING about it—they never mention it when they brag about energy production. See details at https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/19/stories/1060971387 #354: Bernhardt versus Endangered Species Act: Bernhardt’s Interior has listed at most 11 species per year while Obama’s Interior AVERAGED 49 per year. One more statistical proof that conservation no longer is done at Interior & Reason #354 to get rid of Bernhardt. See https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/17/opinion/endangered-species-act-trump.html #353: Despite overwhelming evidence that majorities even in conservative western states like Idaho & Utah, favor support of predators like wolves & grizzlies, small groups of ranchers-trophy hunters-energy & development industries dominate state wildlife agencies decisions. See https://www.wildlifepolitics.org/uploads/9/2/1/7/92174584/rocheleau.politics_of_state_wildlife_management_medium_numbered_.pdf #352: Bernhardt ESA Changes: We don’t need to protect more habitat unless it can be PROVEN BEYOND DOUBT that it is needed. Species throughout US are under attack constantly by developments & increased populations near their habitat, agriculture, roads, pesticides—e.g., Sage grouse numbers are down. But this jackass is taking away grouse habitat & making it harder to provide critical habitat to save these species. Get rid of him—he’s a real & present danger to conservation. See https://wildlifemanagement.institute/brief/august-2019/doi-and-commerce-department-finalize-esa-regulation-changes & https://www.wyofile.com/sage-grouse-leader-drilling-impact-pretty-minimal/ #351: Suggestion to House NR Committee: Bernhardt says he's moving Interior west because Congress has done nothing so only allow Interior Dept. move to west AFTER Bernhardt investigations are thoroughly conducted & concluded. I bet this would put an end to this move if you did it! He’s been stonewalling you forever & you have been TOTALLY passive in response so no wonder he does what he wants. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/16/stories/1060971699 #350: Bernhardt restructures ethics so that they are all under Jorjani, Interior’s Solicitor, who is a Koch brothers adviser & has favored industry in ALL his decision. This is OPPOSITE of reform! See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/08/14/stories/1060952469 #349: Bernhardt’s Interior: they have right to motorized, ground-disturbing travel in Grand Escalante Staircase Monument. One more example: conservation comes last under Bernhardt-Trump—they have nothing but contempt for monuments. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/14/stories/1060951047 #348: Judge rejected Bernhardt’s Royalty Policy Committee’s recommendations because they favored industry & excluded others. The Committee has tried to slash royalty rates on deepwater oil & gas but Congress rejected this. One more proof of Bernhardt as the industry hack. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/14/stories/1060951223 #347: Alaskan Natives opinions ignored again by Bernhardt. The Forest Service & Dept Agric. Want to scrap rules protecting old growth forests against wishes of Alaskan tribe. In Bernhardt-Trump World, logging, mining, drilling, road-building, development—all come before conservation & Natives’ wishes. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/14/stories/1060950563 #346: Bernhardt’s BLM acquires 13000 acres of what they call “Wilderness.” He & Pendley made clear that it would be used for hunting, snowmobiling, biking, & fire mgmnt projects. Yup, this is what they call wilderness! See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/08/13/stories/1060942347 #345: Interior’s Assistant Director for Endangered Species (Gary Frazier) says he removed phrase “without reference to possible economic or other impacts of determination” What?! That is what makes the law CLEAR & Transparent. Why, the change? They are trying to make it unclear so that cost-benefit tradeoffs can be entered into the decision rather than just science. What phonies? Frazier is one of few top officials with any conservation background & he has sold out! See https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/12/climate/endangered-species-act-changes.html?em_pos=medium&ref=headline&nl_art=2&te=1&nl=science-times&emc=edit_sc_20190813?campaign_id=34&instance_id=11605&segment_id=16113&user_id=1575e2a05f37205a27ca72946056eae7®i_id=10365419emc=edit_sc_20190813 #344: Win for the Good Guys: Court upholds damages for illegal grazing against Hages, a Nevada rancher. How about action against Bundy who has done the same thing for much longer? See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/08/12/stories/1060931949 #343: Interior’s Karen Budd-Falen, Deputy Solicitor for Parks and Wildlife, announced new rules for Endangered Species Act cutting protections for threatened species & will disregard data from scientific computer models that predict harm to species—they will only look in the future they can “reliably predict”—that is the next day! She has represented Cliven Bundy over many years & is the type of person that Bernhardt thinks should shape the ESA. Please, House Democrats on NR Committee, get rid of this bunch of industry lobbyists who are out to kill conservation. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/12/stories/1060931003 & https://departmentofinfluence.org/person/karen-budd-falen/ #342: Bernhardt hires Coal Asso. Industry champion, Palich, to head enforcement for Surface Mining, Reclamation, & Enforcement! No doubt who he will favor when conflict between industry & safety-environment. Why can’t he hire one person who cares about conservation & environment? It’s against his evil nature. House Natural Resources Committee-we need to get rid of him immediately—every additional day in office he does irremediable harm. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/07/31/stories/1060818857 #341: One more example of bad effects of mining in West: Gold mining site causes pollution for Nez Perce Tribe & its cultural resources & fisheries in Idaho. Company claims no responsibility. Something to remember next time Bernhardt brags about all of the mining going on. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/08/09/stories/1060898657 #340: Bernhardt’s National Park Service rolls out plan to save cattle grazing on seaside at Pt. Reyes but cull elk! This is their version of “conservation.” Next time Bernhardt Trump mention conservation (I know, this is rare!), laugh at them. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/09/stories/1060897529 #339: Bernhardt's Interior to roll out plan to weaken Endangered Species Act next week. What’s likely? They want to do cost benefit analysis on whether it’s worth saving a species. They want to turn over decision-making to states like Utah dominated by politicians such as Rob Bishop & Gary Herbert dedicated to putting industry & development first—to hell with protections for wildlife. What do you expect of a Department that has a Monsanto employee (Aurelia Skipwith) as head of its Fish & Wildlife Service?! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/09/stories/1060897441 & https://thinkprogress.org/trump-nominates-former-monsanto-executive-to-lead-u-s-fish-and-wildlife-service-0ca95d6c4dbf/ Bernhardt #338: Bernhardt gushed at how wonderful Donald Trump’s hotel was as venue for his meeting with Mining Industry! He assured them that he would remove obstacles for them. He proves once again that his head is further up Trump’s & industry's butts than any other Secretary! See https://www.citizensforethics.org/bernhardt-praised-trump-hotel-mining/ #337: Bernhardt’s Scandal Worse than Teapot Dome! New revelations show more Interior employees violated ethics to meet with former lobbying employers. Timothy Williams not only met with but carried on numerous communications with his Koch brother-funded former employer Americans For Prosperity with purpose of cutting Bears Ears Monument. Previously, another Interior lackey, Doug Domenech met with his (another Koch-funded) employer, Americans for Prosperity, inappropriately. When is Grijalva & his committee going to do something about Bernhardt & the other industry lackeys in Interior? See https://psmag.com/environment/new-documents-reveal-more-about-alleged-ethics-violations-at-the-department-of-the-interior #336: Has Trump & Interior finally met some resistance in their handover of Interior to industry & right wing fanatics?! Sen. Tester is asking for answers about this position of turning over Federal lands. Last November’s elections shows that even in conservative states, this is NOT popular. I look forward to hearing Pendley’s answers! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/08/stories/1060887211 #335: Forest Service trying to eliminate public participation thru weakening of NEPA requirements. Its proposed rules would allow FS to do logging, road, & pipeline projects w/o NEPA review. It will be able to do these projects old growth forests & riparian areas. This is just one of Bernhardt’s Interior Dept.’s attempt to cut pubic participation in decisions about public lands—they are trying to cut FOIA so public can’t even learn about his handouts to industry. See https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/07/opinion/forest-service-trump.html?em_pos=small&ref=headline&nl_art=14&te=1&nl=opinion-today&emc=edit_ty_20190808?campaign_id=39&instance_id=11488&segment_id=15980&user_id=1575e2a05f37205a27ca72946056eae7®i_id=10365419emc=edit_ty_20190808 #334: Example of what happens when you turn over to states control over wildlife conservation policy: Idaho is building an airstrip in the middle of the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness. How can they do this? The agency owns a ranch that is surrounded by Federal forest lands. Purpose of the strip: allow hunters to fly in. Former Gov. Otter had 2 packs of wolves killed int his wilderness area but it was difficult to achieve because of its inaccessibility. The strange point is that surveys show that most Idahoans welcome wolves. Now the trophy-hunting Idahoans will have easy transport to kill wolves & other wildlife. Hand over to states like Idaho control over endangered species as Bernhardt & Rob Bishop want to do & this is what happens. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/07/stories/1060876577 & https://thebluereview.org/wolf-perceptions-idaho-beyond/ https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1650&context=nrj #333: USFWS rolls out 'quantifiable' recovery goals for species but Bernhardt’s agency does not show how they will take action to achieve them. They are against “compensatory mitigation” & took position against designating La. Critical habitat for endangered frog & thus species lost in Court. In short, USFWS has become a nothing agency in a Dept dedicated to all out development. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/06/stories/1060866993 #332: Radical Right Takes over BLM-wants to sell off Public Lands. Bernhardt has put so-called “Sagebrush Rebellion” leaders in charge of the agency. Pendley & Budd-Falen have taken consistent position against Federal lands. Budd-Falen sued BLM employees & Pendley says she should have won the suit! Even hunters are alarmed by them-- Backcountry Hunters & Anglers group sent out alert to me members. It’s time that Democritic politicians started making Trump-Bernhardt anti-public lands & anti-conservation Interior-BLM an issue & time for House NR Committee to call stonewalling Bernhardt to account. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/06/stories/1060866919 #331: Wyoming politicians are trying to deal not only with Blackjewel coal bankruptcy but other coal disasters. Many Wyo politicians are now calling for REGULATION of coal! But Low IQ Liz Cheney continues to spout about Obama! When will Wyo. Constituents get rid of this ignoramus? See https://www.wyofile.com/wyo-politicians-respond-to-blackjewel-and-coals-black-times/ #330: Greater sage grouse counts show 3-year downward trend in Idaho, Nevada, & Oregon at the same time Bernhardt cuts protections for them. Some states like Wyoming have taken some useful steps but their focus in site specific not broad scale & thus doomed over the longer run. See excellent Wyofile article https://www.wyofile.com/greater-sage-grouse-counts-show-3-year-downward-trend/ #329: Bernhardt & Trump like to brag all the time about how great coal & other energy companies are for the areas where they mine, drill, or frack. But there are loads of examples of companies going bankrupt & then leaving the locales & their workers in the lurch. See, e.g., case of Blackjewel LLC https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/05/stories/1060857193 #328: Mick Mulvaney, Trump’s OMB Director says that moving agencies West like Interior will “drain the swamp.” His definition of swamp: anything inside the Beltway. Actually, draining swamp, if it means anything useful, refers to corporations & their interest groups manipulating Congress & Agencies for their own profits rather than for the public good. In that case, Mulvaney can drain the swamp by getting rid of ALL of Interior Dept. top staff as they are ALL former lobbyists for corps. And by way, Mulvaney should fire himself—he was supposedly hired to cut the deficit. Instead it has ballooned to unprecedented size under his “watch.” Fire this loser! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/05/stories/1060857167 #327: Brazil’s new President Bolsonaro & Bernhardt-Trump thinking along the same lines! He is threatening to dismiss conservation agency employees who publish data he disagrees with! Yahoos think alike! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/02/stories/1060830387 #326: Bernhardt’s BLM opened large areas of Utah badlands to off-highway vehicles. This is part of Bernhardt’s plan to destroy pristine areas so there can be no claim they are worth preserving from drilling. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/02/stories/1060830385 #325: Bernhardt’s Forest Service eliminates 163K acres of priority sage grouse habitat & 10 million acres of "sagebrush focal areas" previously protected as “critical to their survival.” Bernhardt & Perdue gushed about the change as allowing “ranchers” to use “whatever strategies” “wherever and how” they want. Keep this in mind when Trump & Bernhardt next talk about how much they done for conservation! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/02/stories/1060831361 & https://www.eenews.net/stories/1060100541 #324: Like Interior, Commerce’s NOAA loves to allow industry harm wildlife like whales—they’re allowing thousands of “injuries” to them in order to seismic test for oil. Compare this with Interior’s approval of killing denning wolf & bear cuts in National Wildlife Refuges. There are a lot of people who love whales—another good issue for Democrats if they ever start talking about environmental issues—haven’t heard them discussed in debates—Have you?! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/07/31/stories/1060818197 #323: Courts vs. Bernhardt’s BLM: One more ruling against BLM—this time for copper mine project threatening Native American land & water. We know how much Bernhardt cares about Native Americans—not at all. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/01/stories/1060824081 #322 Bernhardt’s Solicitor nominee Jorjani in trouble. This Koch Brothers former employee & chum who ruled against birds on Migratory Bird Act interpretation & for mines is not only challenged by Sen. Wyden but Courts have allowed challenge to his abrogation of protections to migratory birds. There are a lot of bird lovers in this U.S. If this creep gets the job, it would be a great campaign issue for Democrats. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/01/stories/1060824015 #321: Like Interior, the Department of Agriculture wants to give “FLEXIBLITY” to state & local govts to protect sage grouse against energy industry. What does this mean? As with wolves, whales, etc., they prioritize industry over wildlife conservation. They spout “one size does not fit all” argument but truth is that wildlife are interconnected ACROSS STATES & countries & failure to protect them in one state affects all states. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/08/01/stories/1060824037 Bernhardt #320: One more case of missing information: Dems want info on billions of costs of decommission oil platforms but this would cost energy industry lots of $ so expect Bernhardt to stonewall Congress one more time. After all, he’s learned that can get away with it, so why should he provide damaging information? See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/07/30/stories/1060813043 Bernhardt #319: Will Davy Bernhardt remove Confederate statue from Washington D.C. park as requested by Rep. Norton? Or does he stand with those Confederate generals like Trump? If it takes courage & might offend Trump & his racist supporters, forget about it—this pudgy trophy hunter has none. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/07/30/stories/1060812881 Bernhardt #318: Davy’s BLM gave Colorado ONE DAY to review Gunnison Sage grouse plan that doesn’t protect the grouse! Part of Bernhardt’s attempt to do away with transparency and public input so that he can serve his industry employers better. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/07/30/stories/1060811641 Bernhardt #317: Utah Governor now wants to give Najajo Nation input on Bears Ears! Too bad he & Bernhardt totally ignored them BEFORE the decision was made! Now these slimy politicos are worried about legal complications & trying to make up for omissions. Too late, Gary & Davy! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/07/30/stories/1060812151 Bernhardt #316: Bernhardt’s recusal period is over so that he can even more openly do favors for his 22 ex-lobbying employers. But, let’s face it, ALL of his staff are also industry lobbyists so it won’t make a big difference if this creep’s recusal period is over. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/07/30/stories/1060812161 Bernhardt #315: Question asked by Greenwire: Does Trump (& Bernhardt) want to dismantle BLM by naming opponent to head it? I joked not long ago that Bernhardt would name Bundy to head BLM but Pendley is the same! My answer: why should they get rid of BLM? The agency is already run by energy industry lobbyists who give them everything they want! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/07/30/stories/1060812289 https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/07/26/stories/1060792811 https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/07/31/stories/1060813685 Bernhardt #314: Democrats on HR are demanding official documents, drafts, revisions and personal communications concerning Bernhardt pressure on changed science in ANWR environmental assessments. They definitely should get these. However, so far, Bernhardt has SUCCESSFULLY STONEWALLED this committee on docs. & testimony over his misdeeds in favors for former clients Westlands Water District & Arizona Trump Donor projects. WHEN are the Dems going to force his hand? Time for Cummings to issue subpoenas & take away salaries of Bernhardt & his lackeys until they provide the requested documents. Enough is enough. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/07/09/stories/1060717043 https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/07/09/stories/1060717043 & http://californiawaternewsdaily.com/industry/reps-huffman-grijalva-initiate-new-inquiry-on-secretary-bernhardts-ties-with-westlands-water/ Bernhardt #313: Bernhardt’s BLM has approved a Wyoming oilfield plan that will discharge millions of gallons of polluted water into a Reservoir! They have kept quiet warnings about this plan. Who accuses Bernhardt’s BLM of these misdeeds? The EPA of the Trump Administration. One case where Bernhardt’s has exceeded the anti-conservation actions of the despicable Wheeler led EPA! Taken together with other actions such as #308 below removal of protections from toxic coal blasting, these western states are rushing after revenues & jobs associated with energy dev. but they will be left with a destroyed land that eventually no one will want to live in. See https://www.wyofile.com/epa-significant-environmental-impact-in-blm-oilfield-plan/ Bernhardt #312: Contrary to Bernhardt-Trump’s claims to be committed to conservation, BLM has greatly increased its leasing in greater sage grouse habitat according to studies. This is another example of all out subjugation of conservation to energy by Bernhardt-Trump. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/07/29/stories/1060807047 Bernhardt #311: The Politico report on ANWR also reveals Bernhardt’s previous involvement in lying about ANWR way back in 2001 when he was Gale Norton’s (another infamous Sec. of Interior) congressional affairs. Bernhardt rewrote critical comments on ANWR then claimed change was “clerical error!” Shows that he has great experience—in lying. See https://www.politico.com/interactives/2019/trump-science-alaska-drilling-rush/ Bernhardt #310: Must Reading: Politico article on how Bernhardt changed scientific review of ANWR leasing, removed comments about harmful impacts on polar bears & Native communities. He removed USFWS from review & put BLM in charge which is loaded with Bernhardt-energy cronies like Joe Balash whom he instructed to be “personally responsible” for “having a successful lease sale.”The article proves that their environmental review has been rushed many times faster than usual reviews in order to be able to sell leases before Trump is removed from office. See https://www.politico.com/interactives/2019/trump-science-alaska-drilling-rush/ & https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/07/30/stories/1060808713 Bernhardt #309: Utah county politicians paid conservative “think tanks” big bucks ($500K) to reduce Bears Ears. These lobbyists helped to hook up Utah local politicos with Zinke & Hatch & they authored a “resolution” (supposedly put forth by Utah politicos) to make the cut. They got their money’s worth: lots of new land for energy & ranchers to mine & graze while the public & wildlife lose out. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/07/29/stories/1060806249 Bernhardt #308: Bernhardt’s Interior just withdrew a rule protect public health near coal blasting that results in toxic orange clouds. This is part of Bernhardt-Trump plan to make public lands “safe for industry” & deadly for the public. Bernhardt concluded that Interior has no business regulating harmful effects of blasts. Check out the story at https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/07/29/stories/1060806313 and also a video of Wyoming coal blasts at https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=8&v=4fNLrU91qO4 Bernhardt #307: Trump-Bernhardt just signed Pledge to American Workers! How about Interior workers being moved, relocated, disciplined or fired for political reasons? How about appointing a Secretary of Labor whose whole life is dedicated to undermining labor groups and laws. Once again you both are & always will be: Phonies! See https://elkodaily.com/mining/interior-secretary-visits-elko-nevada-gold-mines/article_8cc7f015-b170-5bf0-920f-7e80c4f4fc9f.html#1 Bernhardt #306: Bernhardt brags about Speeding thru envtal impact reviews, reducing FOIA, firing employees who protest favors to GOP chums, yes, Davy Bernhardt, you are a first-class jackass. See https://elkodaily.com/mining/interior-secretary-visits-elko-nevada-gold-mines/article_8cc7f015-b170-5bf0-920f-7e80c4f4fc9f.html#1 Bernhardt #305: Trump & Bernhardt are not only destroying U.S. conservation but have "inspired" Brazil’s new President to destroy the Amazon allowing dev. & reducing enforcement. They are together threatening major crisis as dangerous as climate change. See https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/28/world/americas/brazil-deforestation-amazon-bolsonaro.html Bernhardt #305: Example of how bad Bernhardt & William Pendley, his BLM guy are. He tried to help drill area sacred to Blackfeet Tribe. Zinke actually stopped this (shows again that Bernhardt is WORSE than Zinke) but Bernhardt dropped opposition. In this case as in Bears Ears & others, Bernhardt has totally ignored official Native Americans. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/07/26/stories/1060792811 Bernhardt #304: Senate Teddy Roosevelt Genius Grants want to use technology to decrease human-predator conflict. Well, Yellowstone is killing several bears due to following: (1) Humans leave food in areas which bears eat after they leave; (2) Other humans come to area & bears come for food & sometimes attack humans; (3) The bears are killed because Park officials state there are “No Areas left in park where they have opportunity to injure people or damage property” & surrounding states don’t want the bears. Will technology solve problem? No. Need to provide more protected areas including large buffers & remove people from the areas. This is what has been done in India with tigers. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/07/26/stories/1060792149 Bernhardt #303: Bernhardt is trying to rush thru a “management plan” to develop Bears Ears areas cut by him with input only from an “advisory committee” that has NO PROPONENTS of the monument & no representation of established Native Americans groups (they have 2 individuals who support monument cuts). It has lots of ranchers & pals of Utah Gov. Herbert—who wanted the monument slashed. They are trying to rush to begin destruction before Courts intervene—just as with ANWR. One more reason to impeach Bernhardt. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/07/26/stories/1060792303 & https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060217961/ Bernhardt #302: Bernhardt vs. Migratory Bird Treaty: Davy & Solicitor Jorjani stopped prosecuting companies for “unintentional” killing of birds—Rep. Lowenthal wants to restore these protections. What stand do you think energy flunky Bernhardt will take on this? See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/07/26/stories/1060792303 Bernhardt #301: Biggest Laugh of Year: Bernhardt touts accomplishments! Here are some: appointed opponent of Fed. lands to head BLM, trying to CUT FOIA & other accountability, trying to allow drilling near Grand Canyon, hiding plan for drilling ocean, trying to weaken ESA protections for wolves & hand over ESA top states, his other appointees are ALL tied to industry-none are conservationists, trying to build roads thru National wildlife refuges, pressured staffer to reverse position on lobbyist Arizona project & then hid it from calendar, zeroed out any Interior $ for LWCF program, continues to stonewall Congress refusing to produce documents & testimony by his employees, etc. etc. For details on these & dozens of other negative “accomplishments,” see Bernhardt laughable “touting accomplishments" at https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/07/25/stories/1060787719 & full the list of 300 documented misdeeds below. Bernhardt #300: Bernhardt just appointed William Pendley who has dedicated his career to selling off Federal lands to states & private corps to head BLM! Greenwire reports that “In January 2016, Pendley authored an opinion article in the National Review in which he decried federal land ownership, and argued the U.S. Constitution all but requires the federal government to sell the lands it owns in the West. His appointment may be Good Politics for Democrats—Western states as in 2018 election have shown strong opposition to selling off Federal public lands & this appointment shows Bernhardt’s & Trump’s true colors. No pretense of conservation here! Both are phonies! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/07/25/stories/1060787775 Bernhardt #299: Senate is considering Teddy Roosevelt “Genius Grant” to lessen conflicts between predators & humans. They are thinking of tools like stun guns & drones. Here’s another option: Increase the size of protected areas & put buffers around them. Bernhardt-Trump don’t want to obtain any new lands despite huge developments in areas around current protected areas that will ONLY get worse in the future. Technology will not solve this & their ideas show how bereft of imagination & knowledge of human-wildlife conflict they are. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/07/25/stories/1060784977 Bernhardt #298: Bernhardt Opponents of Transparency: He just signed a secret agreement to build a road thru Izembek Refuge despite judge ruling that road would be illegal. He hid (and continues) to hide his calendars that show his illegal meetings with his lobby companies. He is trying to cut FOIA so that he doesn’t have to respond to inquiries about his anti-conservation handouts to energy industry. In short, he has been totally unresponsive & unaccountable to public & Congress. Time to get rid of this creep. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/07/24/stories/1060783877 Bernhardt #297: Senate wants to set up Teddy Roosevelt genius prize for ideas to save species. Here’s 2: Support FULL compensatory mitigation for destruction of habitat & protect migratory birds against “accidental” killing. Of course, Bernhardt & his Solicitor Jorjani harmed species by ending these conservation rules so we need to get rid of them. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/06/10/stories/1060512335 Bernhardt #296: Bernhardt’s Interior trying to remove ESA protections for threatened species. Up till now, they had a blanket protection but Bernhardt wants to remove that. In addition, Bernhardt is trying to weaken ESA to meaningless statutes by allowing states to make the decisions. Protect species by impeaching Bernhardt. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/07/23/stories/1060778669 Bernhardt #295: Interior’s firefighting force is short-staffed—major part due to shut down. Bernhardt finds $ for drilling oceans during shutdown & border enforcement but not fight fires. Impeach this incompetent! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/07/23/stories/1060778529 Bernhardt #294: Read article on how both EPA & Interior have prepared rules to block FOIA from revealing their activities UNLESS they pass their “political awareness” scrutiny. Fortunately, so far, there are even a few Republicans who don’t like this coverup. If allowed, Bernhardt will make it impossible to look at his detailed calendar & any contacts between him & his lobby friends. It’s outrageous but under Trump & Mitch McConnell, they may get away with it. See https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/23/climate/interior-department-freedom-of-information.html Bernhardt #293: Listen, Low IQ Trump & Bernhardt: There’s lots of new science data on how climate change is causing threats to whales, sea lions & other species. Too bad you are unable to follow & understand the science! See the following Wall Street Journal article & have someone explain it to you. https://www.wsj.com/articles/as-animals-wash-up-on-west-coast-scientists-look-to-climate-change-11563888447?mod=searchresults&page=1&pos=1 Bernhardt #292: Bernhardt’s Interior just lost another case in which they tried to allow to put a road thru a National Wildlife Refuge. Once again shows that Bernhardt’s Interior has NO RESPECT for conservation—they want to use wildlife refuges for drilling (ANWR) & target shooting. But 99% of Americans want to use them to save (& watch) wildlife. One more case of Trump & minions like Bernhardt working for the 1%. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/07/22/stories/1060774913 Bernhardt #291: Bernhardt-Trump trying to build wall thru national monuments & wildlife refuges. This is another example of Trump-Bernhardt on conservation: They oppose it whenever it conflicts with energy & other industries, military, welfare ranchers, $ trophy hunters. Otherwise they are strong supporters of conservation! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/07/22/stories/1060774061 Bernhardt #290: Alaska salmon stream hits record high temp but Bernhardt continues to keep climate change off websites & NOT to be discussed. Another example of Trump Low IQ approach to policy: See No Science, Hear No Science, Speak No Science. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/07/22/stories/1060773747 https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/07/22/stories/1060771203 https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/stories/1060080893/ https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1060094079/ Bernhardt #289: Great article by Audubon on how outlawing lead bullets in California saved Condors. Too Bad Bernhardt wants to have more hunting using lead bullets in National Wildlife Refuges. He believes Wildlife Refuges are for Hunters to do whatever they want! See https://www.audubon.org/news/lead-ammo-top-threat-condors-now-outlawed-california?ms=digital-eng-email-ea-newsletter-engagement_20190722_wingspan_%5baudience%5d&utm_source=ea&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=engagement_20190722_wingspan&utm_content=%5baudience%5d Bernhardt #288: U.S. Senate wants to establish Teddy Roosevelt Genius Prize to “incentivize” wildlife conservation. I hope this genius will recommend that cuts in MONUMENTS (Monuments were Teddy's original idea!) be rescinded and also the plan to drill ANWR be abandoned (Teddy was FOR protected areas!)—the best 2 steps that could now taken to improve wildlife conservation. Actually, it doesn’t take a genius to figure this out! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/07/22/stories/1060771561 Bernhardt #287: Why won’t Bernhardt testify about Cecil Act to restrict trophy hunting? Well, he’s a trophy hunter like the mighty hunter & dentist, Walter Palmer, who killed Cecil, the taxidermist who posed kissing wife in front of dead lion, & the Idaho Fish & Game Commissioner who posed in front of baboon family he killed. His “International Wildlife Conservation” Commission is filled with Safari club trophy hunters & the only “conservation” (this is gross misuse of term, I agree) groups that supported Davy for Secretary were trophy hunter-gun crazy groups. For photos of Bernhardt’s pals with their trophies, see: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/canadian-couple-poses-for-romantic-photo-with-lion-they-shot-and-killed-in-south-africa-horrifying-animal-rights/ & https://www.idahostatesman.com/outdoors/hunting/article219758365.html & http://www.takepart.com/article/2015/07/28/american-dentist-killed-zimbabwe-famous-lion/ Bernhardt #286: Oh, Oh, Davy!!! Major media finally is paying attention to your ethical misdeeds. Arizona papers & other media found details of how you pressured Interior staffer to remove environmental objections to Arizona development by big Trump donor. You met with the donor but the meeting DIDN’T SHOW ON YOUR CALENDAR! (Big Surprise!) Not only newspapers but media like the Rachel Maddow Show detailed your swampy unethical & illegal behavior. Let’s hope that this misdeed of yours finally ends your career. Of course, you & Donald can tell everyone what you have done for conservation (absolutely nothing but harm). See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/07/09/stories/1060717043 Bernhardt #285: U.S. House of Representatives holds Barr & Ross in contempt for refusal to turn over key documents. Time to do the same for David Bernhardt who continues to stonewall inquiry into ethical misdeeds including documents & testimony. See https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/17/us/politics/barr-ross-contempt-vote.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_190718?campaign_id=2&instance_id=10976&segment_id=15311&user_id=1575e2a05f37205a27ca72946056eae7®i_id=103654190718 Bernhardt #284: Zinke announced move to West YEARS ago that will cost Interior $Millions but not to THIS day has anyone documented Savings or Improvement from the move! Now we find out the answer: It provides JOBS to western states (taken away from East) but still no benefits to Society! The ONLY argument they have made is that it will put more employees nearer their “STAKEHOLDERS” which in Bernhardt-Trump language means Energy Industry & Welfare Ranchers. Bernhardt believes that the rest of the country which contributes the vast majority of tax funds to support Interior should not have any SAY in how Interior-BLM operates. Time to get rid of this industry stooge. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/07/16/stories/1060745083 Bernhardt #283: Bernhardt’s Asst Secretary & a close chum met with Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) officials & subsequently Interior settled a case had against Interior over Red River Texas case. He’s now under ethics investigation. This is the same TPPF that Susan Combs joined with in Texas to kill endangered species actions. When the hell is Congress going to do something about Bernhardt's incredibly corrupt department? See the shady details at https://psmag.com/environment/a-top-doi-official-allegedly-violated-federal-ethics-rules-new-foia-documents-shed-light-on-his-apparent-misdeeds Bernhardt #282: How much do Trump & Bernhardt care about conservation? Well, they put $28 million in Interior’s budget for BLM move but ZERO DOLLARS for Land & Water Conservation program! Proof they are both BULLSH______s! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/07/15/stories/1060743433 & https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/05/15/stories/1060338525 Bernhardt #281: Another Terrible Hire: Bernhardt named William Pendley to head policy for BLM—he opposes Federal land management & wants to hand over public lands to industry & states. Like Budd-Falen (named to head Fish, Wildlife & Parks), he opposes purposes of agency he’s supposed to “serve.” If Trump should win reelection, Bernhardt & his crew will “divest” U.S. of public lands & conservation—that’s no exaggeration. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/07/15/stories/1060743503 Bernhardt #280: Defending BLM move to West, Bernhardt wants “greater accountability” for “front line employees.” What about more accountability for employees like YOU who have hidden their personal calendars? How about strengthening FOIA instead of weakening it by cutting time for responses & eliminating "sensitive topics" from FOIA requests?! How about providing details on your meetings with former employers? Once again, your prove to be a total phony! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/07/15/stories/1060743433 Bernhardt #279: Bernhardt continues with plan to move BLM to the west while providing no evidence of the benefits to justify the $4 million cost. The argue they want it to be closer to their “stakeholders.” Well, the “welfare rancher stakeholders” are already doing famously with Bernhardt’s BLM as they refuse to enforce laws against illegal grazing on public lands by people who don’t pay fees & violate rules against harming endangered species. See https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2019/07/15/interior-move-one-fifth-bureau-land-managements-dc-staff-out-west-part-larger-reorganization-push/?utm_term=.ca3d2065f891&wpisrc=nl_politics-pm&wpmm=1 & https://www.gao.gov/assets/680/678292.pdf and https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/05/29/stories/1060426153 Bernhardt #278: Trump can support conservation like he claims to: by signing bill to protect Grand Canyon from uranium mining. Certainly, he & Davy Bernhardt will have no problem demonstrating once again the high priority they give to conservation! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/07/15/stories/1060740613 Bernhardt #277: Trump wants to claim conservation success? To compensate for all of his & Bernhardt destruction of the environment (see 276 items below for documentation!), Bernhardt & Trump should support House Bill to guarantee funding of Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Program out of INTERIOR funds. So far, Bernhardt-Trump won’t fund it directly—only if $ are from drilling public lands & waters. Donald & Davy: Put up the $ or shut up about conservation! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/07/12/stories/1060730351 Bernhardt #276: Under Bernhardt, BLM’s tendency to pander to oil-gas in areas like New Mexico where they allow industry to bulldoze archaeological sites has escalated & complaints about these problems to Insp. General Office do nothing. One more example of poor management by Bernhardt. See https://www.hcn.org/articles/corruption-staffers-allege-misconduct-at-blms-busiest-oil-and-gas-office Bernhardt #275: Bernhardt’s FWS latest study showed that 95% of visits to National Wildlife REFUGE System were NONCONSUMPTIVE, only 5% by hunters! So why has Bernhardt ONLY activity on REFUGES been to allow more hunting?! Millions for trophy hunters, NADA for conservation. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/06/28/stories/1060668697 Bernhardt #274: Grijalva has asked for all docs & communs. from Bernhardt involving his pressure on Interior official to allow dev that will harm Lower San Pedro River Watershed as reported by 2 Arizona newspapers. Given his history of stonewalling Grijalva on previous requests, we can be sure those documents, will never be provided or, if so, it will be AFTER the next election! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/07/09/stories/1060717043 When the hell is Bernhardt going to produce docs & employees to testify requested months ago? Impeach him! Bernhardt #273: Bernhardt took $2.5 Millions from fees intended to improve Parks to fund Trump fireworks display while he zeroed out funding for LWCF program! He had Interior work overtime during govt shutdown on leases for drilling oceans but can’t produce plan for drilling until AFTER the elections! Prima Facie evidence that he is coward whose only conservation interest is conserving Trump’s butt! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/07/09/stories/1060713595 & https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/06/26/stories/1060656155 Bernhardt #272: Bernhardt has 5 versions of his daily calendar! Why so many? Because he is trying to hide who he meets with! Read the CNN story & you cannot do anything but deduce this is a scoundrel trying to hide his tracks. Many of his entries are described vaguely like “external” (most likely energy industry lobbyist!). No wonder he won’t allow his employees to testify or provide the documents House Committee has demanded. He is one more corrupt Trump Cabinet member using his office for his friend’s interest—not the public interest. See https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/05/politics/david-bernhardt-conflicting-calendars-interior/index.html Bernhardt #271: Bernhardt public land sales to energy companies so disappointing that he's giving it away at dirt cheap prices! He’s been bragging about New Mexico sales but most companies not interested in lands! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/06/27/stories/1060663973 Bernhardt #270: Oh, Oh David Bernhard! Republican Sen. Grassley accused you of “undermining access to public info.” & is preparing legis. to stop your stonewalling. If that passes, you are a dead duck! See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/06/27/stories/1060664277 Bernhardt #269: In his ongoing effort to cut conservation blocks to industry, Bernhardt is trying to cut environmental reviews under NEPA to allow “categorical exemptions” to cutting forests up to 7300 acres & seismic testing. One more piece of evidence that Bernhardt has absolutely NO LIMITS on what he will do for industry & no interest at all in conservation of wildlife & wilderness. See https://www.hcn.org/articles/u-s-forest-service-might-limit-public-comments?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email Bernhardt #268: USFWS is setting standards for recovery to make it easier to delist species. Some in environmental say okay but what has USFWS under Bernhardt done to help endangered species? They are using this to delist species that interfere with energy industry. They cut funding for conservation, drill everywhere & not a peep from anyone in USFWS! Oil-Pesticide people are in control of the agency! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/06/26/stories/1060659323 Bernhardt #267: BLM just named acting law ENFORCEMENT director! Will he start enforcing laws against illegal grazing on public lands by Bundy’s & others? Not likely—they’re Bernhardt’s chums. See https://www.gao.gov/assets/680/678292.pdf and https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/05/29/stories/1060426153 Bernhardt #266: EPA’s top air policy official steps down amid scrutiny over possible ethics violations. His transgressions are NOTHING compared to Bernhardt’s! When can we expect Davy to get the can? See https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2019/06/26/epas-top-air-policy-official-steps-down-amid-scrutiny-over-possible-ethics-violations/?utm_term=.a009c4842773 Bernhardt #265: Interior under Bernhardt pursues mining near Boundary Waters to help billionaire who rented Jared-Ivanka home at bargain rates! Trump-Bernhardt make Teapot Dome Scandal under Harding small potatoes! Swampier than ever under Trump-Bernhardt! See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/06/25/stories/1060655531 Bernhardt #264: Bernhardt & Susan Combs: Interior has “no position” on whether LCWF funding should be full & permanent! Interior’s budget this year had ZERO funding for LWCF! Under Bernhardt, it’s Dept of Drilling & Anti-Conservation! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/06/26/stories/1060656155 Bernhardt #263: Bernhardt loses again in Federal Court! Conservationists successfully challenged water project. This is just another in a long string of decisions where the Courts have found that Bernhardt acted illegally & there will be lots more to come given his stonewalling on providing FOIA & other material requested by Congress & conservation groups. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/06/24/stories/1060650379 Bernhardt #262: Bernhardt’s Deputy Director ordered Stonewall Pride flag removed from the historic Stonewall Inn. Once again, Berhardt shows he knows how to pick the worst for his staff. We knew Bernhardt is a captive lackey of energy but now know he is captive of anti-gay Republicans too! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/06/24/stories/1060650425 Bernhardt #261: Bernhardt keeps using visitor fees for operating expenses for 2 reasons: if Trump shuts down govt. again, he will use $ to keep parks open & pressure off of Trump; 2nd: he & Trump don’t want to spend $ on improving conservation—he will only spend $ made from drilling so Interior is dependent on energy industry for funding. It’s time to get rid of this lackey who is so harmful to Interior Dept. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/06/24/stories/1060651011 Bernhardt #260: Democrats want to assure no uranium mining near Grand Canyon—take it off “critical minerals” list. Davy says “don’t need to do that—trust him!” Who trusts oily energy lackey Bernhardt? No conservationist, that's for sure. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/06/24/stories/1060641039 Bernhardt #259: Democrats are trying to reform leasing program by upping royalty rate (Republicans want to maximize profits of energy industry), eliminate anonymity of those nominating land for lease (Bernhardt is anti-transparency), require 45 days public notice (Bernhardt trying to cut time to speed leases to energy buddies). So we have a clear choice: Public Good of U.S. citizens vs. Profits of Energy Industry. Which do you think Bernhardt favors? Impeach him & immediately cut his salary until he provides docs. & employee testimony. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/06/21/stories/1060638409 Bernhardt #258: Under Bernhardt National Wildlife Refuges are “Game Farms” Proof: Check out USFWS plans for opening new areas to shooting of Sandhill Cranes & other wildlife in the Washita National Wildlife Refuge. This publication reviews the purposes of national wildlife refuges—the #1 purpose is to “provide for conservation of fish, wildlife, and plants” but a much lower level purpose is “to provide opportunities for compatible wildlife-dependent recreational uses” so American public “can develop an appreciation for fish & wildlife.” Note also that public & scouts are prohibited from areas being hunted & special hunts provided for youngsters. See https://www.fws.gov/uploadedFiles/508%20Compliant%20Final%20Draft%20%20Washita%20EA_052719.pdf Bernhardt #257: Interior removes BLM official for not signing form to use auto one time while Davy Bernhardt has serious ethical infractions but they protect him & stonewall Congress on providing documents & employee testimony! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/06/19/stories/1060632801 Bernhardt #256: Under Bernhardt-Zinke, National Wildlife Refuges have changed into “Game Zones for Trophy Hunters!” Bernhardt’s only actions with respect to wildlife issues has been to increase ACCESS of hunters to killing them on refuges & public lands in general. Now it comes out that Zinke-Bernhardt have sent USFWS officers (who were already understaffed) to defend the BORDER rather than enforce regs. in National Refuges! Bernhardt’s trophy hunter friends are happy! See https://www.hcn.org/issues/51.11/borderlands-interior-department-border-deployments-are-mired-in-secrecy Bernhardt #255: Bernhardt likes to talk about Native Americans but he just proved that he is LESS committed to them than Zinke!—who cancelled oil & gas leaks on their land but Davy reversed course & is not defending the cancellations! See https://flatheadbeacon.com/2019/06/16/tester-ramps-pressure-interior-safeguard-badger-two-medicine/?fbclid=IwAR0JpDtzyrnDbD7T8ZZHJrJtmUcU9zspNNh-Q4jLMxHgrn7nPaBb9iM8GxA Bernhardt #254: Bernhardt’s top lawyer, Jorjani (a graduate of Koch Industries), has refused to detail his involvement in keeping FOIA requested info secret due to political concerns. When Interior doesn’t provide full docs. requested, they should have to say WHO MADE DECISION and WHY. Indeed, the whole FOIA process under Bernhardt has converted the law: to Fraudulent & Obtuse Information Act—Bernhardt’s been stonewalling EVERYTHING & so far, HE HAS GOTTEN AWAY WITH IT. See https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/449176-critics-say-interior-top-lawyer-came-close-to-perjury-during & https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/06/18/stories/1060622323 Bernhardt #253: Democrats just set vote for funding bill that prohibits offshore drilling. Time for Trump & Bernhardt to be honest (joking!) about drilling plan! Cowardly Trump & Bernhardt will wait till after election to unveil plan! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/06/19/stories/1060629835 Bernhardt #252: Bernhardt has held back releasing FOIA requested documents that top staff don’t want to release. Interior’s spokesperson says decision to release responsive records made by a career, nonpolitical FOIA officer. What bull____! Who is this “nonpolitical” person? Interior staff are totally energy industry lackeys! See https://www.rollcall.com/news/interior-held-back-documents-after-political-screenings Bernhardt #251: Bernhardt’s Version of Freedom of Information Act: Reduce time for public comment, give Republican politicos chance to delay or nix FOIA requests! By the way, time’s up for Interior to provide employee testimony & documents on Bernhardt’s illegal lobbying. Rep. Cummings cut his as well as employee salaries & begin impeachment hearings for this stonewalling creep! See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/06/17/stories/1060613483 Bernhardt #250: Dems have bill to raise royalty rates and restore public comment periods for leasing of public lands. How could anyone oppose ensuring we get something from exploitation of public lands & adequate time for public comment? That’s right, David Bernhardt & his lobby friends will put their selfish interests first. Time for his impeachment! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/06/18/stories/1060613091 Bernhardt #249: Trump’s trying to get rid of advisory committees because he doesn’t like those that use science to oppose his policies. But Bernhardt can use this despicable act to actually do good by getting rid of 2 Interior committees that have no legitimate purpose: International Wildlife Conservation Council.& Hunting and Shooting Sports Conservation Council, both blatant tools of trophy hunters! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/06/17/stories/1060612379 Bernhardt #248: Fossil fuel companies were ordered by Courts to pay back royalties that Bernhardt lowered for them after reversing Obama rule. Davy can’t do TOO much for Industry and TOO little for conservation & U.S. citizens! Impeach the creep! See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/06/14/stories/1060583141 Bernhardt #247: Bernhardt’s Incompetence: 60% of Interior top jobs are vacant & most don’t even have a nominee! Why? Only people Bernhardt trusts for position are unqualified industry lackeys who would not be approved by Senate w/o great difficulty! Impeach Bernhardt for incompetence! See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/06/13/stories/1060572691 Bernhardt #246: Bernhardt’s Forest Service is using fighting wildfires in the West as excuse to loosen NEPA rules that protect forests. There is no area of Interior that is excused from Davy’s push to hand over public lands & forests to industry & lessen industry costs. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/06/13/stories/1060572709 Bernhardt #245: Bernhardt just nominated Karen Budd-Falen,a right-wing anti-public lands & anti-conservation property rights fanatic, to be temporary Asst. Sec. for FISH, WILDLIFE, and PARKS! The reason why? “She has lots of INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE!! What about having interest in preserving public lands and wildlife? No, for Bernhardt, that would be disqualifying! And Bernhardt’s PERMANENT nominee for this job???: Robert Wallace, for energy industry—he has a petroleum engineering degree degree & lobbied for years for energy industry. You can search Interior’s top personnel & NOT FIND ONE SINGLE PERSON with conservation credentials. Organizations that supported Bernhardt for Secretary like the Teddy Roosevelt Conservation Consortium should take back their support for this industry creep! See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/06/13/stories/1060572869 Bernhardt #244: Bernhardt just appointed Karen Budd-Falen as Acting Asst. Sec.f or Fish, Wildlife and Parks. She has a huge record—of opposing USFWS & other Interior agencies when they interfere with industry/ ranchers. How bad is she? She is the anti-thesis of everything Interior stands for! Another example of Trump-Bernhardt personnel policy: Appoint someone who hates the function they are supposed to serve (i.e., conservation) and they will take care of it! See https://departmentofinfluence.org/person/karen-budd-falen/ Bernhardt #243: Bernhart-Susan Combs (Asst Secretary for Policy) approach to preserving Species: let industry police themselves! (1) Participation is voluntary, (2) landowners not required to adopt specific measures to save species, (3) USFWS NOT ALLOWED to see state’s agreements with landowners, making the agreements enforceable or even verifiable! No wonder industry loves Combs’ (who is a rancher) approach to saving species! Yet this is the approach supported by a West Texas judge! See Tresaugue, Matthew. (2015). “Tiny lizard at center of big fight in the oil patch.” Houston Chronicle, February 19. Accessed 3/19/15 from http://www.mrt.com/news/article_1b412efc-b8a7-11e4-86ef-df1fa67f0cae.html & https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/06/12/stories/1060562377 Bernhardt #242: “South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) praised Bernhardt for his availability to state officials, noting the secretary distributed his personal cellphone #” Does she know that Bernhardt calls the Energy Industry every day for their instructions on what to do! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/06/11/stories/1060550549 Bernhardt #241: Bernhardt just said “I think that we're very open, this administration.” Right! That’s why you had your meeting schedules quickly deleted & are trying to cut FOIA & reduce time for public comments, refusing to provide employees for testimony o r key documents. You are such a phony! Check out photo of pudgy moon-faced mighty trophy hunter Bernhardt at https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/06/11/stories/1060550549 Bernhardt #240: Bernhardt sacrifices his home town to mine owned by lobbying firm Bernhardt worked for decade. When it comes to loyalty to hometown vs. energy industry: Bernhardt has his priorities straight: Industry first & forever! See https://www.politico.com/story/2019/06/11/bernhardt-interior-glenwood-springs-mining-1462726 Bernhardt #239: David Bernhardt: Lock up Bundy for breaking the law! He has refused to pay grazing fees & has encouraged others to illegally graze public lands. Enforce the law or resign, you coward! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/06/10/stories/1060540433 Bernhardt #238: House Dems provide SHALL to Bernhardt: Bernhardt doesn’t believe in doing anything about conservation or climate change unless he has a law that clearly says HE SHALL do it! So Dem (Rep. Lowenthal of Cal.) has bill to require that corps that “accidentally kill migratory birds” pay for the damage. Bernhardt & his solicitor, Jorjani, don’t believe in charging corps. for damage to species & lands—hence doing away with compensatory mitigation. Let’s hope that Congress will provide the SHALL to these corporate lackeys! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/06/10/stories/1060512335 Bernhardt #237: Which way Bernhardt on Gray Wolves: Best Available Science of Best Politics! USFWS’s panel of scientists derided their proposal to remove protections. But will science impact Bernhardt—his ONLY supporters for becoming Secretary were trophy hunter groups & energy industry! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/06/07/stories/1060510273 Bernhardt #236: Democratic Senators Shame: Following Senators voted to confirm Combs as Interior Asst Sec. for policy even though both in Texas & Interior she has totally opposed ESA& given energy companies right to do what they want with endangered species: Cantwell, Manchin, Sinema, & King. Let’s hope that these senators are challenged in their next election primaries by someone who cares about wildlife & conservation. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/06/05/stories/1060491353 Bernhardt #235: Bernhardt’s attempt to allow grazing by arsonists, the Hammonds, ruled illegal. Once again Courts show how Bernhardt’s Interior ignores legal rules. Just as with his ocean drilling plan (that he’s AFRAID TO SHOW), the Courts reveal he is INCOMPETENT & should be impeached. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/06/05/stories/1060490063 Bernhart #234: Bernhardt losing bet: Big Game Hunters. Davy ignores conservation but opens up Wildlife “REFUGES” (OXYMORON when Bernhardt uses the term!) & 1.5 million acres to more hunting. What’s wrong with this? USFWS cites expenditures by hunters but their own 2016 report (p.4 table) shows hunting expenditures were $26 Billion vs 76 Billion for watchers! Moreover, since 2016 hunting is WAY DOWN as documented by pro-hunting Wildlife Mgmnt Institute Report (see below) despite state agencies desperately spending $ & time trying to boost! So once again pathetic trophy hunter Bernhardt is pursuing policy that will harm conservaton & wildlife. For supporting data, see: https://wildlifemanagement.institute/outdoor-news-bulletin/november-2018/excise-tax-update-final-fy2018-collection-data https://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/Subpages/NationalSurvey/nat_survey2016.pdf Bernhardt #233: The recent UN Report on Mass Extinctions got a more positive reception from Congress by House Science Committee. Will Bernhardt’s Interior such as the politicos who now run USFWS comment on the report? Not likely, they don’t speak think science, hear science, speak science! The only “science” they believe is from Energy Industry & Donald Trump! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/06/05/stories/1060482093 Bernhardt #232: Interior's Press Secretary Vander Voort heads to Trump campaign, having lied for Bernhardt, she will now lie for Donald. Her replacement? Molly Block who qualified by working for FOX News & anti-ESA Rep. Rob Bishop. Nothing but the Worst & Anti-Conservation Specialists for Davy! See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/06/04/stories/1060481355 Bernhardt #231: Bernhardt’s BLM just lost case over fracking near Chaco region—they totally ignored impact on water use and supply! What can you say? He regularly loses cases in courts that prove his all out rush to hand over lands & oceans to energy companies is ridden with violations of environmental law but he doesn’t give ONE SINGLE DAMN. His just issues his pudgy, moon-faced smile & dares tribes, communities, and environmentalists to sue. Impeach the creep! See #231 https://www.hcn.org/articles/water-court-throws-book-at-blm-over-fracking-chaco?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email Bernhardt #230: Bernhardt’s Interior ignored tribal input on mining near Cheyenne reservation—says he is not “obligated to consult with tribal nations.” He has cut comment period to 15 days & is trying to rush coal mine through! And he just recently denied ignoring them! Read the details at #230 https://www.wildlifepolitics.org/blog Bernhardt #229: Bernhardt’s on Wildlife: Do what Ranchers-Trophy Hunters want & then try to justify it! Scientists ripped apart his proposed delisting of wolves. Bernhardt’s “method:” “Read No Science, Hear No Science, Speak No Science” approach to “conservation.” See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/06/03/stories/1060468609 Bernhardt #228: Bernhardt’s nominee to be Asst Sec for Fish, Wildlife, and Parks: Qualifications? He’s a trained PETROLEUM ENGINEER who has spent his career working for GE Energy firm! Did they think about hiring a CONSERVATION PROFESSIONAL? No, such a person would be totally out of step with the Energy Dominance fixation of current USFWS. What’s more: Senate appears likely to confirm Susan Combs as Asst Sec Policy for Interior. She’s famous as Comptroller of Texas who tried to kill ESA & allowed energy companies to monitor themselves! It’s all part of Bernhardt’s effort to ensure that ALL TOP STAFF are Energy Company lackeys like himself! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/06/03/stories/1060443407 Tresaugue, Matthew. (2015). “Tiny lizard at center of big fight in the oil patch.” Houston Chronicle, February 19. Accessed 3/19/15 from http://www.mrt.com/news/article_1b412efc-b8a7-11e4-86ef-df1fa67f0cae.html Bernhardt #227: Bernhardt hides details on border deployments of Interior employees. They have not provided requested info except for highly redacted info filled with vague claims of confiscations due to Border control—i.e., Bernhardt’s usual “BS”. Moreover, the deployment costs Millions $ from Interior’s own budget already cut by 14%. All cuts are taken from “non-priority” areas (i.e., not devoted to energy dominance). Impeach Bernhardt! See https://www.hcn.org/articles/borderlands-interior-department-border-deployments-are-mired-in-secrecy?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email Bernhardt #226: Rep. Cummings still trying to get testimony from Interior employees on Bernhardt’s illegal actions but he’s still resisting—saying 66,000- pages of irrelevant documents are enough & not legitimate legislative purpose! Oversight of alleged ethical abuse is legitimate & Bernhardt’s desperate resistance shows he is guilty! Impeach this industry creep! See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/05/31/stories/1060443241 Bernhardt #225: Bernhardt’s Forest Service wants Lead Bullets that kill birds & other wildlife to remain in Kaibab. As usual under Bernhardt, Forest Service toadies to tiny # trophy hunters over conservationists & wildlife. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/05/31/stories/1060442119 Bernhardt #224: Bernhardt’s Interior just defended themselves against charges of ignoring Native American input. Baloney! Here a one more case where they ignored Montana tribe on coal leasing! See https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/29/reuters-america-montana-tribe-rips-trump-administration-over-federal-coal-leasing.html Bernhardt #223: Read Jorjani’s (Acting Interior Solicitor from Koch Industries) tortured reasoning on why he reversed decision to give gift to Cadiz, Bernhardt’s former employer. This lackey has no business being Sec. Interior. Impeach him! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/05/30/stories/1060433845 Bernhardt #222: Bernhardt’s Forest Service diverts $ from plant trees & fighting bugs to fighting fires. Rather than ask for more $ to fight fires, Bernhardt diverts $ away from conservation. This is not new. He has systematically cut funds for conservation programs to help energy drill & aid welfare ranchers & trophy hunters. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/05/30/stories/1060433569 Bernhardt #221: Bernhardt’s plan to downgrade & downsize 9 additional monuments is available online at https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/uploads/revised_final_report.pdf Having already cut Bears Ears & Grand Escalante monuments, he wants to “amend” & cut: Cascade-Siskiyou, Gold Butte, Katahdin Woods and Waters, Northeast Canyons and Seamounts, Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks, Pacific Remote Islands, Rio Grande Del Norte, Rose Atoll. Bernhardt has his priorities “straight:” Cut monuments to improve use by industry & in a few cases, hunters. Bernhardt #220: Bernhardt pressured USFWS to reverse his position & approve an open pit copper project that will disturb important habitat near Tucson after Dev. Company called Davy about it. We need more WHISTLEBLOWERS to confront the total pro-industry Bernhardt agency. He should be impeached. See https://www.hcn.org/articles/u-s-fish-and-wildlife-the-shenanigans-behind-a-federal-employees-decision-to-blow-the-whistle?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email Bernhardt #219: Bernhardt’s BLM fires whistleblower who tried to enforce rules on illegal grazing that has been ignored by agency. GAO reported on this in 2016 including details on how public grazing loses $ subsidizing small # of mostly wealthy permittees. BLM’s excuse for firing him: he was unable to find his employee ID badge for 5 minutes! BLM under Bernhardt no longer a professional agency—it works for energy & welfare rancher industries. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/05/29/stories/1060426153 for story on firing & https://www.gao.gov/assets/680/678292.pdf for full GAO report on illegal grazing. Bernhardt #218: Read how Bernhardt & his acting Solicitor are making it possible for one of Bernhardt’s former clients to take water from Joshua Tree Nat. Park that USGS scientists say will harm Park & its wildlife. Jorjani is a former Koch Brothers employee. One more example of Swampy Bernhardt’s unethical admin. & another reason to impeach him. See https://medium.com/westwise/how-interiors-top-lawyer-is-paving-the-way-to-drain-california-s-desert-and-deliver-millions-to-3c6b2c9eb85b Bernhardt #217: NOAA in Dept of Commerce plans to allow Corps. To injure bowhead whales & other mammals in order to drill waters in Arctic. Bernhardt’s USFWS also gave permission to harm polar bears, whales, & seals. Once shows that Trump-Ross-Bernhardt don’t give a damn about whales or other wildlife. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/05/28/stories/1060417523 Bernhardt #216: Bernhardt-Republicans on how to fight Wildfires: Build Roads through wilderness & have cows graze the land! Bernhardt’s BLM actually gave permits to arsonists arguing their cows would reduce change of fire! Utah wants to build roads through roadless wilderness areas arguing that they need roads to remove dead trees but 90 percent of Utah fires were not in roadless areas & evidence shows that roads INCREASE the chances of wildfires due to human causes. See https://www.hcn.org/articles/public-lands-utah-asks-federal-government-for-exemption-from-forest-service-roadless-rule Bernhardt #215: More Bernhardt Incompetence! Bernhardt cut Forest Service’s Budget & Bark Beetle program by 25%. He says he has to do it because White House told him to. He doesn’t defend Interior programs. Even Murkowski rejects his proposal. Why the hell did Republicans in Congress approve him as Secretary when they reject HIS BUDGET every year & he has shown no interest or ability to convince WH to fund programs as they should be. Impeach the incompetent Bernhardt. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/05/24/stories/1060391113 Bernhardt #215: Bernhardt-Trump: How to fight fire: Pardon arsonists & have them graze public lands with cattle! Trump pardoned Hammonds convicted of arson & BLM is allowing them to graze to reduce chances of fire! Actually, MUCH RESEARCH (including BLM own publications such as 1994 Rangeland Reform) prove that cattle grazing does just the opposite by spreading invasive weeks, destructing native plants, compacts soil, drying it out & causing erosion, and disrupts aquatic systems. In other words, one more BIG LIE by Trump-Bernhardt, proving BLM like USFWS has now become an anti-science agency & lackey of cattle as well as energy industry. For detailed support, see BLM environmental impact statement at https://archive.org/stream/rangelandreform25unit/rangelandreform25unit_djvu.txt & Debra Donahue, Western Grazing: The Capture ofGrass, Ground, and Government, 35 Envtl. L. 721(2005) 721-806. & pardon info at: Fire-starting ranchers get a new blessing from BLM https://www.hcn.org/issues/51.9/public-lands-fire-starting-ranchers-grazing-public-lands-again Bernhardt #214: Bernhardt is Incompetent! Zinke was a buffoon but supposedly smart Bernhardt ignored law that prohibited studies on oil-gas drilling that he allowed. Interior's budget has provision that says that "it cannot use any taxpayer money to conduct pre-leasing studies on lands contained in monuments as they existed on Jan. 20, 2001." This was violated by Bernhardt's in preparing to cut monuments. Sen. Udall said this use was a violation of appropriations laws. Bernhardt’s response: “I don’t think it is” but “Roger!” He will probably come back with the answer about the same time that he reveals ocean drilling plan! Impeach Bernhardt! See https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2019/05/22/did-interior-break-law/ Bernhardt #213: BLM has been ordered by judge to review their plan to end Obama moratorium on coal leasing but they want to do “internal review” (i.e., so energy dominance lackeys will find in favor of ending it) while they should do a full NEPA environmental impact statement. As usual, no concern in Bernhardt Admin. for conservation. Impeach him! See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/05/23/stories/1060386227 Bernhardt #212: Bernhardt uses fees from National park visitors for daily expenses rather than for future projects & maintenance! Why? Will help to keep parks open when Trump shuts down government & part of plan to eliminate Congressional funding of Interior except for funds from energy leasing & visitor fees. One more reason why Bernhardt should be impeached! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/05/23/stories/1060385493 Bernhardt #211: Read about Bernhardt squirming in meeting with Senators on Reorg., Climate Change, and FOIA! On his FOIA proposal to disallow “burdensome” searches” he is considering whether to scrap, keep, or modify it! Impeach this slimy doubletalker! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/05/22/stories/1060379529 Bernhardt #210: Rep. Grijalva introduced legis. To protect species following UN Report on threats. Bernhardt’s USFWS director, Aurelia Skipwith, who trained with Monsanto (as did Bernhardt’s Deputy Director) are silent on extinction crisis. USFWS, like the rest of Interior, is now devoted to Energy Dominance & threats to species no longer concerns them. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/05/23/stories/1060380657 Bernhardt #209: In meeting with Congress, Bernhardt says be believes in climate change but Interior opposed leading review of coal to see if climate impacts addressed as well as fair return to public. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/05/22/stories/1060380299 Bernhardt #208: Bernhardt approves $ for Nevada-Cal. Projects but actually these are DELAYED expenditures that should have occurred 2 years ago & phony Bernhardt acts like he is doing something special! See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/05/22/stories/1060380121 Bernhardt #207: Bernhardt uses taxpayer funds to prepare leases for monuments lands to coal industry. Dems ask for GAO Review but Bernhardt says instead he will “personally study issue.” Guess whose interest Bernhardt’s “personal” study will favor! Impeach the creep! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/05/23/stories/1060381285 Bernhardt #206: Bernhardt’s Interior lets political appointees review FOIA requests they call an “Awareness Review!” This delays FOIA responses & appears to be used to keep info from being released at all. Add on top of this that Bernhardt-Jorjani (His Solicitor) want to reduce FOIA requests & you see that Bernhardt is stone-walling & opaqueness personified. He must be impeached! See http://www.rollcall.com/news/congress/interior-department-policy-let-political-appointees-review-foia-requests Bernhardt #205: Secretary David Bernhardt maintained a private calendar on a single Google document that his staff overwrote repeatedly. The department says its legal team believes the practice was legal. Right—public records being destroyed regularly is legal! 1984 language! Impeach the creep! See http://www.rollcall.com/news/congress/interior-department-policy-let-political-appointees-review-foia-requests Bernhardt #204: Obama Admin. phased out neoncotinoids in National Wildlife Refuges but Bernhardt’s USFWS reversed course to allow them on “case by case basis.” His Deputy is from Monsanto! One more reason why he should be impeached. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/05/22/stories/1060374619 Bernhardt #203: Glad that House is moving to protect Chaco Canyon & asking for details on LWCF from Bernhardt & phony reorganization. But what about getting testimony & documents on his ethical misdeeds?! It’s no accident he is resisting so hard because they will show he is guilty! He has tried to flatter Grijalva into holding back. Don’t do it, Raul! It’s time to get this info & impeach this lackey! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/05/21/stories/1060373529 & https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/05/22/stories/1060375007 & https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/05/22/stories/1060375007 Federal Court preserves important ban aimed at helping threatened vaquitas. Trump’s NOAA Fisheries wanted to scrap the ban. Shows that nothing Trump agencies will not do to destroy protections for species. https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/05/20/stories/1060368369 Bernhardt #202: Bernhardt’s New Interior Dept Solicitor, Daniel Jorjani, worked for Koch brothers & has continued to serve them—opposes compendatory mitigation for destruction of habitat, allowing killing of birds, mining near Boundary Waters, wants to cut FOIA. See #165, $112, & #112 below for details. https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/05/21/stories/1060373595 Bernhardt #201: Bernhardt wants transparency—for environmental organizations at the same time that he REFUSES to release documents on his ethical misdeeds & testimony by Interior employees about them. Once again & always, he’s hypocrite. & Jorjani, his Interior lawyer, who weakened Intl. Treaty on Bird Migration, does his bidding. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/05/17/stories/1060351121 & # 190 below for his stonewalling. & following for demand for transparency from evmntal orgs: https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/05/17/stories/1060351083 Bernhardt #200: Bernhardt says he wants to have new grant oversight “to reduce fraud.” Well, start with himself!: Here is What Bernhardt-Zinke have done: “The Interior Department will now funnel certain grants through a political screening intended to ensure the federal dollars "better align" with the administration's "priorities," according to a newly revealed memo. The move invests considerable power in a senior Interior Department adviser named Steve Howke, who will be reviewing grants including those above $50,000 for universities, land acquisition purposes and nonprofits that can engage in advocacy.” Howke is a political hack! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/01/09/stories/1060070507 Bernhardt #199: Interior defends record on Native Americans! Well, let’s see what USFWS does about Arizona tribes trying to halt copper mine near their burial & archaeological sites. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/05/16/stories/1060345287 Bernhardt #198: USFWS received 900,000 comments opposing removal of gray wolf Federal protections proposed by Bernhardt. However, Bernhardt does not listen to “public comments” no matter how large and overwhelming but follows the advise of those who “matter:” ranchers, trophy hunters, and Republican western state politicians who hate wolves & have been consistently trying to remove protections. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/05/16/stories/1060344505 Bernhardt #197: Bernhardt appoints Casey Hammond as acting BLM director. Hammond just deleted language that said BLM mission is to helping conserve public lands for future generations in keeping with Bernhardt's devotion to energy dominance. He led Zinke’s efforts to weaken protections for sage grouse & has pushed for property rights over environmental protections. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/05/16/stories/1060344589 & https://departmentofinfluence.org/person/casey-hammond/ Bernhardt #196: Bernhardt appoints a lobbyist as chief of staff, Todd Willens, who is dedicated to destroying End. Species Act, favors giving Fed. public lands to states, fought manatees endangered status, opposed Everglades put on UN list of Endangered Sites, lobbied against animal welfare rules. In other words, Bernhardt loves this guy’s policies! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/05/17/stories/1060350293 & https://departmentofinfluence.org/person/todd-willens/ Bernhardt #195: Bipartisan Congress wants to provide repair $ for Nat. Park Service—they say “it should be a no brainer.” But Bernhardt provides doubletalk instead—he wants to provide help “in some significant way!” but not from his own budget. He wants to take the money from either energy companies drilling public lands and/or fees for entering the parks. He wants to minimize the cost of Interior’s non-energy programs that have little or no priority. The goal is to make Interior funding mostly dependent on oil-gas-coal-drilling & mining. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/05/15/stories/1060339225 Bernhardt #194: Bernhardt’s nominee for Solicitor approved mining near Boundary Waters. He said he did “not have the right to block it.” This is same lackey who found good reasons to weaken Intl Migratory Bird Treaty so that corps. Would not be responsible for “incidental killing of birds.” Jorjani, like ALL of Bernhardt’s appointees, is a former energy (Koch brothers in this case) employee. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/05/15/stories/1060339457 Bernhardt #193: Bernhardt on offshore drilling: He can’t provide the plan—the only thing he can guarantee is that no plan will be released before Nov 2020 that will hurt Trump’s reelection. Once election over, drilling everywhere will commence. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/05/16/stories/1060340251 Bernhardt #192: Bernhardt often talks about “talking with Native Americans” but almost none of the tribes says they were consulted on decisions affecting them—unless it was after the decision had already been made & done merely for “appearances.” They should understand that Bernhardt only consults with the energy industry & its lackey politicos in western states. Once again, Bernhardt proves he is a phony & liar. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/05/15/stories/1060339113 Bernhardt # 191: Bernhardt officially states that BLM is not dedicated to Conservation. His BLM removed conservation language that said purpose was to “sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands…” from its mission statement! Bernhardt honestly would like to reword it as follows: BLM’s Mission is to do everything possible to achieve energy dominance & will try to help trophy hunters & welfare ranchers as long as they don’t interfere with dominance.” See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/05/15/stories/1060338603 Bernhardt #190: Bernhardt appeared before Committee with “Honorable” sign in front of his name—should have said “Despicable”! He cut funds for LWCF program that has strong bipartisan support but no support by Davy—best he could do: he would “spend them” if appropriated! He talks about ethics programs but refuses to provide documents, wants to cut FOIA, & will not provide Interior officials to testify or give them his documents on his transgressions. What more does this lackey have to do to be sanctioned by Congress? See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/05/15/stories/1060338525 Bernhardt #189: Bernhardt’s BLM & Forest Service said bills to protect Ruby Mountains in Nevada & Chaco Cultural Park in New Mexico “unnecessary” because will not lease these areas! Davy ONLY cares about energy dominance & that’s why protection of these lands is ABSOLUTELY necessary to stop his energy friends from drilling them. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/05/15/stories/1060335143 Bernhardt #188: Bernhardt is GUILTY! Without providing any justification, Bernhardt has refused to have Interior officials testify about his alleged ethical transgressions & also has refused to provide documentation about these incidents. Why? What else, the pudgy little Energy lackey is guilty and he should resign immediately or be impeached. Congress should no longer put up with stonewalling by this creep. Impeach Bernhardt! Bernhardt #187: Democratic House bill would boost spending for LWCF and conservation funding by Interior Dept. Remember how Bernhardt boasted about LWCF bill passed by Congress (which he NEVER proposed or supported!)? Here’s a chance for Davy to show he stands up for conservation! Actually, Bernhardt has proposed cuts for all Interior conservation-related programs. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/05/14/stories/1060333577 Bernhardt #186: Bill to destroy ESA in Congress: Texas Sen. Cornyn has introduced a bill that would give veto power of ESA court settlements to counties & states. Background: USFWS has never conformed with preserving species & has had to be prodded by courts to get them to save wildlife. This bill would destroy ability of courts to force USFWS to comply & thus undermine ESA & destroy species that dominant politicos dislike because they claim interfere with development or hunting. Irony is that majorities in all of these anti-ESA states APPROVE of ESA & MORE protections for endangered species. But this bill is just what Bernhardt is looking for—more giveaways to industry & trophy hunters. Impeach Bernhardt! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/05/14/stories/1060332645 Bernhardt #185: Bernhardt believes in state wildlife management—unless it interferes with energy dominance! After Wyoming & other states had worked hard to forge a compromise agreement to preserve sage grouse, Bernhardt-Zinke are leasing core area habitat for oil-gas in the Golden Triangle of sage grouse habitat & loosened rules on mitigation for lost habitat—banishing it to remote areas far from the Triangle. Even the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation org. that supported Bernhardt for Secretary object to this destruction of Triangle & poor mitigation. Shows once again that Bernhardt doesn’t give a damn about major function of Interior, conservation, & should be impeached for this & many other reasons listed below. See https://www.wyofile.com/gordon-poised-to-put-his-stamp-on-sage-grouse-plan/ Bernhardt #184: Bernhardt’s “Chief Congressional Aide” Rojewski said it was “shocking” and “Strange” that House Democrats should require that documents & testimony should be provided by Interior employees. What? It is the RESPONSIBILITY of Congress to investigate possible ethics breaches & there is plenty of evidence to suggest Bernhardt violated them. Bernhardt wants a “accommodation process”—what the hell is that? Does that mean that Bernhardt is not subject to the CONSTITUTIONAL authority of Congressional oversight?! It’s time to cut both Bernhardt and Rojewski’s salaries from Interior’s budget—they are violating the Constitution & do not deserve their jobs. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/05/13/stories/1060326835 Bernhardt #183: Dems should ream Bernhardt who has been stonewalling Dems—refusing to provide Interior employees or records. Bernhardt thinks he is a Tyrant-tough guy using “executive privilege” to refuse requests. It’s time to show this lackey who’s boss. Indeed, it’s time to impeach him—not only for this but refusal to release oil drilling plan, trying to cut FOIA, ethics abuses, & total ignoring of conservation. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/05/13/stories/1060310279 Plus the 182 reasons below! Bernhardt #182: Bernhardt: Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire: Bernhardt doesn’t have the ocean drilling plan ready for inspection but he continues to carry out seismic testing???!!!. More lies from Bernhardt. When will the plan be ready? Not until after Nov. 2020 election or possibly before if they are only going to drill off states Trump won’t try to win. And once again shows how Bernhardt, the mighty trophy hunter is an utter coward. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/05/10/stories/1060309879 Bernhardt #181: Bernhardt-Zinke allow former coal lobbyists to allow pollution of West Va. Streams & rivers threatening crayfish. Wash Post has DETAILED based on FOIA discovery (No wonder Bernhardt wants to weaken INTERIOR FOIA!) how Tucker Davis, former West Va. Coal rep. given Interior top staff position & worked overtime to overrule the stream protection rule Obama Admin. had issued. Article details how not only Davis but another Interior official, Vincent DeVito, convinced USFWS head, Aurelia Skipwith, to go along with coal. Afterwards, DeVito left Interior to work for an offshore drilling firm! Bernhardt heads the biggest SWAMP in Wash. D.C. And, once again, shows that USFWS no longer work to preserve species—they are all about energy dominance too. See https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/how-the-west-virginia-coal-industry-changed-federal-endangered-species-policy/2019/05/10/56d28de0-4bf0-11e9-b79a-961983b7e0cd_story.html?utm_term=.4e45ec66fa2b&wpisrc=al_environment__alert-hse&wpmk=1 Bernhardt #180: Bernhardt’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Reduced to Disgrace. The UN released a report showing major threats of extinction from not only climate change but mining and agriculture. What has USFWS & Bernhardt done? They have cut their budget by 14% and have not made a single statement about the UN report. Apparently, no conservation professionals left in USFWS! Sad! See https://www.hcn.org/articles/climate-desk-interior-chief-blames-congress-for-his-inaction-on-climate-change?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email Bernhardt #179: Bernhardt Interior Temps Make Policy forever: Article shows how though there is a Federal Vacancies Reform Act law that prohibits temporary officials from making decisions for more than short time, it has been TOTALLY ignored by Bernhardt’s Interior Dept. The law states that any decision made after 300 days of temp. should “have no force or effect & can be challenged in court.” Interior’s “spokesperson” (i.e., official liar) provided the following double-talk defense of illegal use of temps: “However, recognizing the practical difficulty of this, the VRA permits a department head to delegate to a subordinate the authorities and duties of such an office that are not otherwise required by law to be performed exclusively by the official who would inhabit such an office." See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/05/09/stories/1060297171 Bernhardt #178: Bernhardt vs. Science: Interior David Bernhardt personally intervened to block the release of USFWS report that found 2 widely used pesticides harmed >1200 species-boon to pesticide industry. Bernhardt’s appointed Deputy Secretary who is a former Monsanto employee. One last time: When will Interior hire anyone who is not a lackey of a polluting wildlife-killing industry? Not until there ‘s a new presidential Administration! See https://psmag.com/environment/the-trump-administrations-policies-are-fueling-the-extinction-crisis Bernhardt #177: Bernhardt made one of tiny # of “conservation moves” by promising grants for restoration of coastal wetlands. Note $ are not from Interior’s own budget but Excise taxes. Need for restoration will be HUGE after Bernhardt drills 90 percent of Continental Shelf as he has promised. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/05/08/stories/1060298095 Bernhardt #176: Bernhardt’s doubletalk #1: In his recent appearance, he “took offense at a congressman’s charge that he was at Interior to “do energy industry’s bidding.” Refutation: Energy industry’s are “giddy” about all that Interior is doing for them & fact that ALL of his top staff are from industry. See #101 below & https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/05/08/stories/1060294015 Bernhardt Double Talk #2: He is refusing to provide info on his proposal to cut FOIA & provide info to Congress. His reply: “we’ve offered material (see #173 below—the “material offered was crap”) & “it’s not appropriate time for interviews.” Translation: “I not giving you anything & I MAKE DECISIONS on transparency, not you, Congresspeople!” Solution: Cut Bernhardt’s & his top staff’s salary from Interior’s budget! https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/05/08/stories/1060294015 & https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/05/07/stories/1060291955 Bernhardt Doubletalk #3: Bernhardt hasn’t provided any plan or justification for Reorganization & still refuses to do so. Solution: Make Interior give back the $14 million they received for 2019 spending on it & give them the $28 Million they requested for FY 2020. (Note: Transfer the money to conservation-related spending which Bernhardt has cut at every opportunity.) https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/05/08/stories/1060294015 Bernhardt Doubletalk #4: Problem: Bernhardt still can’t provide an offshore drilling plan even though he has decided to drill 90% of the Continental Shelf & has had staff working overtime even during the shutdown for permits for preparing for this drilling. Solution: Don’t provide any $ in budget for drilling or sonar testing for drilling. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/05/08/stories/1060294015 Bernhardt #175: Federal courts rule again that Bernhardt’s Interior illegally permitted mines & fracking in New Mexico. This follows upon Federal courts finding ocean drilling illegal. Bernhardt supposed to be smart lawyer demonstrates once again that he is INCOMPETENT & should be removed from office. See https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/u-s-land-managers-ordered-to-review-several-drilling-permits/article_af0f203c-17b4-5bd7-ac11-f3651d7daa97.html Bernhardt #174: Bernhardt to cover BLM lands with Cows to fight wildfires! BLM will EXPAND grazing area for convicted arsonists & welfare ranchers, the Hammonds, supposedly to fight fires! Actually, grazing cows damage riparian areas & deplete water sources, helping to cause wildfires. (See Lynn Jacobs, Waste of the West, 1991, p.54). So a bizarre new excuse for Bernhardt-Trump to give more public land to UNPRODUCTIVE grazing that only exists due to Federal support. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/05/07/stories/1060291307 Bernhardt #173: Bernhardt to Congress & FOIA: “Go to hell!” Bernhardt has refused to have 4 Interior officials testify about his move to cut FOIA & instead of producing documents requested, offered 27,000 pages of UNREQUESTED materials! So, opaque Bernhardt refuses to produce info on his move to cut FOIA! He should be impeached. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/05/07/stories/1060291955 Bernhardt #172: Bernhardt Determined to Kill Species: The UN Report tells of how habitat destruction is leading to “unprecedented species loss” and the main cause are spread of agriculture and disruption of marine environments. Main solution: set aside marine and land areas for the “benefit of plants and animals with exploitation banned or severely limited.” Bernhardt-Trump: They could care less about species loss—Bernhardt leading effort to weaken Endangered Species Act & are cutting monuments and exploiting public lands and want to drill our oceans. In other words, they are LEADING efforts to destroy species and biodiversity. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/05/06/stories/1060285071 Bernhardt #171: Bernhardt claims that he is “very different” from Zinke??! He continues to have energy dominance as major priority, kept Interior open to make permits for public land & ocean drilling, hires all industry employees as staff, loosens restrictions on ocean drilling, keeps the Safari Club “Intl Wildlife Council,” etc. etc. —yes, he’s different—he’s even WORSE than Zinke! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/05/06/stories/1060285393 Bernhardt #170: Bernhardt-Trump want to loosen regulations on offshore drillers but a recent report by USGAO shows that existing oversight of oil and gas is totally inadequate. GAO found that Bureau of Ocean Energy, Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) responsible for safety “did not have the capability for analyzing incidents that occur on the Outer Continental Shelf and has reversed its oversight of operator compliance with environmental standards”—weakening it! It has “staffing shortfalls that prevent it from environmental oversight”! It has made no “progress in addressing long-standing deficiencies.” This report shows that Bernhardt is either a totally incompetent administrator or doesn’t give a damn about dangers from oil-gas drilling (or more likely, both are true!) See the report at https://www.gao.gov/assets/690/683868.pdf Bernhardt #169: Who should head Fish, Wildlife & National Park Service? Bernhardt names long-time lobbyist, Robert Wallace, for energy industry—he has a petroleum engineering degree degree & lobbied for years for energy industry! He will maintain what Bernhardt considers the proper “balance” in Interior—that is prioritizing energy dominance over anything else that interferes with it. One would think that some day by chance Bernhardt would hire somebody who prioritizes conservation but Davy proves once again he is a total oil-gas lackey. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/05/03/stories/1060268745 Bernhardt #168: Bernhardt awards Millions $ grants for “big-game corridors.” The only “conservation” (a misnomer for many of these) orgs. that supported Bernhardt were big game hunters like Rocky Mountain Elk Fdtn. & Boone & Crockett. He’s paying them back by giving them grants. Nothing but cuts for non-game species—Bernhardt wants to weaken End. Species Act esp. for predators like wolves that compete with big game hunters. This is what Bernhardt calls a “balanced” approach—this pudgy moon-faced trophy hunter doesn’t just favor oil-gas industry but also big game hunters. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/05/03/stories/1060267999 Bernhardt #167: Bernhardt’s USFWS which used to be a professionally led org. dedicated to conservation now once again has reversed policy & approved a permit for an Arizona San Pedro River-Sonoran Desert project that would harm jaguars and rare birds & had previously been rejected by Obama’s professional Interior staff. High Country News has an article which details the doubletalk used by Bernhardt’s BLM staff to try (and fail) to justify the turnaround. There are apparently no professionals left in USFWS who are willing to speak for conservation. Their proposed new leader is a former Monsanto lackey. See https://www.hcn.org/issues/50.1/fish-and-wildlife-service-retracts-its-concerns-about-a-massive-arizona-housing-proposal?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email Bernhardt #166: Former BLM employees say that state officials already have the delegated authority to make decisions at state level—Thus No benefit & no excuse for spending millions on Bernhardt's phony reorganization. Wasteful & only purpose is political. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/05/02/stories/1060259959 Bernhardt #165: Even Joe Manchin, Dems. Senator from “Coal Country” can’t stomach Jorjani—the nominee for solicitor from Koch Brother Inc. who allowed “unintentional killing” by industry of birds, weakening Intl. Migratory Bird Treaty. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/05/02/stories/1060259983 & #112 below for details Bernhardt #164: Bernhardt like Zinke has pretended to honor Native Americans while he has either ignored them totally in dmking as in Bears Ears or talked to them only to “check a box.” US GAO did a study confirming Interior ignored them. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/05/02/stories/1060255411 GAO report at https://www.gao.gov/assets/700/697694.pdf Bernhardt #163: Interior Dept. Loosens Offshore-Drilling Safety Rules Dating From Deepwater Horizon. Justification: “In the final rule, the Interior Department noted that the changes were expected to save the oil industry about $824 million over 10 years.” Bernhardt-Trump Reasoning: Nothing too much for oil-gas industry, nothing too little for conservation. See https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/02/climate/offshore-drilling-safety-rollback-deepwater-horizon.html?emc=edit_th_190503&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=103654190503 Bernhardt #162: Bernhardt’s Forest Service on How to log Los Padres National Forest without proper environmental review? Use fire-fighting as excuse even tho no evidence that it would work. Logging will affect California Condors but they have less influence than industry! See https://lpfw.org/forest-service-approves-expedited-commercial-logging-project-in-condor-habitat/ Bernhardt #161: While Bernhardt refuses (& fears political consequences of) to release ocean drilling plan, Interior continues to process permits for seismic testing in Atlantic. Shows once more how cowardly & what a liar pudgy trophy hunter Bernhardt is. See https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/the-energy-202/2019/05/02/the-energy-202-seismic-mapping-in-atlantic-could-still-pose-trouble-for-republicans-on-campaign-trail/5cc9e0e51ad2e506550b2ede/?utm_term=.12f9a4bf103e&wpisrc=nl_green&wpmm=1 Bernhardt #160: Bernhardt’s hires Deputy Secretary, Katharine MacGregor. She qualified for the job by “canceling a Nat. Acad. Sciences review of mountaintop-removing mining” proving that she is Bernhardt’s type of administrator. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/05/01/stories/1060253765 Bernhardt #159: Interior to downlist species despite science showing threatened. Doug Domenech & Susan Combs, both top officials but formerly with Texas Public Policy Fdtn. that opposes End. Species Act & protections for the species. The protections “delay or restrict” oil-gas dev., the only priority that Bernhardt Interior cares about. See details at https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/05/01/stories/1060252887 Bernhardt #158: Reorganization of Interior: They admit there “no quantifiable benefits”—only excuse is “closer proximity to stakeholders!” Who are stakeholders of national parks, monuments, & wildlife refuges? U.S. public—not tiny group of politicos heading western states & their industry friends! Bernhardt commissioned “3 assessments” that MAY be available in September—Note: They will be available AFTER Interior tries to get $ spent on it & ONLY if they are positive. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/05/01/stories/1060248175 Bernhardt #157: Bernhardt is eliminating funding for Landscape Conser. Cooperatives that have helped Native American & other communities on projects. It is part of Bernhardt’s overall plan to eliminate conservation from Interior so that it can better serve its primary goal: energy dominance. See https://www.ucsusa.org/center-science-and-democracy/attacks-on-science/trump-administration-has-undermined-nationwide?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=tw Bernhardt #156: House NR Committee Grijalva is trying to get Bernhardt to testify before the committee—Davy refused two previous requests! Davy doesn’t want to answer tough questions like his drilling plan for coastal U.S. & his justification for spending big bucks on reorg. After all, he has made energy industry so happy they are laughing—what more does he need to do? See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/04/30/stories/1060242951 Bernhardt #155: Bernhardt is going to have to replace Brian Steed, BLM’s top official, who left to head Utah’s Dept. Nat. Res. Steed is famous for paper that argues “conservation can negatively affect communities.” Utah’s Farm Bureau praised him for being “very accommodating.” Great fit with Utah politicos who loved taking back land from monuments. Bernhardt will assiduously find someone who is accommodating to industry as Steed. Major qualification: No interest whatsoever in conservation! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/04/30/stories/1060247011 Bernhardt #154: Bernhardt provides B_____T to FOIA! Not only has Bernhardt failed to provide documents to justify Grand-Escalante Monument but the pages provided have tons of same documents “repeated many times” to make it look like they are providing a lot. Who’s surprised that Opaque Bernhardt is unresponsive to FOIA—he wants to cut it! The only ones he “accounts to” are his buddies in the energy industry. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/04/29/stories/1060241119 Bernhardt #153: Bernhardt wants to spend BIG dollars on moving to western states but can’t provide justification. While he cuts dollars for conservation, he wants to spend big buck on reorg. With no purpose other than turn over public lands to western states & industry to do as they please. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/04/29/stories/1060235909 Bernhardt #152: Bernhardt pushes ONLY fossil fuel energies on public lands! Dems are trying to broaden but Davy opposed—only approved 2 solar projects in 2 years. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/04/29/stories/1060235935 Bernhardt #151: Bernhardt Interior nominees love to help energy industry such as allowing “unintentional killing” of migratory birds by companies to undermine Intl. Migration Treaty. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/04/29/stories/1060224373 Bernhardt #150: Bernhardt’s BLM tried to allow motorized vehicles around Steens Mountain in Oregon. The Courts ruled that they failed to explain “good reasons for this new policy.” Real reason? Davy likes to promote access by motorized vehicles & ORVs to any public land—wilderness without roads is not to be allowed under him! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/04/26/stories/1060223269 Bernhardt #149: Confirmation of the real reason why Bernhardt delaying oil drilling plan: He & Trump are cowards afraid of reaction of coastal states. Will wait until after election to do the harm. See https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-25/trump-said-to-push-offshore-oil-expansion-to-after-2020-election Bernhardt #148: Bernhardt to give “relief” to oil-gas industry by ignoring safety rules for blowouts. The new rules “closely match the oil industry own standards,” which helps make industry happy—Bernhardt’s top priority for Interior. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/04/26/stories/1060211207 Bernhardt #147: As predicted yesterday (see #146 below), cowardly Bernhardt has postponed ocean drilling plan—excuse is court ruling on Arctic but main issue is Trump’s reelection. He doesn’t dare hurt Trump even for his energy buddies. However, soon after November 2020 election, Bernhardt will then bravely announce widespread ocean drilling plan. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/04/25/stories/1060218639 Bernhardt #146: Judge overrules Bernhardt’s Interior giveaway to oil-gas-coal industry that allowed it to dodge full compensation for harm done to communities. Obama had put rule into effect but Bernhardt-Zinke abolished it to help industry profits. Will Davy appeal this? Seems like it would not be good politics for 2020 election! See https://www.hcn.org/articles/energy-and-industry-judge-orders-industries-to-pay-for-public-land-extraction?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email Bernhardt #145: Bernhardt once again shows he believes in public input—if it’s by energy-welfare rancher industries. His New Advisory Committee for Bears Ears is loaded with people who welcomed cutback & lacking in conservationists & Native Americans who make up the majority in the area. For details on this outrage, see https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/04/25/stories/1060217961 Bernhardt #144: Bernhardt may be dragged kicking & screaming into protection of giraffes? Trophy hunter Davy who just bragged about action on trafficking has had to be sued by environmentalists to protect endangered giraffes. His intl. wildlife council made up of Safari Club types will not be happy! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/04/25/stories/1060217683 Bernhardt #143: Mr. Non-Transparency Davy Bernhardt doesn't want to provide information on one of his former clients, Garrison Diversion District, about his violation of ethics. His defense: Interior had already cleared him on this! Let’s see the record & let us, not his energy lackey appointees, judge! See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/04/24/stories/1060212773 Bernhardt #142: Bernhardt protects Viet Nam lizards but he & his Intl Wildlife Council allow importation of elephant, lion, giraffe & other big game trophies. Trophy hunter Bernhardt willing to stop trafficking—unless it’s big game. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/04/24/stories/1060211917 & https://www.nrdc.org/court-battles/natural-resources-defense-council-v-r-zinke-et-international-wildlife-conservation Bernhardt #141: Congress confirms Bernhardt & then Inspector General looks into his unethical deeds for lobbyists by him & 6 other staff! Makes sense, doesn’t it? Why put off confirmation of someone when he can continue to do more favors for his former lobby partners! This is Bernhardt’s plan to revise ethics for the dept: Have inappropriate meetings to test surveillance capabilities of IG! See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/04/23/stories/1060206845 Bernhardt #140: Bernhardt is confirmed & pledges allegiance to big oil. He will ensure a “culture of compliance” with their clients: Energy Industry, Welfare Ranching, & Trophy Hunters. See photo of this mighty trophy hunter: https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/04/23/stories/1060205963 Bernhardt #139: Bernhardt & Decline in Wolf Numbers: Recent reports show that wolf numbers in Yellowstone Park are down to less than half their peak mark in the park. This poses a threat because Bernhardt wants to cut ESA protections & hand over decisions to states—many of whom want to keep MINIMUM # required to avoid relisting and are aching to increase wolf takes to reduce competition for big game & just because of plain hatred of this species. See Bernhardt #90 below for documentation of this point. With weakening of ESA protections & handover to states, wolves are threatened by Bernhardt—a trophy hunter who views wolves as competitor. The dominance of trophy hunters in Bernhardt’s Interior is anomalous because the vast majority of public especially those who visit Yellowstone & other western parks & refuges, want to see Live Wolves! It’s time for Congress to step in & question Davy about protecting species like wolves. See http://www.powelltribune.com/stories/wolf-numbers-in-yellowstone-park-decline,18572 Bernhardt #138: The only protections against Bernhardt-Trump & environment disaster are Federal judges and science. There have been some important rulings against them concerning moratorium on coal mining on public lands and oil-gas drilling in Arctic. However, these wins are fragile—Trump is nominating & McConnell’s Senate are confirming judges who will be more than happy to sacrifice public lands & oceans to energy industry. See https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/19/climate/court-trump-coal-mining-setback.html Bernhardt #137: Bernhardt’s Dilemma: Energy Chums vs. Welfare Sheep Herders! It must be excruciating for poor Davy! His only “conservation” interest is to provide access to big game trophy hunters & he has tried to set aside a few tiny areas to do that. But Wyoming’s public land welfare sheep herders don’t want to have even these tiny corridors preserved so he has withheld action on them! Most of U.S. population enjoy non-consumptive watching of wildlife but they are totally ignored by Bernhardt whose latest nominee to head U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has no background in conservation—she specializes in Monsanto! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/04/19/stories/1060183047 https://www.dcreport.org/2019/01/09/polluters-friend-poised-to-take-the-reins-of-fish-and-wildlife-service/https://departmentofinfluence.org/person/aurelia-skipwith/ Bernhardt #136: Bernhardt nominates another industry lackey to head USFWS! Aurelia Skipwith is former Monsanto employee. She has no history of working for wildlife conservation-she has been entirely devoted to agricultural-pesticide industries. Whatever happened to the idea that USFWS head should be a wildlife professional? What the hell do any professionals in USFWS think about this—or have they all left? See https://www.dcreport.org/2019/01/09/polluters-friend-poised-to-take-the-reins-of-fish-and-wildlife-service/ https://departmentofinfluence.org/person/aurelia-skipwith/ Bernhardt #135: Bernhardt, Master of Delaying Politically Sensitive Reports! Recently released emails show that Zinke Interior officials considered delaying report on monument over fear that it could undermine Trump cutbacks but some staff insisted on releasing report anyway. By way of contrast, Bernhardt’s has successfully resisted releasing his ocean drilling report because it could have threatened his confirmation since even Republican states are opposed to the drilling. Bernhardt once again proves he’s the master of sneaky, underhanded politics. It should shame senators who voted for this phony. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/04/19/stories/1060183169 Bernhardt #134: Bernhardt’s BLM “fights wildfires” by allowing convicted arsonists, the Hammonds, to ranch on Malheur National Wildlife Refuge! The claim to use welfare ranching to fight fire is ridiculous. U.S. GAO studies proved that the quality of public rangelands has been terribly harmed, not helped, by ranching. BLM now trying to use fear of wildfires to push for more ranching on public lands, reversing attempts to improve quality of habitat! See https://www.gao.gov/products/CED-77-88 https://www.gao.gov/assets/140/138981.pdf For full documentation of the harmful effects of public lands ranching, See book by Lynn Jacobs. (1991). Waste of the West Bernhardt #133: Bernhard’s all out energy dominance fixation means that protection of sacred sites such as near the Chaco Culture National Park must be sacrificed to his energy industry friends. Other than small attempts to help trophy hunters, conservation has vanished as priority. See https://www.denverpost.com/2019/04/13/oil-gas-development-chaco-culture-national-park/ Bernhardt #132: Bernhardt has cut the budget of all of the conservation-related agencies in Interior & shown total indifference to protecting species such as USFWS ignoring protection of threatened species. He is ignoring the “backlog” in species listings—the only delays that Bernhardt cares about are delays in allowing the energy industry to exploit public lands & oceans. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/04/17/stories/1060174891 Bernhardt #131: Bernhardt, supposed smart administrator has 8 “quasi-officials” in charges of its bureaus that manage more than 450 million acres of public lands! Interior is in this dubious position because Bernhardt appoints unqualified people who will have trouble getting Senate approval—one more reason why his confirmation was a HUGE mistake. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/04/17/stories/1060174219 Bernhardt 130: Trump brags about lifting ban near Boundary Waters: Bernhardt’s Forest Service halted study of mining ban so mining can go forward. This is the guy that Whit Fosburgh of Teddy Roosevelt Conservation Consortium (& others like Ducks Unlimited) supported. Great choice—if you prefer Energy Dominance to Conservation. https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/04/16/stories/1060169863 Bernhardt #129: Wyoming seeks to have THE PRIMARY role in National Environmental Act reviews! This is in accordance with Bernhardt’s vision for Interior—turn over decisions to states. Wyoming’s decisionmaking is dominated by state lawmakers who are ranchers like Albert Sommers whose cattle graze on Federal lands. Guess what priorities he's going to put first when it’s a question of his cattle versus wildlife like grizzlies or wolves? He’s angry that his plans to graze on Federal lands belonging to ALL Americans have been "hobbled"! See https://www.wyofile.com/experts-question-wyo-quest-to-run-feds-environmental-reviews/ Bernhardt #128: Bernhardt’s Defense: His involvement in Westlands project involved interests of larger group—not just Westlands! Does this make sense? So, he can help Westlands as long as its bad effects are broad?! This is the guy redoing Interior Ethics! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/04/16/stories/1060169731 Bernhardt #127: IG NOW opens Bernhardt investigation AFTER he already has been confirmed! Demonstrates Idiocy of Senate confirmation demonstrated—confirm before inquiry & before Ocean drilling! Shame to Senators who confirmed this industry lackey. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/04/16/stories/1060169731 Bernhardt #126: The detailed-oriented Bernhardt says he wasn’t aware of meetings on Migratory Bird Treaty between Interior officials & Intl Petroleum Asso. that cut protections for birds until "he read about it in the news"! One more reason why he should not have been confirmed—it would suggest he is incompetent, though of course, no one really believes this liar about this statement. Furthermore, he’s looking for “technology” to solve Interior’s ethics problems! The MAJOR ethical problem is that Bernhardt & all the others making decisions are all past employees/lobbyists for the industry. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/04/15/stories/1060165373 Bernhardt #125: Bernhardt’s looking for an “ethics app” to help with ethical problems in Interior!!! Here is the algorithm for app that Interior needs: Hire somebody who has not been employed by the Energy or Rancher industries. Would make for huge improvement in the quality of its staff and its decisionmaking! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/04/12/stories/1060155917 Bernhardt #124: Dems are trying to provide more money for FOIA “transparency.”!!! Don’t they know that Bernhardt abhors transparency?! Wonder what the Opaque Davy Bernhardt will do with this money? Probably use it for travel to his former lobby partners but hide this use describing it vaguely as “internal” or “external” activity! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/04/12/stories/1060154807 Bernhardt #123: Bernhardt officially becomes Worst Secretary of Interior Ever. Previously, Ryan Zinke held this dishonor with 224 documented reasons why he was the worst. But Bernhardt was Zinke’s Deputy & thus major “accomplisher” of this misdeeds & since he has been serving as temp, he accumulated 122 Documented actions against conservation. This is a day that will live in infamy for conservationists. All of these Senators who voted for him, especially the Democrats & Angus King, will be called to account for his new attacks on Conservation, public lands, and oceans. Bernhardt #123: Bernhardt officially becomes Worst Secretary of Interior Ever. Previously, Ryan Zinke held this dishonor with 224 documented reasons why he was the worst. But Bernhardt was Zinke’s Deputy & thus major “accomplisher” of this misdeeds & since he has been serving as temp, he accumulated 122 Documented actions against conservation. This is a day that will live in infamy for conservationists. All of these Senators who voted for him, especially the Democrats & Angus King, will be called to account for his new attacks on Conservation, public lands, and oceans. Bernhardt #122: On day on which Bernhardt appears likely to be confirmed, several good new examples of why he is unfit for the job occurred: Bernhardt cuts Interior budget but spends big $ on reorg. Without any details! Reorganization was announced in 2019 but still no info! One more reason why Bernhardt’s unfit to be Secretary. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/04/11/stories/1060154287 Berhardt, mover behind monument cuts & no input from Native Americans on them, provides garbled documents to House Committee. He provided 100 pages of undecipherable documents. As with his poor documentation of his calendar, Bernhardt who is supposed to be Great Administrator focusing on small details, somehow can’t provide information that would reveal his ethical misdeeds. He is a sneaky, untrustworthy lackey of energy industry & not qualified to be Secretary. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/04/11/stories/1060153133 Bernhardt only likes to get input from industry & is trying to systematically limit public input on leasing and drilling. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) led 13 senators in a letter to Bernhardt seeking clarity on what they called his decision to "systemically limit public input" on proposals to open more public lands for oil and gas leasing. One more reason why Bernhardt will be a disaster as Secretary of Interior. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/04/10/stories/1060152723 Heinrich votes for Bernhardt: Admits that he’s an “industry guy” but he “returns my phone calls” so he votes for him. He asked Bernhardt for stop on drilling near Chico Canyon but didn’t get clear answer from him. Scott & Rubio of Florida voted for him but never got any clear response on ocean drilling. All of these Senators will reap their just disappointments because if Trump & industry demand drilling, Bernhardt, the “industry man” as Heinrich acknowledged, will do their bidding gladly. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/04/11/stories/1060153357 Bernhardt #121: Lying Davy Bernhardt’s Non-Transparent Calendars: Interior furnished documents on Davy’s missing schedules but review by CQ Roll Call found "at least 260 differences from Bernhardt's original schedules, with the newest records showing meetings previously described as 'external' or 'internal' were actually with representatives of fossil fuel, timber, mining and other industries." Read the double talk by Interior to explain why his meeting with former clients did not violate his recusals--Bull____! This is a guy who is trying to rewrite his record of ethical violations! Who trusts this guy? Senators voting for him with expectations that he will deliver on offshore drilling & other promises deserve the betrayals they will reap! See https://www.rollcall.com/news/congress/bernhardt-schedules-undisclosed-contacts-industry & https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/04/09/stories/1060151047 Bernhardt #120: Bernhardt vs the Truth: Spring 2019 issue of Audubon Magazine tells how Interior report on Alaska fuel production that falsely claimed that it would stop foreign countries from using their own reserves! Yet, they used this analysis to approve the project. This is one more example that Bernhardt will stop at no lie to help his lobby pals while harming the environment. See https://www.audubon.org/magazine/spring-2019/how-us-agencies-are-fudging-numbers-environmental Bernhardt #119: Bernhardt versus Science: he cancelled a National Academy of Science study to be made of the effects of mountain top removal on health of those in areas around them. At time, Bernhardt said it as canceled due to internal review but there is NO EVIDENCE of such a review! One more lie from coal-oil lackey Bernhardt who doesn’t give a damn about illness if it’s caused by his favorite industries! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/04/04/stories/1060142483 Bernhardt #118: Bernhardt cut NPS budget by Half-Billion including 2/3 cuts in historic preservation programs—Bernhardt’s NPA dir. admitted that they had NOT consulted with tribes. Bernhardt & NPS oppose new parks for U.S. So, what does this all mean? It is standard operating procedure for Bernhardt who only cares about ENERGY dominance—he is saying we don’t need funding for parks unless its from drilling-mining & we don’t need new parks despite growing population! Sen. Angus King—this is a guy who is opposed to major function of the agency he is supposed to head so vote against the creep! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/04/04/stories/1060142243 Bernhardt #117: Bernhardt’ BLM deputy Director Steed announced Melhoff will be taking over Colorado BLM office. Qualifications for Melhoff? Steed says he’s a “fourth generation mining, farming, and ranching family." Yes, ONE MORE INDUSTRY LACKEY in top Interior position. Steed himself, like Bernhardt, is known for opposition to Grand Escalante & other “wilderness areas because they hurt economic growth” (Note: they don’t—just the opposite!). Interior has ALL of their top posts occupied by INDUSTRY lackeys—no exceptions! Once again we understand why Industry is gleefully laughing about their “access” (actually should be CONTROL) to (of) Interior. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/04/04/stories/1060143423 Bernhardt #116: An invoice shows that Bernhardt lobbied for client after he said he had ended his activities. His defense—it was “mislabeled” & he only attended meeting but didn’t lobby! What a phony! Will Angus King & Martin Heinrich vote for this unreliable crook? Why confirm this creep until his offshore drilling plan is released & these ethical issues are resolved. He’s already said he’s given assurance to King that Maine is off limits. Of course, Zinke said Florida was off-limits but it turns out it isn’t. There is NO REASON OR EXCUSE for any Democrat or Republican with slightest hope for Conservation credentials to vote NOW on his confirmation. Doing so should assure that they will be contested by a more conservation-minded candidate either in their primary or the general election. See https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/04/climate/david-bernhardt-interior-lobbying.html?emc=edit_th_190405&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=103654190405 & https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/04/05/stories/1060144137 Bernhardt #115: One more proof that Bernhardt IS the SWAMP! Somebody should ask Trump about why “revolving” door in Interior is WORSE than ever before! Bernhardt’s old lobbying (Yes, he is a lobbyist first & foremost!) firm (Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck) has quadrupled its business since he took charge. With all of the unanswered questions about him, there is NO EXCUSE for not delaying his confirmation vote. See https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2019/04/03/firm-that-once-employed-trumps-pick-run-interior-is-making-millions-lobbying-it/?utm_term=.c038442d2dc7 Bernhardt #114: Manchin & Murkowski: Approve Bernhardt & Combs because they have “Plenty of experience!” Yes, they have experience giving energy industry all they want so much so they are laughing about the Dept! Let’s have Manchin or Murkowski give examples of how Bernhardt & Combs have supported conservation! Of course, neither Senator gives a damn about that—only they see are $ for their favorite industry! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/04/04/stories/1060143459 Bernhardt #113: Bernhardt pushes ethics reform!!s—his solution? An “ethics app!” Better solution: Don’t put people in charge who have clear conflicts of interest with Department’s business like Bernhardt & ALL of his staff like Combs & Jorjani. This industry lackey should not be approved until the many ethical questions surrounding his tenure are thoroughly studied as Sen. Wyden has said. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/04/03/stories/1060141877 Bernhardt #112: Jorjani is Bernhardt’s kind of lawyer—no wonder he wants him to be Solicitor for Interior! Jorjani’s chief “credits” for his Interior work includes his killing of protections for migrating birds and allowing mining near Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness! Just like Bernhardt, Jorjani can’t do too much for energy & too little for conservation. Neither of them deserve to serve! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/04/02/stories/1060140301 Bernhardt #111: Bernhardt Loves Trophy Hunters--U.S. public doesn't: Bernhardt says Land & Water Conservation bill was approved because it had some clauses that would improve access of hunters to public lands. (Note: the high approval had nothing to do with access for hunters—this was the first major conservation initiative in the last couple of years and it was not initiated by the Trump Administration—the support was for steps such as CREATING NEW MONUMENTS. He is under the delusion that trophy hunting is popular and, of course, himself is a trophy hunter. His few tiny conservation efforts have been to provide corridors for big game hunters. Survey data shows CONCLUSIVELY that the general public DISAPPROVES of trophy hunting. Stephen Kellert, the major authority of attitudes of public towards wildlife issues conducted a NATIONAL survey based on personal interviews with over 3100 persons that matched well with the population of the U.S. He found the following results for support of hunting: 85% approved hunting for meat (22% strongly). But hunting for a trophy such as horns or a mounted animal was approved by only 18 percent (Only 2 percent strongly approved trophy hunting). By way of contrast, 80 percent disapproved of trophy hunting, 44 percent of them strongly disapproving. In short, the U.S. general public does not like or approve of trophy hunting. Someone please inform mighty trophy hunter Davy Bernhardt of this reality as is indicated by the reaction of Americans (and the World) to stories about the American dentist killing Cecil the lion in Africa & resignation of Idaho wildlife commissioner who photographed his "trophy:" killed baboon family. Yet Bernhardt's Intl Wildlife Council is loaded with Safari Club types! The results are taken from: Stephen R. Kellert. Public Attitudes Towards Critical Wildlife and Natural Habitat Issues. Phase One. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. #024-010-00-623-4, 1979. p. 105 & Table 45, p. 106. Note: The survey was conducted in 1978-79 when hunters constituted a much larger proportion of the population than they do now so, if anything, the results would be expected to be even more lopsided against trophy hunting. See https://www.apnews.com/1a6728f219f941fdb05ba356e8e64ad5 & https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_Cecil_the_lion Bernhardt #110: Bernhardt wants to hand Nat. Evmnt. Protection Act (NEPA) over to states just as he also wants to do with Endangered Species Act. He wants Wyoming to be primary reviewer to “speed NEPA process.” So Wyoming pols will decide where & what will be drilled or mined, what species will be killed on public lands, what types of development will occur, etc. Despite overwhelming evidence that the general population of western states cares about the environment, their state politics are dominated by energy industry and rancher-farmers. This is the NATIONAL Environmental Protect Act we are talking about! Do we want Utah politicians like Gary Herbert, Rob Bishop, & Mike Lee making decisions about NATIONAL parks, monuments, and lands in Utah? Note that Zinke & now Bernhardt want to locate Interior offices in western states confirming their idea that western public lands are the property of Western energy-ranching industry politicos and don’t belong to the broader U.S. public that pays the majority of U.S. taxes! It’s time to reject Bernhardt & save public lands and environment. For Bernhardt’s idiotic & dangerous proposal, see https://www.wyofile.com/wyo-bernhardt-eye-state-primacy-on-environmental-reviews/ Bernhardt #109: Trump’s Order to Open Arctic Waters to Oil Drilling Was Unlawful, Federal Judge Finds. One more example of how the only obstacle standing between Trump, Bernhardt, energy industry & pollution of unique waters & public lands are the courts. Let’s hope the Yahoos on the Supreme Court don’t mess this up. See https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/30/climate/trump-oil-drilling-arctic.html Bernhardt #108: Article describes Bernhardt’s war on wildlife—leading charge to weaken End Species Act & making decisions that harm threatened species like American eel, Delta smelt, San Joaquin Fox, Gray Wolf, Porcupine Caribou, Sage Grouse, & Migrating Birds, etc. This is guy Teddy Roosevelt. Conservation Consortium & Whit Fosburgh supports! Disgraceful! See https://medium.com/westwise/david-bernhardts-war-on-wildlife-105860cfef2b Bernhardt #107: Federal Court saves Alaskan Refuge—they invalidated the land-swap deal that Bernhardt is trying push thru for road. Goes to show that Bernhardt-Interior are enemies of conservation & wildlife—Only courts stand between public lands being covered with road & wells. But warning: McConnell busy pushing through Republican conservative judges, so next time decision may be different. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/03/29/stories/1060134445 Bernhardt #106: Senators should also ask what staff Bernhardt has hired whose PRIMARY background & commitment is to CONSERVATION rather than energy dominance, welfare ranching, or trophy hunting! See below for discussion of his hiring of one after another industry lackeys such as #96, #92, and #57 for his staff. Bernhardt #105: Bernhardt’s confirmation should be delayed until thorough investigations done of his role in delaying pesticide study, unethical work on Westlands, & efforts to hide meetings & detailed calendars. There is no reason to rush person with such ethical questions hanging over him. See below #92 where he hired pesticide industry consultant for his staff-no wonder he hid the study! See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/03/29/stories/1060134379 Bernhardt #104: Bernhardt’s own Interior Budget zeroed out funding for LCW tho Bernhardt claims that he’s “A true believer” in it! Wow, what courage from this pudgy trophy hunter—he couldn’t stand up for program he “truly believes in.” Phony!!! See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/03/28/stories/1060132835 Bernhardt #103: Opaque Non-Transparent Bernhardt suppressed USFWS report on harm done by pesticide chlorpyrifos—1400 species are threatened by the poison. Bernhardt reviewed the report & then prevented it from being released. This is just the latest in Bernhardt’s non-transparency—cutting FOIA, hiding his calendars, & cutting time for public comments on controversial projects. He proves once again he is not worthy of public service much less being Secretary of Interior. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/03/27/stories/1060129821 Bernhardt 102: Bernhardt should not be confirmed until his detailed calendars are available for the many months where he hid meeting with industry & until details of his unethical work for Westlands. They are dragging their feet on FOIA until this industry creep is confirmed. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/03/25/stories/1060128091 Bernhardt #101: Bernhardt claims “robust clearing process” for conflicts of interest. That’s why Industry can’t believe how the great time they are now having with Interior & Davy: “We know him very well, and we have direct access to him, have conversations with him about issues ranging from federal land access to endangered species, to a lot of issues.” Too bad opaque Bernhardt won’t let us find out about these great conversations he’s having with them! “Oil executives were…giddy at the prospect of high-level executive branch access of the sort they hadn’t enjoyed..” Bernhardt has repaid industry many times over, rescinding rules on fracking, methane gas release, compensatory mitigation, protections for migratory birds, etc. For more details of how energy industry is laughing at how great Bernhardt & Interior are treating them, see https://www.hcn.org/articles/department-of-interior-oil-industry-execs-marvel-at-their-access-to-interior-department?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email Bernhardt #100: Trump issued order to promote free speech & transparency on campuses at the same time Bernhardt & Trump ban mention of climate change or dissension from Energy Dominance priority by Interior staff or on their websites. Freedom is okay on campuses but not in Interior & other Trump agencies. Bernhardt, it should be noted, is FAMED for his LACK OF TRANSPARENCY—that’s one of the reasons Trump nominated him! See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/03/21/stories/1060127895 Bernhardt #99: Bernhardt signs secretarial order promoting access for 4% of population that hunt. He kept migration for BIG GAME on hold because welfare sheep ranchers in Wy object! As hunter pop. continues to drop despite large $ spent by states to recruit them, Bernhardt-Trump continue to toady more & more to them. Indeed, they are the only “outdoor” constituency Bernhardt cares about. Trump lackeys like Whit Forsburgh praised the move tho he didn’t mention the hold on BIG GAME—typical lack of courage by this head of Teddy Roosevelt-named conservation organization. See following story that has photo of pudgy Bernhardt with his kill: https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/03/21/stories/1060127891 Bernhardt #98: Interior Asst Sec of Land &Minerals, Joe Balash, another oil industry lackey of Bernhardt’s, said he was “thrilled that Trump distracted media/public from attention to his permitting ocean drilling permits—he concluded Trump’s style “made it easier to execute energy dominance agenda.” Bernhardt, Mr. Untransparent, also loves Trump for this. Two phonies in love with Trump’s Butt! But it brings up a serious issue: Major mass media do not pay due attention to what Trump is doing to the environment. I watch & generally enjoy Lester Holt & NBC but their coverage is shallow to nonexistent of environment. They pay EXTRAORDINARY attention to Weather Events. Indeed, if I ever meet Lester Holt, I will say, “Yes, I know you—you announce for the Weather Channel!” Liberal-leaning news such as MSNBC are ALL about Trump’s latest tweets & exemplify what Balash is saying—they virtually ignore environmental issues. See https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2019/03/16/trump-administration-opens-millions-new-acres-drilling-thats-just-start/?utm_term=.525a01eb4c32&wpisrc=nl_green&wpmm=1 & https://departmentofinfluence.org/person/joseph-joe-balash/ Bernhardt #97: Bernhardt-Interior pay 291 Million for coal cleanup on money from coal company fund but slashes funds from Treasury’s own budget. Just as with conservation, cleaning up the mess left by “energy dominance” is slight of hand trick by Oily Bernhardt. Of course, much of the devastation by oil-gas-coal are uncovered by the Feds—see #95 below. Pretty soon, Interior will have no budget of its own—it will all come from funds derived from drilling. For Bernhardt budget tricks, see https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/03/20/stories/1060127763 Bernhardt #96: Brief but revealing account of Rep. Cummings interviewing Rachel Spector, the Interior Department’s new Acting Deputy Chief FOIA Officer—shows she is in no hurry to find out if the Opaque One, Davy Bernhardt, modified and/or deleted his previous calendars. Bernhardt sure knows how to pick staff—who look the other way like Spector! See https://medium.com/westwise/track-changes-what-david-bernhardt-really-wanted-to-say-about-his-calendar-d06f472de27b Bernhardt #95: As Bernhardt covers the West with new mines, citizens should read article that shows that continuing pollution from these mines contaminates the environment of these states and so-called “reclamation bonds” fail to cover the costs or are not resorted to until the company is bankrupt thus leaving the cleanup to citizens. Energy Dominance becomes Energy Pollution! See https://www.hcn.org/articles/climate-desk-mining-companies-pollute-western-waters-citizen-pay-for-the-clean-up?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email Bernhardt #94: Bernhardt-Trump want to spend more $ on offshore drilling from Interior Dept Budget even as its overall funding was cut 14%--especially Conservation $. We know their priorities. The top priority of environmentalists should be to get rid of Bernhardt & then Trump. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/03/18/stories/1060127557 Bernhardt #93: Bernhardt recently bragged about devoting more $ to trafficking of wildlife but his new budget makes major cuts to Multinational Conservation Fund, USAID Biodiversity Prog, & Global Environment Facility (GEF) that fight trafficking. As with LWCF fund, phony Bernhardt gives with one hand & takes away with other. See https://secure.wcs.org/campaign/tell-congress-hold-line-tigers-elephants-turtles-and-more?ms=M_EML_ADV_01_F02_appropriations_alert_fy20-update&af=JAUukyc0K0XpLq4BdNdrSbVRPm4vW1XrFmzN2ZAxMRcYJ4uemtQavjXxE9eeFAjKVluFBr%2FHc6U%2Bmbtjz%2F2GNdb5cWGIWuEv0uMc5mD%2Bjs2F6xLH%2F%2BM4Gu8cFY6DaxvjPcIyS2fAHvCBvTL3qf83v1dQ83PB0yCWz%2FFXya6DuCJpkI1LlhSwFiQAcf16xJke&utm_content=2019-3-18_wild-act-update-law&utm_medium=email&utm_source=WCS-EmailCampaign&utm_campaign=owned Bernhardt #92: U.S. Gen. Accountability Office (GAO) has found that Interior needs to strengthen its ethics procedures. No wonder given Bernhardt’s ethical conflicts! So who does Bernhardt put in charge of t this? Scott Cameron—political appointee who has lobbied for pesticide, Shell Oil, and Shale companies! Fox guarding the henhouse! What else do you expect from Interior that has ALL of its top staff from industries! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/03/18/stories/1060127537 & https://departmentofinfluence.org/person/scott-cameron/ Bernhardt #91: Analysis shows that oil and gas companies with ties to Acting Interior Secretary David Bernhardt own 20.4 percent of all federal oil and gas leases that overlap with sage-grouse habitat across five Western states. How can this walking swamp creature be Secretary of Interior? Furthermore, he has hired underlings who are all tied to industry. https://medium.com/westwise/analysis-bernhardt-linked-oil-and-gas-companies-own-more-than-20-percent-of-all-oil-and-gas-47f5c3b5ba90 Bernhardt #90: Bernhardt Hands Wolves over to States so they can kill them. Facts are clear: States only avoid killing wolves due to fear of Feds relisting. E.G., Wyoming’s 2017 goal was to reduce wolf pop. By 50 wolves—just enough to avoid relisting. Top priority of USFWS such as Margaret Everson, UFWS dep. dirctor & formerly of Ducks Unlimited Hunting group, is to make hunters happy—she kept Wildlife Refuges (a misnomer under the Bernhardt-Everson Admin.!) open during the government shutdown to keep hunters happy. Bernhardt is also actively seeking to weaken the ESA so that states make all the decisions about all species, getting rid of them if they hurt the profits of ranchers, farmers, developers, and energy industry. See Wyoming Gray Wolf Monitoring and Management 2017 Annual Report. Accessed 2/21/19 from https://wgfd.wyo.gov/WGFD/media/content/PDF/Wildlife/Large%20Carnivore/2017-Wyoming-Wolf-Annual-Report_FINAL_2018-04-10.pdf p. 14-16 Bernhardt #89: Bernhardt’s Office of Inspector General did not reveal BLM directed to exclude coal-lease areas from revised Grand Escalante monument despite priceless dinosaur remains in it—One more Example of Hiding of Information by sneaky, opaque Bernhardt & why he’s not worthy of confirmation. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/03/14/stories/1060127237 Bernhardt #88: Bernhardt’s own Chief Interior FOIA Officer doesn’t know anything about Bernhardt’s calendar being deleted—she has “Some Familiarity” with the issue! This lackey hid all of his communications with industry & now trying to hide his hiding! This sneaky fraudster is NOT worthy of confirmation! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/03/14/stories/1060127267 Bernhardt #87: Bipartisan Environmental Legislation & Cautions for Conservationists. Congress has been congratulating itself for passing “bipartisan” environmental legislation funding the Land & Water Conservation Act. The Act does have some important positive contributions to expanding monuments and providing funds for possible acquisition of more public lands. However, it also has some negative consequences. Interior continues to cut their own operating budget for conservation including protection of species & public lands relying instead totally on revenues from oil-gas-coal leases on public lands & oceans. In many cases, these lands may be perfect for such activity because they are devoid of important habitat & don’t affect parks-monuments and other valuable and sensitive lands-oceans. But the Bernhardt-Trump Admin. has shown that they are willing to exploit lands & oceans that have very harmful effects on important habitat as well as putting them near important parks and other valuable places such as the Boundary Waters, Grand Canyon, & many others. Does this legislation place any restrictions on such exploitation? Given Bernhardt & ALL of his staff are lackeys of the oil-gas-coal-ranching industries, it is a deal with the Devil. Those interested in conservation need to push for limits on leasing on these lands and oceans. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/03/11/stories/1060126879 Bernhardt #86: Zinke-Bernhardt’s Interior hid positive comments on impacts of Grand Escalante such as scientific discoveries & no reduced grazing on public land due to monument. Another example of opaqueness & lying by Bernhardt’s Interior. Interior just hired new PR person—she’s worked for Rep. Steve King & Fox News—thus she's well-equipped to lie for Bernhardt. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/03/12/stories/1060127109 https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/03/13/stories/1060127183 Bernhardt #85: Bernhard’s new budget cuts billions—less than last year’s budget but highlights spending on drilling, law enforcement, & reorganizing dept. Cuts money for new land-habitat. No wonder that Congress including Repubs scoff at his budget! How can this loser who Congress ignores be confirmed? See details at https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/03/11/stories/1060126951 & https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/03/11/stories/1060126971 Bernhardt #84: Bernhardt, model of opaqueness, had BLM’s report on proposed drilling in ANWR hide criticisms by scientists. One more example of how sneaky Bernhardt opposite transparent, cuts FOIA, comment times for controversial projects, hides communications with lobbyists. For details of hiding ANWR report, see https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/03/12/stories/1060127067 Bernhardt #83: NYT reported that Trump's budget "targeted the Interior Department for a 14 percent decrease, dropping its overall budget to $12.5 billion." Bet sycophantic Davy protested about this, right? Ha, he begged for more cuts in conservation & then kissed Trump's butt! See https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/11/us/politics/trump-budget.html?emc=edit_th_190312&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=103654190312 ernhardt #82: See the account by Wyoming resident & volunteer on how Bernhardt is destroying previous agreement to protect sage grouse habitat in the state’s “Golden Triangle” area. He doesn’t listen to local input—unless by energy companies! See https://www.wyofile.com/defend-wyomings-homegrown-grouse-plan-from-federal-meddling/ Bernhardt #81: Trump’s latest budget contains big cuts for environmental programs. But we can rest assured that Davy Bernhardt, Acting Secretary of Interior, will defend the environment & conservation—right!!!???? No, Bernhardt’s idea of conservation program is building target ranges for gun enthusiasts on public lands and building roads through forests to make access to big game easier for hunters! Other than for guns enthusiasts & trophy hunters, he has not shown the slightest interest in conservation. Let’s hope the Democrats & a few (there are only a few) conservation-minded Republicans will rectify these harmful cuts. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/03/11/stories/1060126889 Bernhardt #80: Evidence shows Bernhardt rushed to take water from Northern California to help his former lobby partners and wealthy farmers. No confirmation until your ethical misdeeds are investigated! See https://www.kqed.org/science/1938750/trump-pressure-on-california-water-plan-excludes-public-rushes-science-emails-show#nws=mcnewsletter Bernhardt #79: Bernhardt versus Endangered Species Act: He is pushing several measures that would destroy the protections it offers: allow cost benefit analysis to extinguish species (this is Bernhardt's idea of "balance"), eliminate other rules that protect threatened species, & allow destruction of critical habitat under another rule change. For excellent article summarizing these harmful proposals, see https://medium.com/wild-without-end/death-by-one-thousand-cuts-how-the-trump-administration-is-using-rulemaking-to-kill-the-endangered-a0af8689d9de Bernhardt #78: Analysis of Interior 2019 budget shows he cut budget for conservation-habitat programs by 60 Million, & even cut Land & Water Conservation from its own operating budget (oil-gas-lease funds separate). Despite bragging about big game corridors. Overall Interior's leasing is affecting millions of acres of corridors—far more than tiny areas protected. Once again, shows Bernhardt shows that he is a big liar, & his idea of “balance” is to weight oil-gas-coal 99% versus 1% for conservation See https://medium.com/westwise/will-acting-interior-secretary-david-bernhardt-put-some-money-where-his-mouth-is-16a0ea330c5b Bernhardt #77: Bernhardt orders fast cut to Northern Ca. water to please agric.-water lobbies. Will do with less transparency, scientist scrutiny. This will endanger salmon & other species. One more reason to reject this lobbyist! Everyday brings more anti-conservation measures! See https://www.kqed.org/science/1938750/trump-pressure-on-california-water-plan-excludes-public-rushes-science-emails-show#nws=mcnewsletter Bernhardt #76: A preview of what will happen if ANWR is drilled—Alaska has had to order the shutting & plugging of 14 wells that leaked and contaminated Prudhoe Bay. Climate change has cause leaking permafrost that helped cause the problem. Bernhardt will proceed anyway—he is owned lock, stock, & BARREL by oil industry. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/03/07/stories/1060123399 Bernhardt #75: Bernhardt’s Bureau of Ocean Management would not give any guarantees on protecting states from offshore drilling. The Senate should give no guarantees on confirming Bernhardt. Even better, they should ask Trump to withdraw this oil lackey nomination! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/03/07/stories/1060123385 Bernhardt #74: A Bill in the House proposes to spend more to hire more scientists & professionals with expertise in botany. Great idea since revenues devoted to conservation & endangered species way down in Trump Ad. But sad—Bernhardt only cares about Big Game Species & hates anything associated with science—after all, he is a climate and science denier. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/03/06/stories/1060123309 Bernhardt #73: Bernhardt’s Kowtowing Once Again to Trophy Hunters/Welfare Ranchers: He wants to hand over protections of wolves handing to states. As shown in #72, states such as Wyoming & Idaho are “protecting” wolves to avoid relisting under ESA. Without protection from Feds, people like Butch Otter, Governor of Idaho who sent hunters into Frank Church Wildlife refuge to kill wolves & would be glad to render them extinct again. The craziness behind this decision is that vast majority of public support wolf expansion as proven by surveys & comments to states and USFWS. Proof: revenues from viewing them FAR EXCEED costs to livestock/hunting revenues lost (see proof in #72 below). But small numbers of farmers & hunters totally dominate policy in these states. Ask anyone who has visited parks where wolves & grizzlies exist—visitors want to SEE them—ALIVE far more than any other animals or sites. Bernhardt #72: Bernhardt lifts protections for wolves to make trophy hunters happy—they don’t want competition. Western state wildlife departments current goal (example: Wyoming’s) is to keep their numbers just at the level required so as not to be listed under ESA. Bernhardt is also trying to weaken ESA, handing off decisions to state departments. The funny thing is that surveys throughout Western states consistently show big majorities favor wolves (and grizzlies). Wolves & other predators are worth far more alive than dead! Example: Alaska, which has the most wolves: Revenues from hunting: .5 Billion, Revenues from Wildlife Viewing: 2.5 Billion! Source: Alaska Office of Management & Budget. So what will happen to wolves & grizzlies! Sorry to see you go! See https://www.omb.alaska.gov//html/performance/details.html?p=63#td9256 Bernhardt #71: Bernhardt-Zinke One Claim to Wildlife Conservation Also Flawed: The only area related to conservation that Bernhardt-Zinke showed any interest in & took action on concerns corridors for Big Game animals such as elk, pronghorn, and mule deer. They did set aside some small areas free from leasing & bragged about this to their trophy hunter followers. However, the real story is that their feverish lease of lands throughout the West overwhelms the small areas they have protected and thus there will be fewer of these game animals. For example, they are making huge cuts in protected habitat for sage grouse which also helps ungulates and other wildlife. When this happens, who will they blame? No doubt about: wolves and grizzlies! See story on Wyoming feeble attempts to provide game animal corridors. https://www.wyofile.com/game-and-fish-proposes-new-migration-corridor-protections/ & https://www.wyofile.com/blm-leases-23k-acres-in-sage-grouse-golden-triangle/ Bernhardt #70: Real Story on Guns on Public Lands. Bernhardt has claimed overwhelming support by the public for guns on public lands because overwhelming votes for the recent Land Conservation Bill. Of course, like all Bernhardt statements, this is a total lie. The support for the bill was primarily due to conservation measures unrelated to guns such as expanding or creating new monuments. Only NRA gun types were focused on the expansion of guns on public lands and there is no doubt that if the public voted on this part of the bill, it would have failed. There is overwhelming data that the percentage of Americans hunting has fallen steadily so that it is a small minority of the U.S. population. By way of contrast, the percentage of people WATCHING wildlife has grown. Dollars spent on hunting: 26 Billion, Dollars spent on Watching wildlife: 76 Billion. Revenues from sales of guns-ammo etc. have dropped precipitously—the source of Federal funds for State wildlife departments. Monies from duck stamps and sales of licenses at the state level have also consistently fallen compared with inflation. All of these facts are well-documented by the US Fish & Wildlife Service. It shows that reliance on hunting-guns-ammo is a dead end for funding of conservation of wildlife. Yet, what do state wildlife departments do in response to this decline? They spend more time & dollars trying to recruit more hunters! See https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2018/demo/fhw-16-nat.html https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/visualizations/2016/demo/fhw16-qkfact.pdf https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/stories/1060060027/ \Bernhardt #69: Hey Bernhardt: GOP Senators reject your FOIA changes too! Turns out they don’t believe in Interior being the Department of Opaqueness either! Hope they question you on this in your hearing! Also, please ask this oil lobbyist about his other anti-transparency moves such as cutting time for public comments and hiding his detailed calendar! See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/03/05/stories/1060123191 Bernhardt #68: More on Bernhardt’s Vision for BLM: Like Zinke, Bernhardt’s vision for Interior & BLM is exemplified by the “vision cards” BLM employees are required to wear exhibit an Oil Rig and Grazing on Public Lands! BLM’s “official” logo shows a tree, river, and mountain—not to Zinke-Bernhardt’s liking—too much conservation oriented! Interior-BLM employees also now refer to their constituencies as “stakeholders” and “customers”—not the public! See https://yubanet.com/usa/blm-employees-ordered-to-wear-propaganda-badges/ Bernhardt #67: The House Nat. Resources Com. is going to question Interior officials on offshore drilling, their priorities during shutdown, and water safety. Bad News for Davy Bernhardt who never saw a shore he didn’t want to drill. He loves shutdowns as long as he can continue to support energy industry drilling in ANWR, offshore U.S. etc. This is a chance for Dems to seek out Republican colleagues to get rid of oil lackey Bernhardt! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/03/04/stories/1060122841 Bernhardt #66: Hey, Bernhardt, Watch out! Even a few Republicans are interested in conservation! Some Rep. senators & reps. created the “Roosevelt Conservation Caucus.” They might have a vision of Interior different from Davy’s—his is energy dominance, making public lands safe for trophy hunters & lead shot-gear, roads through wilderness for logging & hunter-poachers, drilling land and ocean regardless if near parks, monuments, and areas with sensitive ecology, voiding laws that protect threatened species but hinder development or annoy people (e.g., wolves). You obviously don’t know about Teddy Roosevelt but he once was President of the U.S. and was the foremost conservationist President ever and CREATED monuments and the Antiquities Act that allow them. He also tried to preserve species from development—not sacrifice them to development. Let’s hope these Republicans join with Democrats to dump you—you do not deserve to be Secretary of Interior—you are the Anti-Teddy Roosevelt! See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/03/04/stories/1060122847 Bernhardt #65: Bernhardt misused used Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Fund (FLREA) in order to keep parks open during shutdown to help Trump and despite threats to parks safety and quality. One more reason why Bernhardt should never even be considered for Secretary of Interior—he has manipulated his office for politics and energy lobby neglecting the environment and conservation. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/03/01/stories/1060122837 Bernhardt #64: Minnesota & other Dems: Grill Jorjani & Bernhardt on decision to allow mining near Boundary Waters. Obama Admin. had denied but Jorjani, nominee Interior nominee to be solicitor, wants to allow. This, like uranium mining near Grand Canyon, shows Bernhardt-Jorjani priorities—none of which involve conservation of public lands and wildlife. (Note: Jorjani reinterpreted International Bird Migration Treaty to cut protections for birds -see #57 below) Jorjani is well-qualified to work as a lawyer--for Exxon, not for Interior! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/03/01/stories/1060122817 #63: Coalition to get rid of Bernhardt: South Carolina & 9 other states on U.S. coast are fighting Bernhardt’s plan to drill offshore. This is chance for senators, not just Democrats, to kill Bernhardt nomination! Grill this pudgy moon-faced lackey about this at his nomination hearing! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/03/01/stories/1060122809 Bernhardt #62: A federal judge ruled that your BLM intentionally and “purposefully circumvented public participation” so much so that they tried to prevent “any contemporaneous public involvement” in decisions about oil-gas leases on public lands. Now Interior & BLM continue to try to limit public input via cutting time for input & preventing FOIA inquiries. One more example of why Bernhardt is totally unfit to be Secretary of Interior. See https://www.hcn.org/articles/bureau-of-land-management-oil-and-gas-leasing-delayed-in-sage-grouse-habitat?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email Bernhardt #61: Another oil lackey appointed to key Interior positions: Chad Padgett named to head BLM Alaska, handpicked by Balash, Asst Sec Land & Minerals, who has sponsored oil gas tax breaks and development of ANWR. Padgett is also aide to Don Young, major opponent of ESA & favor drilling ANWR. Once again, Bernhardt appoints energy industry who, like him, are their lackeys. There is NO BALANCE whatsoever in Bernhardt & Trump’s Interior Department. They are a disgrace to the party of Teddy Roosevelt. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/02/27/stories/1060122581 & https://departmentofinfluence.org/person/joseph-joe-balash/ Bernhardt #60: Scientists state that warming due to climate change is having a harmful impact on seas and fisheries. What is Bernhardt going to do in order to counter these bad effects? https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/02/28/stories/1060122615 Bernhardt #59: What are Bernhardt’s views on compensatory mitigation? Does he believe it is justified? In other words, should private developers -- oil and gas drillers, miners, or construction companies -- to offset the known impacts of their development activities? Or does he, like Zinke, view this as “extortion?” See https://medium.com/westwise/whats-interior-secretary-zinke-s-beef-with-compensatory-mitigation-d910873cac60 Bernhardt #58: Bernhardt’s USFWS is trying to getting rid of the “blanket 4(d) rule that gives threatened and endangered species protection. This was proposed by Greg Sheehan, Deputy Director of USFWS! What kind of “conservationist” would be placed in this position? He is a member of the Safari Club, as head of Utah agency he opposed introduction of wolves into Utah, he opposed ban on import of elephant trophies—indeed overrode Trump’s position on this(!), he helped Petroleum Asso. delay ESA listing of an endangered species in Texas & supports weakening ESA by eliminating deadlines & giving more power to states to avoid listing. In other words, like Bernhardt, he is a gun-loving creep whose ONLY interest in wildlife is providing game trophies for his hunting buddies. Like Bernhardt, he is totally unfit to be in his job. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/02/26/stories/1060122449 & https://departmentofinfluence.org/person/greg-sheehan/ Bernhardt #57: Bernhardt nominates another Koch Brothers lackey as Interior’s Solicitor: Nominee Jorjani weakened Migratory Bird Treaty, against compensatory mitigation by industries, allowed mining near Boundary Waters, trying to cut FOIA, tried to get Zinke’s wife travel compensated for. His main qualification: He worked for Koch Institute and Koch Foundation. Once again, Bernhardt has staff who all are energy industry lackeys. His talk of “balance” is a joke. It proves once again he is totally unfit to be Secretary of Interior. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/02/27/stories/1060122571 Bernhardt #56: Bernhardt tried to cut the public comment period for controversial BLM leases to energy from 30 to 10 days—another example of Bernhardt’s non-transparency policy. He likes input--from his energy industry pals, no one else. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/02/25/stories/1060122371 Bernhardt #55: Energy Leases over Sage Grouse: Bernhardt's BLM is trying to speed a lease of critical grouse lek areas in Wyoming. Once again, he places energy dominance above all else—his idea of a ”balanced approach” which means to him give energy all the land and oceans they want and let conservation have the remainder. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/02/25/stories/1060122371 Bernhardt #54: Bernhardt’s Park Service is planning to cut training for Park Rangers to save money. In an agency that is first & foremost about energy dominance, this makes sense!It also demonstrates why we need to give Bernhardt the boot! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/02/25/stories/1060122339 Bernhardt #53: Questions for Senators & Representatives to Ask Bernhardt: (1) Should offshore drilling be done off of states that don’t want it? (2) Should full protection be Restored to Migrating Birds under the International Migratory Bird Treaty? (3) Should the Endangered Species Act be kept strong so that species are not threatened by cost benefit analysis? (4) Should lead bullets and gear be allowed in National Parks and Wildlife Refuges? (5) Should welfare ranchers like Bundy be allowed to graze public lands without paying dues? (6) Should monuments be cut by a President? (7) Should full FOIA access be allowed so as to provide transparency and accountability? Should full details of his and other Interior staff be provided on ALL of their communications with external organizations including phone, email, as well as direct meetings? (8) What kind of ethical principles should be established for Interior employees who are involved in decision-making related to former employers? (9) Why are Bernhardt’s top staff dominated by energy and ranching interests? (10) How can balance be restored to decisions about international wildlife trade given the dominance of self-interested groups like the Safari Club on Interior’s International Wildlife Council? (11) Does Bernhardt favor keeping Confederate general statues in public parks? (12) Why should guns be allowed in National Parks and wildlife refuges—what is their primary purpose—support of hunters or conservation? (13) What is the primary purpose of Interior and public lands—energy dominance or conservation of natural resources? (14) What protection should be provided to protected areas and endangered species on the U.S. southern border? (15) What is Bernhardt’s position on the impact of climate change on U.S. natural resources such as forests-& what SCIENTIFIC evidence does he have to defend this position? (16) In making decisions about endangered species, what should be the most important factors—science or cost benefit analysis? (17) In making decisions on matters involving conservation of public lands, what factors should be most important such as public comments, comments from private interest groups, or local and state politicians? In particular, what were the DETERMINING factors in the decisions to cut back Grand Escalante and Bears Ears Monuments? (18) What justification does he have for keeping parks open despite the shutdown when there is strong evidence that this was harmful to the parks? (19) When are welfare ranchers going to pay the full costs of the harm done by their grazing public lands when this grazing is unproductive and would not survive without Federal handouts? (20) How long should temporary directors be in charge of Interior agencies without Senate approval? (21) What defense does he have for drilling ANWR when BLM’s own analysis shows that there will be permanent harm to wildlife and environment of the area & the world is afloat in oil? Bernhart #52: There is more evidence that Bernhardt is trying to destroy the Endangered Species Act. He worked for a right-wing outfit named CESAR that brings suits that either attacks endangered species listings or cases that will make it difficult for the ESA. This outfit is also closely associated with Westlands organization which Bernhardt lobbies for and for which he now faces ethical scrutiny for assisting them while working for Interior. Just one more proof that Bernhardt is opposed to the conservation function of Interior—one of its major purposes and thus is unfit to be Secretary. https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/02/22/stories/1060122205 Bernhardt #51: Will Bernhardt Reverse plan for drilling along U.S. coasts which every governor on the East Coast opposes? Or will his “balanced” approach once again favor Energy Dominance over any other concerns? See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/02/20/stories/1060121647 Bernhardt #50: Bernhardt Kisses Trump’s Ass & backs Wall despite previously Interior warnings that it would harm endangered species & monuments and wildlife refuges. This is an example of what Davy calls a “balanced approach.” He also, of course, gushes about Trump’s planned Military Parade to be run by Interior’s Park Service which most military leaders oppose. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/02/21/stories/1060121751 Bernhardt #49: Bernhardt whose International Wildlife Council favors policies that encourage killing of elephants & polar bears, now is taking aim on killing whales & dolphins due to seismic tests done by oil-gas companies. Killing them was important enough for Bernhardt to keep Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to keep working during the shutdown to speed permits for seismic activity. See https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2019/02/20/groups-ask-court-block-tests-that-could-harm-imperiled-atlantic-whales/?utm_term=.a417a38c8906&wpisrc=nl_green&wpmm=1 Bernhardt #48: Bernhardt just visited M.L. King’s home which begs the question from this lobbyist: Does he, like Zinke, support Confederate statues in public parks and locations? Let’s ask this creep this question & see if he gives a straight answer. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/02/19/stories/1060121389 Bernhardt #47: Bernhardt, whose only “conservation support” comes from hunter groups, was raised appropriately in Rifle CO. See photo of pudgy Bernhardt with his dead trophy. Like Zinke, his ONLY interest in wildlife-public lands is hunting for trophies. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/02/20/stories/1060121623 Bernhardt #46: Like their boss, other Interior officials are in trouble for violating ethics rules communicating with former employers about official matters. Evidence against them came from their calendars—no wonder Bernhardt wants to keep info on his meetings vague & hidden. https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/02/20/stories/1060121627 Bernhardt #45: Davy Bernhardt is trying to cut FOIA requests when his & other lobbyists staffing of Interior jobs with all kinds of conflicts of interests make it necessary for MORE FOIA, not less. This is just part of his push for opaqueness. It also includes short time periods for comments on controversial projects and his refusal to detail his activities and communications for accountability. For an example of the need for accountability for this sneaky lobbyist, start with his handout to Westlands. See https://medium.com/westwise/david-bernhardt-delivers-favor-for-major-former-client-a46fcb9827a1 Bernhardt #44: Bernhardt has the support of Trophy Hunters. Ducks Unlimited CEO Dale Hall said he is a “champion of conservation” & Whit Fosburgh of the TEDDY ROOSEVELT Conservation Partnership, the Boone & Crockett Club, the National Wild Turkey Federation, Guns.com, the NRA, & the National Shooting Sports Foundation strongly support him. Maybe they can explain how this guy who is leading the attack on Endangered Species Act, cut protections under the Bird Migration Treaty, cut monuments & champions “Energy Dominance” as the top priority of Interior is a “champion of conservation"???!!! Total Bull___! However, it does make sense—Bernhardt has followed Zinke in that his SOLE actions involving any sort of conservation have been to protect trophy big game—saving some small patches of land for their migration. He like Zinke is gung ho in opening all national wildlife refuges and parks to guns and he loves lead ammo & gears. In my book, Wildlife Politics (Cambridge University Press, Ch. 10 devoted to hunting) I found several instances where hunters have joined with conservation forces to win important victories for conservation & not just those involving game species. But it now is becoming clear that in the major hunter organizations above, their sole concern is with their guns, trophies & maintaining their ability to say they are friends with the Secretary of the Interior. They do not care about non-game species, the cutbacks in monuments, nor Bernhard’s devotion to drilling public lands for energy dominance. It is a disgraceful, narrow, selfish, and cowardly stance on their part. See https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2019/02/david-bernhardts-nomination-interior-secretary-quickly-criticized https://www.guns.com/news/2019/02/05/gun-conservation-groups-support-nomination-of-david-bernhardt-as-interior-boss http://www.nwtf.org/about/state-news/nwtf-pleased-bernhardt-nomination-doi-role Bernhardt #43: Bill Scolds Interior for Non-transparency. It gives NOAA 5.4 billion but criticizes it for ignoring their requests for information. Bernhardt-Trump don’t like hearing about science and climate change. They only listen to their sponsors—the energy industry. https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/02/14/stories/1060121097 Bernhardt #42: Bernhardt, Secretary of the Department of Opaqueness is now beginning to get some questions from the House concerning his non-transparency. Recent bipartisan legislation gave 14 million for Zinke’s “reorganization” but requires that “transparency must be an essential element” to Congress as well as “robust communications” with Tribes. Bernhardt like Zinke has only listened to state-local politicos interested in benefitting from drilling & they hide their communications vigorously. They totally ignored the huge majority of comments & input from groups concerned with the environment, heeding only those who want to profit from public lands. Unfortunately, given Bernhardt’s sneakiness, not only Congress but investigative reporters will have to act to provide such accountability. In my view, the whole reorganization is a waste of time (like most government reorganizations)—its main purpose is to try to hand over policies on public lands & endangered species to state & local interests where monetary selfishness will override any idealistic concern with preserving species & the environment for future generations. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/02/14/stories/1060121097 Bernhardt #41: The recent bipartisan border legislation protected several sensitive lands. One would think that Interior’s Fish & Wildlife Service would speak up for such actions but, if there are any conservation-minded professionals left, they are mute. Bernhardt-Zinke-Trump have made one after another attacks on conservation & wildlife, & there has been NOT EVEN AN UTTERANCE of disagreement from the agency supposedly prioritizing conservation & wildlife. Consequently, if any protections for wildlife are to exist, they must come from Congress and particularly the House—one encouraging sign is that committees & subcommittees concerning with public lands & conservation have added some Democrats whose are interested in conservation as a priority—not energy dominance the sole concern of Republicans on these committees. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/02/15/stories/1060121183 Bernhardt #40: Bernhardt’s Interior plans to use “active management” of forests, they say, “supported by best available science.” Funny, best available science says that climate change is a significant factor but energy industry lackey Bernhardt doesn’t believe in climate change or science—His only criterion for policy is whether it will advance the interests of his lobby partners. Interior also plans to give “categorical exclusions from Nat. Evmnt. Protection Act—once again, the environment, conservation & wildlife have NO PRIORITY with Bernhardt’s Interior. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/02/13/stories/1060120485 Bernhardt #39: Bernhardt violated ethical rules by a policy favoring his former client, Westlands, by initiating actions to weaken protections for delta smelt, His defense???: a subservient Interior “ethics(less) official” approved his action because his lobbying concerned a broad bill that INCLUDED the action against the delta smelt. Somehow the ethics(less) official & Bernhardt think this allows his ethical violation! Moreover, there is no written record of Bernhardt having been given this okay. It’s time for this corrupt lobbyist & violator of ethical rules to be given the boot! See https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/12/climate/david-bernhardt-endangered-species.html Bernhardt #38: Bernhardt not only ignores science, he avoids scientific study of the harmful effects of the coal industry’s removal of mountaintops. He cancelled a scientific study for no good reason as attested to by Interior’s Inspector General. Interior's judge of research projects is now done by a political hack. Like Zinke, he also continues to ignore & banish proof by scientific studies that climate change is a major threat to public lands, oceans, and forest fires—mention of climate change has been removed from the Department’s website. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/02/12/stories/1060120287 Bernhardt #37: Bernhardt can also show “balance” he is now promising to compensate for the 2 years of unremittingly UNBALANCED favors he & Zinke have done for energy & ranching industries by the following actions: (1) Take a stand in FAVOR of keeping the strong Endangered Species Act as is & now weakening via cost/benefit analysis or handing over decisions to states; (2) Reverse the cuts made to National Monuments; (3) Reverse BLM’s decision not to require developers/industry to compensate for mitigation costs; (4) Keep lead bullets/gear out of national parks/wildlife reserves; (5) Reverse the decision to drill offshore. (6) Reverse decision to drill ANWR. These steps would allow conservationists to have some faith in Bernhardt but I am not holding my breath. Indeed, if the industry lobbyist lackey Bernhardt is approved as full-time Secretary, I have no doubt that he will add to the list of wrongs Interior is doing to conservation & wildlife. Bernhardt #36: Bernhardt is now worried about “balance questions” in his upcoming confirmation hearings so he TEMPORARILY exempts Chaco Nat. Park parcels from upcoming lease. Once confirmed, he will hand it over to his lobby friends. Other than small migration routes for trophy wildlife, when has Bernhardt ever sacrificed industry interests for conservation? Make him PERMANENTLY protect Chaco & other park-monuments threatened by industry. Also, Please, Whit Fosburgh provide us a list of the cases in which Bernhardt has taken side of conservation over interests of industry! Oh, I know he will be happy to put up buildings, sidewalks, stores etc. in parks—he likes infrastructure that pave over natural landscapes! We have a huge list (see #33 below) of when he has favored industry over conservation. See the liar’s words at https://www.wsj.com/articles/interior-secretary-nominee-says-he-will-balance-energy-environment-11549634400?mod=searchresults&page=1&pos=1 Bernhardt #35: Democrats need to do more than just get his calendar—need to get not only the details of his meetings—he often refuses to provide details. Also, need to find out his “communications” with the multitude of his former lobbyist partner companies—grill him under oath on what lobbyist friends he has communicated with by phone, computer, or any other means. This guy hides everything and only threat of prosecution will influence him to reveal the truth. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/02/08/stories/1060120071 Bernhardt #34: Bernhardt’s “advisers” are as bad as he is. Susan Combs, his “Policy Adviser,” tried to kill ESA protections for Texas warbler when she was Texas Comptroller—a position that evidence & Interior’s own agency & the Courts have contradicted. Combs, a rancher-oil-lobbyist friend is one of Bernhardt’s staff who makes decisions when Bernhardt “recuses himself” from his many conflict of interests. Shows that the entire top hierarchy of Interior needs to be cleaned out & that his recusals are meaningless. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/02/08/stories/1060120063 Bernhardt #33: Bernhardt Recusal Mean Nothing: His energy industry lackeys approve projects for his lobby friends anyway. Analysis shows that Interior undertook 19 actions for 16 of his former lobbyist partners. There is no way that someone who has to check a card to see if he has conflicts of interest because he has so many! Trump wants to get rid of the Swamp? Then start with Bernhardt! See https://medium.com/westwise/everything-you-need-to-know-david-bernhardt-trump-interior-secretary-27761ed0f512 Bernhardt #32: BLM has postponed seismic testing in ANWR during winter but insists it will go on with it later but it will be “less-rigorous environmental analysis” rather than a full Environmental Impact Study on the seismic testing request.” Just one more proof that Bernhardt cares only about energy companies—the public & conservation be damned. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/02/07/stories/1060119943 Bernhardt #31: Time to prosecute Cliven Bundy for non-payment of fees for welfare ranching on public lands. Bernhardt claims to have “balanced approach” but so far has only made decisions favoring oil-gas-coal industry & welfare ranchers. Why should Bundy get away with non-payment? Put up or shut up about "balance." Bernhardt #30: Bernhardt’s BLM rushes to Lease Public lands & Ignores threats: They got tiny $ for land next to Petrified National Forest, land near Canyonlands National Park, & Chaco National Historic Park. They are rushing to sell leases at low rates, cutting time for public comment, with NO PLANS to protect critical areas. The only concession they have made is tiny area for mule deer migration to help trophy hunters. And they are trying to cut FOIA requirements so their handouts to Bernhardt’s energy owners can’t be detected. So much for Bernhardt’s bull___ about “balanced use of public lands.” See https://www.eenews.net/stories/1060099219 & https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/02/07/stories/1060119933 Reasons why David Bernhardt is even worse for the Department of Interior than Ryan Zinke Bernhardt #29: Bernhardt previous decisions were almost all anti-conservation: He allowed exclusion of End. Species habitat, allowed removal wolves from protection, opened more public lands for mining. Once he did hold that the ESA barred import of polar bear trophies but now he is leading the charge to destroy ESA. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/02/06/stories/1060119807 Bernhardt #28: The Bernhardt Nomination: Bernhardt promises for 1 year not to participate in decisions concerning the many oil industry firms he has lobbied for. But that means that his staff, who are ALL either former energy/ranching employees will make the decisions & give Bernhardt's former clients what they want. Also, Trump in his SOTU speech only mentioned Interior once to brag about energy dominance. Similarly, Bernhardt, like Zinke, has NEVER discussed conservation other than preserving big game for trophy hunters including his statement on his nomination by Trump. He is perfectly qualified to be the lackey of energy industry but he has Zero qualifications to conserve the environment & wildlife--MAJOR portions of Interior's Mission. In other words, he has NO business being Secretary of the Interior. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/02/05/stories/1060119679 & https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/02/06/stories/1060119769 Bernhardt #27: Big laugh-Bernhardt goes on “ethics offensive” by naming new ethics officials. This from a man who routinely makes decisions benefiting former employers, hides his communications, & is trying to cut FOIA accountability. Like all of his appointees, they will undoubtedly be from energy-ranching-trophy hunting industries. They can start their job by investigating him for violating Fed. Lands Rec Act misuse of park fees used for operations during shutdown than improving service and for extending temporary appointees illegally-see #25 below. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/02/04/stories/1060119413 & https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/02/04/stories/1060119563 Bernhardt #26: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is holding more meetings to collect “comments’ on a plan to expand oil development in ANWR. However, though their analysis showed many enduring harmful impacts that this development will have on wildlife & the environment, they have already decided that they sell oil leases for this land to oil companies. They want to maximize profits to energy companies that have employed many of Interior Staff such as Sec. Bernhardt. They also want to despoil the land before another Admin. takes over—so it will no longer have the cachet of being “pristine.” In other words, their "public comment" information gathering is pure "baloney" (feel free to substitute your own characterization for this!) See https://www.arctictoday.com/with-us-government-shutdown-over-path-cleared-for-hearings-on-arctic-oil-development/ Bernhardt #25: One Temp Extending Temps: This is illegal! ACTING Interior Sec. David Bernhardt is extending the jobs of Deputy Solicitor Jorjani, Deputy Director of BLM, & Susan Combs Asst. Sec. for Policy, Management, & Budget. These extensions violate the Federal Vacancies Reform Act which prohibits keeping staff for extended periods of time who have not been approved by the Senate. So, what’s the defense of ACTING Sec. Bernhardt? He says that the individuals aren't assigned the formal title of acting director and instead merely act "with the authority of directors." Talk about Distinctions without a Difference!!! It is particularly egregious because it is one temp (Bernhardt) that is illegally extending other temps! This is totally phony BULL____ & should be taken to the courts. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/01/31/stories/1060119173 Utah Politicians: Want to undermine more monuments. Sen. Mike Lee will not support Land and Water Conservation Fund (that has lapsed under Trump-Zinke-Bernhardt Administration) unless a clause is added that require congressional approval of new land designations in Utah. Such a clause already exists for Alaska & Wyoming. Just think if such approvals were required since Teddy R! There would have been strong oil-gas-coal-rancher opposition not only to most monuments but to many of the National parks, and, as has been shown time and again, these strong selfish-interest organizations dominate and defeat measures that have the support of the vast public but, because these interests are more idealistic & not selfish, lose out to the concentrated power of Congressional institutions such as Congressional committees & now the entire leadership of the Interior Department that are now TOTALLY dominated by selfish industry interests. Indeed, surveys clearly show that a majority of Utahans themselves support conservation of public lands & monuments over energy production (61% to 26%) but they lose out to Utah politicos who are firmly in the pockets of energy-ranching interests. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/02/01/stories/1060119237 & https://www.coloradocollege.edu/other/stateoftherockies/documents/2019%20Powerpoint%20State%20of%20the%20Rockies%20d2b.pdf Bernhardt #24: An analysis by the Center for Western Priorities finds that 71 offshore drilling permits were approved during the shutdown were for companies that were former clients of Bernhardt who also represented drilling group against Deepwater Horizon spills. In short, Bernhardt IS the SWAMP! Let’s get rid of this "Acting Lackey" of energy industry! See https://medium.com/westwise/interior-approved-drilling-permits-for-bernhardt-linked-companies-during-shutdown-2dab70197ec0 Bernhardt #23: Bernhardt just extended Acting Interior top appointees to stay in jobs despite violating rules of Federal Vacancies Act. Who does Bernhardt demand be kept? Principal Deputy Solicitor Danie Jorjani is a former Koch Brothers “key employee” who has advised energy companies on their investments. BLM’s Deputy Director for Policy and Programs Brian Steed has published studies on public lands alleging that wilderness areas “impose costs on local economies” & reduced economic growth and he has pushed for oil & coal development in Grand Escalante National Park. Public lands, monuments, wildlife conservation—the Bernhardt-Trump Interior philosophy: Billions for energy companies, drilling for public lands, wildlife reserves, and oceans. For documentation, see https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2019/01/30/interior-department-is-running-mainly-without-senate-confirmed-leaders-it-just-opted-keep-it-that-way/?utm_term=.372205c661a6 Department of Conservation: Why we need it! The Trump-Zinke-Bernhardt Department of Interior has relegated conservation to bottom of the barrel. They have pushed energy dominance as their top goal, and their other priorities are Welfare Ranchers on Public Lands, trophy hunters, & wealthy development corporations. Concern about conservation & wildlife is non-existent—when have Bernhardt-Zinke pushed conservation-wildlife priorities? Never! That is why there needs to be a new Department committed first & foremost to Conservation. Though a Democratic presidency would help to moderate some of the worst aspects of the current situation, institutional forces will continue to mean that conservative Republicans & Dems. (e.g., Manchin) will flock to key committees & prevent any major conservation efforts (see below comment on Murkowski et al for details on this point). How Institutionalism Allows Western GOP states to dominate Interior Decisions: One just has to look at Lisa Murkowski & other Alaskan politicians to see how they flock to Committees (e.g., Energy and Natural Resources& Interior-Environment Appropriations in Senate) that allow pro-energy forces to get their way & drill ANWR & offshore & other anti-conservation moves. This explains why despite the fact that the U.S. public that prioritizes conservation over “energy dominance,” environment & wildlife forces have been on losing side of so many battles. In the House, anti-Endangered Species Act Don Young has dominant authority on House Committee on Resources. There are some hopeful signs that new Democrats elected in midterms may have some impact in the House including several from non-Western states but with Murkowski in charge & oil lackey Bernhardt running Interior, they are rushing to despoil ANWR so that it will no longer be “pristine” by the time Trump gets kicked out of office. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/01/29/stories/1060118823 & https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/01/24/stories/1060118459 Bernhardt #22: Bernhardt cares about welfare farmers—but to hell with conservation & wildlife. He reinstated grazing permits to Hammonds who committed arson & poaching on a wildlife refuge. Why? Because Trump pardoned them! At same time, there is no evidence that anyone in Trump Admin. is trying to get WELFARE RANCHER Bundy’s to pay grazing fees on PUBLIC LANDS. This Interior Dept. has no interest or commitment to conservation & wildlife—instead focuses on drilling ANWR & Oceans, handing over monuments/public lands to energy/developers/welfare ranchers. Its conservation functions should be placed in a new Department of Conservation that prioritizes it—not energy dominance! For documentation see https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/01/29/stories/1060118899 & Ch. 3 of my book that details the outrages that the Bundy clan has gotten away with for decades—long before the standoff https://www.wildlifepolitics.org/ Bernhardt 21: Bernhardt “lavished praise” on Trump for shutting down government & “reaching a deal to end the shutdown.” Meanwhile, experts said that the “damage from the shutdown may least years. “ Is there anyone even in Trump’s Cabinet who is so full of S__T?! See https://www.wildlifepolitics.org/blog & https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/01/28/stories/1060118761 for documentation of Bernhardt’s ass-kissing & damage done to park by shutdown. Bernhardt #20: Bernhardt & Interior are trying to reduce FOIA requests arguing that they have received too many & are too burdensome. But reality is Bernhardt-Zinke actions have done numerous questionable actions that have inspired the spike. Interior wants to decide if they need to respond to FOIA! And they want to apply “higher standards” to requests from journalists or researchers! This from an agency that has abandoned science concerning climate change & now has a political hack judging grant proposals! Is it legal for Interior to cutback FOIA on its own? Doesn’t seem to make sense. This is Bernhardt Opaque Dept that tries to hide everything—they need MORE transparency, not Less! Dems have asked for delay in changes but they should look into legality. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/01/25/stories/1060118633 Bernhardt-#19: BLM has abandoned compensatory mitigation arguing that it is “extortion” and illegal. A Fordham Environmental Law Review article by Justin Pidot devastates this new policy. It shows that there is no sound legal reasoning for this change—The Federal Land Management and Policy Act clearly does support such compensation. BLM took some material from a Wyoming regional solicitor with no sound reasoning to justify radical change that is a giveway to extractive industry. The article analyzes & 4 weak arguments made for the change & shows they have no merit. It demonstrates one more time that this Dept. of Interior & all of its agencies including BLM are nothing but pawns for energy industry. It will undoubtedly be overturned in court but how much harm will it do by then? For the full paper, see https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3307226 Bernhardt #18: Forest Service: Welfare Sheep Ranchers favored over Big Horn Sheep. The Forest Service has approved grazing of Welfare Rancher Sheep on Federal lands near where Big Horn ship graze despite science that shows the sheep can spread disease to the Big Horn. This again shows the perverted priorities of Bernhardt-Trump’s Interior Dept.—after energy industry, they care about welfare ranchers on Federal land—wildlife conservation be damned. See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/01/24/stories/1060118539 Bernhardt #17: Where does Bernhardt stand on Fed. public lands giveaways? Sen. Barasso, Rob Bishop & others want to hand over public lands and/or their management entirely to states & exempt them Fed. Environment review. Where does energy industry lackey Bernhardt stand on ownership/management of public lands? At least we had a quote from Zinke that he would oppose handing over ownership to states but we now need to know Bernhardt’s position on this & environmental reviews. Time for Grijalva’s Committee to get a clear statement from opaque Bernhardt who never let’s anyone know what he is doing or who he is meeting with! For Barasso bill, see https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/01/25/stories/1060118571 ernhardt #16: What’s essential at Interior? Drilling U.S. offshore is their top priority. Interior is bringing back 40 employees to speed drilling Interior says “essential.” Previously said only 8 employees needed during shutdown but now changed to 84 mostly devoted to drilling. Bernhardt & his other energy lackey staff only care about energy companies, the environment, ocean, & public lands be damned. He is even LESS TRANSPARENT than Zinke. His single tweet was to kiss Donald Trump’s butt. Let’s get rid of this creep now! See https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/01/23/stories/1060118223 Bernhardt #15: Shutdown won’t delay most public land grazing. Bernhardt & Interior know their priorities—keep welfare ranchers grazing public lands but forget about conservation and endangered species! See https://www.capitalpress.com/ag_sectors/livestock/shutdown-won-t-delay-most-public-land-grazing/article_8e731e78-1dc3-11e9-a44b-0f38ca76a186.html Excellent article by Wash Post shows that Trump cut in Utah Monuments to spur energy dev. Is a bust, that most want to preserve monuments & associated beauty, quality of life, & associated tour dollars. A few companies that previously showed interest have done nothing & are in trouble—coal development is a pipedream. “Local input” from Utah amounted to Orrin Hatch & Rob Bishop—not ordinary citizens nor Native Americans who opposed the cutback. Utah has already benefitted from purchase by Federal govt. of land for monuments in which they gained other Federal land & lots of money. In short, the article shows the cutback was due mainly to Trump’s spite wanting to destroy what Clinton & Obama had done & in response to few Utah politicians & their energy industry sponsors. See the article at https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/national/environment/will-anyone-mine-after-grand-staircase-escalante-reduction-by-trump/?utm_term=.367dc0d00c1f Bernhardt #14: Bernhardt-Interior: use funds inappropriately for “high priority projects”—i.e., process drilling permits for Atlantic, hunting in national wildlife REFUGES (!) & keep public outrage down over park closures by illegally using monies from entrance fees & unexpended “carryover funds.” They claim to now be processing FOIA requests but that remains to be seen. They say they got approval from consulting the Office of the Solicitor at the Interior Department—but the Interior’s Inspector General’s Office is shutdown & this office is a rubber stamp for Bernhardt. The House Committee needs to hold Bernhardt & this office accountable for these actions. For documentation, see https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/01/22/stories/1060118095 & https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/01/22/stories/1060118091 Safari Club International: Killers of Threatened Species Sell Wares in Reno—Refuse to Allow Video-Camera coverage of illegal sales: The Safari Club dominates Interior’s International Wildlife Council including its Chair and 4 others of the 16 member Council. Recently, photos & videos taken by hidden cameras of Safari Club expo in Nevada showed numerous body products for sale from threatened species including elephants. The response of the Safari Club? They criticized “the unauthorized visit” by the Human Society. See details on expo at https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/01/21/stories/1060117961 & for Trump’s advisory council, see https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/01/21/stories/1060117961 Bernhardt #13: Trump-Wheeler-Bernhardt: Energy-Development First & Foremost, Dirty Water & Dirty Air, Everywhere! Trump-Wheeler’s analysis in its new rule to cut way back on protected wetlands is based on assumptions that states will continue to protect or even expand state level protections. See Greenwire’s analysis at https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/01/21/stories/1060117957 Bernhardt’s proposed exploitation of Arctic National Wildlife outlines harms to environment & wildlife--& then ignores them. See BLM’s report where they admit these points (Ch. 3). In short, Trump-Wheeler-Bernhardt choose pollution & development over clean air and clean water every chance they get. I am sure that vast majority of the public strongly disagrees with their choices. But does the public realize what is happening? No, because the media don’t focus on substance! Instead, they devote 99.444% of their attention to the latest Mueller item! Bernhardt #12: Untransparent Interior: Bernhardt stonewalling media has turned Interior into Dept of Opaqueness. Park Superintendents are not allowed to respond to media about park conditions. Only priority—try to hide info about harmful effects of shutdown—not safety, not conservation, Only Trump matters! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/01/18/stories/1060117945 BLM has refuses to release records on oil-gas exploitation of Chaco region in New Mexico & Office of Surface Mining won’t give info on decision to void rules that limit emissions of coal mines. https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/01/18/stories/1060117951 Energy Dominance Rules the Day in Senate Committee--conservation be damned! Murkowski staff names petroleum engineer & advisor to Sen. Barrasso as new staff for Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee. With Murkowski, chief instigator of drilling in Arctic in charge & top Dem. Sen. Manchin, coal & pipeline enthusiast in charge, we can be sure that conservation interests will never threaten priorities for energy dominance. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/01/18/stories/1060117853 Hunters & Energy Still Rule in House despite midterms: Anyone hoping that Dems takeover of House would affect wildlife conservation policy has got to be dismayed. Dems proposed funding for Interior would prohibit regulation of lead bullets-tackle, listing of sage grouse, & allow agriculture to pollute water even as hunters nos. dwindle as does $ from excise tax on ammunition. This show how changing demographics & public opinion don’t matter—anti-conservation forces still in control & may well be for decades despite their disappearance as significant percent of population or economy. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/01/18/stories/1060117881 Hmmh, big game hunters versus oil industry. Big Dilemma for Interior and Wyoming citizens. This would have been an excruciating decision for Zinke who liked big game (i.e., on his walls) but for Bernhardt, the oil company, lackey this is an easy choice! At least Zinke wanted at some point to be like Teddy R.--Bernhardt no way See High Country News, https://www.hcn.org/articles/wildlife-oil-and-gas-threaten-wyomings-ungulates Bernhardt #11: Interior can’t fund parks upkeep & maintenance under shutdown but calling in employees to help drilling continent shelf during shutdown. Zinke’s gone but Bernhardt worse than ever! Billions for Energy, Crap for conservation! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/01/16/stories/1060116249 Bernhardt #10: Trump-Bernhardt: Keep Parks Open-user fees supposed to be for capital improvement projects, instead used to illegally keep parks open to support Trump shutdown. Neither Trump nor Bernhardt, both lackeys of the energy industry, care one damn about parks but they know public will not tolerate their shutdown—the public cares far more about parks-monuments than “oil dominance.” So they are keeping them open albeit without needed staff. In short, hypocrites & phonies once again & forever. See https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/01/16/stories/1060115369 Bernhardt #9: Even Republican Governors reject Bernhardt-Zinke-Trump kowtowing to Energy Industry’s destruction of public lands. The midterm elections show that a dominant majority favor public lands & Bernhardt-Zinke-Trump effort to bow down to energy & abolish rules on mitigation & other destructive efforts is NOT POPULAR. See https://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1060113599?t=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eenews.net%2Fstories%2F1060113599 Democrats Way Too Low a Bar for Interior Nominations: A recent report suggests that Democrats such as Raul Grijalva (NM) Jared Huffman (Cal.) are willing to accept Rob Bishop as a replacement for Ryan Zinke & Susan Combs as assistant secretary for policy, management and budget, justifying their support by stating that “You could do worse!” Their only reason offered is that they don’t have “the legal baggage” that those who are already. Their position is totally unacceptable to anyone who cares in the least for conservation. Bishop has been a consistent proponent for undermining the Endangered Species Act & also supports turning over Federal public lands to states. Combs has a terrible record undermining species protection in Texas that I have documented in my Wildlife Politics book (Cambridge University Press, 2017, p. 55). The ONLY DIFFERENCE between them and Zinke is that they are MORE CONSISTENTLY opposed to the ESA—in other words far worse for conservation. Before his nomination. Bishop has tried to defund the National Landscape Conservation system, supports the repeal system that allow states to overturn any Act of Congress, supports cutting Monuments & Antiquities Act that enables them. In other words, while Zinke claimed (falsely) to be a T. R. Republican, Bishop is the ANTI-Teddy Roosevelt Republican. In Texas, Rancher Combs handed over ESA protections to the oil industry & fellow ranchers. Her record on conservation could hardly be worse. How these Democrats can even suggest accepting these losers as replacements at Interior is beyond me! What the hell is going on here? I looked forward to Grijalva grilling Interior & USFWS over their anti-conservation policies & now they are willing to accept far worse! Upsetting to say the least! For details of Democratic comments, see https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/01/14/stories/1060111781 Bernhardt #8: Bernhardt’s Opaque Interior: Rather than trying to be transparent, Bernhardt & Interior try to keep their stinky actions hidden & strive to achieve non-transparency. He never uses email or commits anything to writing to avoid accountability for pandering to energy industry. Now his Park Service is “muzzling” its superintendents so they don’t report on terrible conditions in parks due to shutdown. It’s time to get rid of Bernhardt, Acting Director, who is Acting to harm parks & public lands. See https://www.eenews.net/stories/1060111453 Bernhardt #7: Bernhardt & Interior Dept is now ruled by long-temporary directors who have never received Congressional approval. Reasons for the delay? They are not qualified for their jobs—Susan Combs, e.g., is opposed to the Endangered Species Act but heads policy for the Dept. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2019/01/11/stories/1060111697 Bernhardt #6: One more sneaky Bernhardt Action: Keeping Parks open despite shutdown. Bernhardt realizes that Americans value parks—not oil wells in a world overflowing with excess oil—so he keeps parks open illegally threatening safety of visitors & wildlife. Of course no public pronouncements or reasoned defense of these actions by Bernhardt or his lackeys. He is one sneaky son-of-a-____. For documentation, see https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/01/11/stories/1060111729 Bernhardt #5: Sneaky Evildoer, trying to Drill more Alaska Lands under cover: Bernhardt, Acting (hope that he never becomes permanent), found money to hold meetings to drill Alaska despite shutdown. When asked how he did this, his response was vague. One more example of the Bernhardt approach, try to sneak things by while never making anything public, keeping everything hidden. You don’t get many (actually any so far?) TWEETS from Bernhardt but you can be assured that he is working evil to Interior & public lands every day. https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2019/01/11/stories/1060111733 Utah Republicans: Federal public lands belong to Utah selfish interests—not to all Americans! Sens. Lee & Romney pushing bill to prevent new national monuments without state approval. These 2 & other State Republican leaders don’t belong to the same party as Teddy Roosevelt! In 50 years, which will we regret more—not leasing more land for oil-gas-coal or preserving lands for wildlife-conservation-& enjoyment of American public? See details of their destructive proposal at https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/01/11/stories/1060111665 Bernhardt #4: Silent Killer of Wildlife & Environment: Bernhardt, Acting head of Interior, makes no pronouncements and tweets but he & his BLM are proceeding to destroy the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. BLM did an Environmental Impact Statement that proves very harmful impacts on wildlife. For example, In Chapter 3, page 111, it summarizers impacts on terrestrial mammals—they state there would be 12 Harmful Long-term Impacts. They also cite some “beneficial impacts” such as “early snowmelt due to dust deposition (great for animals!). They study 3 harmful alternatives (B,D, &D) but also list Alternative A which is to do nothing—Alternative A is far superior in every respect! See Volume 1 at https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/projects/nepa/102555/164448/200585/Coastal_Plain_Draft_EIS_Volume_1.pdf Despite these harmful impacts BLM has documented, Bernhardt, the lackey of energy companies that he has worked for while in and out of government, wants to push forward with the most harmful options. In short, Zinke is gone but Bernhardt is here & he’s WORSE THAN ZINKE Some hope at last! With Dems taking over House, there are some positive news such as plan to review of 1872 Mining Act that prioritizes mining over other public land uses & doesn’t allow royalties be paid by hardrock mining companies. Also calls for research on effects of coal mining stopped by Trump. Of course, Senate including Dem. Manchin loom but at least some light & perhaps news media will cover the harm being done by Trump-Bernhardt at Interior . See E&E News article at https://www.eenews.net/eedaily/2019/01/08/stories/1060111181 Bernhardt #3: After Zinke: Even Less Transparency at Interior & Now allowing more Methane pollution. They proposed new rules to reject FOIA requests they view as “burdensome”—i.e. anything that restrains energy dominance & destruction of public lands-oceans. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/12/28/stories/1060110661 For info on their rolling back rules on Methane leaking that is proven to harm public health, see great New York Times article at https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/12/26/us/politics/donald-trump-environmental-regulation.html?emc=edit_th_181227&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=103654191227 Utah, Reveals Hypocrisy: Utah, the state whose politicos support destruction of monuments—prioritizes keeping National Parks open! Gov. Herbert says “we don’t like having to do it—The Federal government should be doing it.” Does this show that despite their consistent support of state-private takeover of public lands & politicians like Rob Bishop who want to destroy the Endangered Species Act (ESA), that their numbskull politicos realize that their well-being & the state’s health depends on NATIONAL PUBLIC FEDERAL conservation? No, I guess that’s expecting too much from these dopes! See Alan Blinder https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/24/us/shutdown-states-national-parks.html Post-Zinke Trump Department of Interior: Bernhardt #2: Bernhardt, Zinke’s Deputy, who now appears to be Acting Sec. of Interior, has FAR more conflicts of interest than Zinke. He had to cancel speech on water issues in Colorado because it conflicted with his previous job with a law & lobbying firm that conflicted with actions to be taken by the Colorado River District. He represented Westlands Water District that seeks to weaken ESA—a position which Bernhardt has supported—one more example of him shelling for former clients. In short, his history reveals that he is an oily, disgusting creature straight out of the swamp. He should not be Acting Secretary, much less the permanent Secretary of Interior. See https://thinkprogress.org/interior-deputys-long-career-as-a-lobbyist-creates-headaches-for-departments-ethics-officials-20c5b902b8b0/ Bernhardt #1: Why David Bernhardt, likely Acting Secretary of Interior after Zinke booting, is even worse! Zinke at least stated he was “TR Republican” & against selling public land. Bernhardt is committed to weakening (destroying) the Endangered Species Act—like Zinke he cares only about energy dominance. He’s a swampy energy lobbyist who has gone back & forth between govt. & industry and tried to sell land in Grand-Escalante monument which later had to be reversed due to public outcry. Finally, he is slippery trying to escape being caught by NEVER using email or committing any of his evil decisions to paper. In short, like Wheeler replacing Pruitt at EPA, Bernhardt is merely a sneakier, smoother evil man who will do ever more harm to conservation, wildlife, public lands and oceans. Documentation of above points: Anti-ESA at https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/at-interior-were-ready-to-bring-the-endangered-species-act-up-to-date/2018/08/09/2775cd8e-9a96-11e8-b55e-5002300ef004_story.html?utm_term=.3121b88d5c9b&wpisrc=nl_headlines&wpmm=1 Trying to sell Grand Escalante: https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/news/local/2017/08/24/las-cruces-area-leaders-decry-zinke-summary-await-organ-mountains-desert-peaks-national-monument/600042001/ His secrecy at: https://medium.com/westwise/joel-clement-interior-whistleblower-podcast-interview-db219d9a1a3a Below are 224 Reasons why Zinke deserved to be booted and why he was the Worst Secretary of Interior Ever. In his short term in office, Ryan Zinke has proven that he is the worst Secretary of Interior ever—far worse even than James Watts. He is undermining wildlife conservation—almost every day he takes some action that harms wildlife and those trying to preserve it. This terrible record has been achieved in just a few months and, unfortunately, he will be making additional attacks on wildlife conservation references supporting each point. Each new day brings more Zinke attacks on wildlife conservation & the environment so I am adding the most recent ones to the top of this list: Reason 224: Zinke’s friends, Trophy hunters & NRA are appealing protections for grizzlies near Yellowstone Park—same area where they recently killed daughter of renowned wolf. It’s time for majority (surveys show this is fact) to reject this tiny but powerful pressure group. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/12/14/stories/1060109727 Reason 223: Zinke’s BLM to sell public land important to conservation to company that that harmed it without permission. Their logic? Since the company destroyed the public land, it is “difficult and uneconomic to manage.” Think about that—Zinke is willing to allow lease public lands to companies for exploitation & wans to do the same to ANWR. Then he uses the destruction of the quality of the pristine habitat as an excuse to sell it. See https://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/blm-ryan-zinke-federal-land-sale-california-limestone-quarry_us_5 c11a809e4b002a46c13f3f7 Reason 222: Zinke cares about Big Game Hunters--& Only about Big Game Hunters! In one of his tiny number of wildlife actions, Zinke's BLM is purchasing a thousand acres in Montana with $ from Land & Water Con. Fund to improve access to public lands for big-game hunters. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/12/11/stories/1060109317 Reason 221: Zinke versus Transparency: Zinke, Liar Extraordinaire, just changed FOIA requests to a staff person who is yet to be nominated! Way to go Stinky Zinke—freedom of information on what you are doing to public lands would be the Kiss of death! The main in charge of FOIA is a Koch brothers flunky who cut protections for migratory birds. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/12/11/stories/1060109315 and also https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2018/12/ryan-zinke-getting-interior-to-respond-to-your-foia-requests-just-got-a-lot-harder-daniel-jorjani/ Reason 220: Zinke’s willful ignoring of science: Interior will now open millions of sage grouse habitat to drilling. Scientific experts state that this policy is not based on “any science” & overturns a compromise reached by Fed., State agencies, industry, & conservation groups that took years to achieve. Indeed, this compromise is so fair that one conservative Republican state (Montana) reportedly intends to retain the Obama regulations. It is one more proof positive that Zinke doesn’t care in the least about the bird that he “loves more “than anybody.” In short, Zinke proves once again he is a bald-faced liar as well as destroyer of conservation & endangered species. For details, see https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/06/climate/trump-sage-grouse-oil.html?emc=edit_th_181207&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=103654191207 Reason 219: Zinke-Murkowski Move to Destroy ANWR: NYT article details how combination of Zinke & oil industry execs working in Interior, Lisa Murkowski & Native Amer. Corporation s (ASRC)tanding to make billions are rushing to drill ANWR along with road-building, & are cutting way back on environmental impact analyses. As customary in Zinke Dept., Interior staff heading the effort have previously worked for the organizations that will benefit from the drilling. Many leaders & shareholders of ASRC are not Native Americans. Other Native American groups oppose the drilling. ASRC has donated heavily to Murkowski. In short, Zinke continues his SWAMPY decisions, ignoring conservation & environment, to benefit industry that has donated to him & whose employees he has put in place as high deputies. For detailed article in NYT, see https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/03/us/oil-drilling-arctic-national-wildlife-refuge.html?em_pos=medium&emc=edit_sc_20181204&nl=science-times&nl_art=4&nlid=10365419emc%3Dedit_sc_20181204&ref=headline&te=1 Reason 218: More on Zinke’s Ethical Misdeeds: See the details on how Zinke helped out chairman of Haliburton oil services company in an article by Aaron Weiss. Main takeaway?: Lock him up! See https://medium.com/westwise/the-interior-secretarys-latest-microbrewery-denial-is-a-howler-d80f6db45ae5 Reason 217: Zinke Advisory Boards Couldn’t Care Less About Conservation. His original Citizen Advisory Board quit—he never even met with them. His Intl. Wildlife Council is filled with trophy hunters. His new Advisory Board is composed of members who lack any commitment to conservation & wildlife—and are totally white and, of course, Republicans. Their supposed “qualifications” for this committee are in order: Republican Miss. Mayor who served Koch Brothers ALEC Council, member of Jesse Helms staff, member of Medical Services industry, member with “Business Management & Private Sector Experience, member with Business Development & “private sector experience,” member with “Business Development & Private Sector experience, Psychologist, member from Medicine, Seller of Anheuser Busch products, a specialist in entrepreneurship, & Business Development and Private Sector experience. See the full details at https://www.nps.gov/resources/advisoryboardmembers.htm Reason 216: Zinke Ethics Report #2: Zinke’s staff dominated by extractive ind. Officials (See Reason #22). Early count total 21 from industry-Drain the Swamp???—Bull____! He sold vehicle at low cost violating ethics & has abused travel as Sec. taking unnecessary expensive helicopter flights (Reason #45). He took huge $ from extractive as Cong. (Reason 33). His PAC used unethical acts to get donations from small donors—his PAC formerly headed by Exec. Who was guilty of child pornography! (Reason 41). Reason 215: Zinke-Trump versus Republican G.H.W. Bush Administrations: I just read note of how H.W. Bush promised “no net loss of wetlands” as a goal. Contrast with Zinke-Trump: Maximize Energy Dominance Via Turnover of Public Lands to Oil-Gas-Coal-Cows. Sad—Many Republicans used to care about conservation. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/12/03/stories/1060108603 Reason 214: Zinke, Listen Up You Dope: The real story on Cal. Forest fires: lack of prescribed burns allowing growth of small trees—logging is not a solution—Logging takes the bigger trees. 40% forests are private land. Another major problem: More & more people want to live near the wooded land putting them at risk from nature fires plus most fires are now have human causes. Finally, climate change has had major impact. So, next time you “advise” that other famous ignoramus (Trump) on fires, provide him facts, not fiction. See documentation for these points in New York Times Magazine article by Ngu & Chinoy at https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/11/29/opinion/sunday/california-wildfires-forest-management.html Reason #213: Zinke ethics report #2: Zinke removed a hurdle for controversial Mojave Desert Cadiz project which his Deputy Sec. will benefit from (See Reason 36), Zinke lied about claims for energy production (#28), Zinke received 350K in last 2 years in Congress from Energy industry (Reason 33). For Documentation: See #213 at https://www.wildlifepolitics.org/blog Reason 212: Zinke versus Science & Ethics Report #1: like Trump, Zinke denies climate change while Scientists in Trump Administration issue report demonstrating it & harmful effects it will have. This is the same Zinke who purports to be an expert on forest fires. 75% of his employees say they are unable to make decisions due to “political considerations” (see Reason 182 for details). Example: his staff ignored science-based info on threat to Pacific Fishers in order to cater to industry (see Reason 169 for details). He ignored scientific data in drawing back on Migratory Bird Treaty Act—again due to energy industry (see Reason 156). He forces U.S. Geological Survey scientists to get approval before talking with reporters because Zinke doesn’t like to see his lies contradicted by facts (see Reason 129). Zinke halted study into link between surface mining & health and says Interior will no longer use science-based “guidance documents” to carry out laws (see Reason 124). Zinke’s BLM blocked their archaeologists from speaking at science conference--from testifying problems of leasing lands rich in archaeology & failure to protect cultural resources valued by tribes (see Reason 114). Zinke has altered scientific reports to omit human role in climate change, unprecedented political interference in government science at the Interior Department, which oversees the park service (see Reason 109). Zinke’s rushed to turn over public lands to oil-gas-coal ignored science & NEPA (See Reason 87). Zinke ignored science in favor of politics in giving grants…Interior now funnels grants through a political screening intended to ensure the federal dollars "better align" with the administration's "priorities" (see Reason 74). Zinke ignored science in revoking mitigation policies to compensate for harm done to the environment (See Reason 70). Zinke’s Department ordered the National Academies study on the safety of offshore drilling to be stopped (See Reason 66). Zinke punished Interior Department employees for making science-based statements about the harm that climate change will wreak on national parks (See Reason 64). Zinke is opening BLM to more ORV use in sensitive areas which threatens archeological sites but is also very harmful to wildlife as has been proven by scientific research (See Reason 24). Zinke focused on sage grouse populations instead of habitat conservation and proposes using captive breeding to support sage grouse—both approaches are discredited by science (see Reason 8). Reason 211: The Zinke-Trump Energy dominance mania threatens energy infrastructure, making it harder to drill-mine coal & deliver through pipelines, affect water necessary for fracking, make oil pipelines vulnerable to melting permafrost, & reduce capacity of power grid. See https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/29/climate/trump-energy-dominance.html?emc=edit_th_181130&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=103654191130 Reason 210: Zinke versus Science & Professionalism: Like Trump, Zinke rejects science, denies climate change, and makes it impossible for professional and ethical employees to do their job when they believe in science & climate change. The top National Park Service official resigned her job due to support work addressing its impacts. See https://www.hcn.org/articles/latest-top-national-park-service-climate-official-resigns?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email Reason 209: Zinke Lead bullets & Lead in his head: One of the first actions of Ryan Zinke was to allow lead bullets on Federal land—an action banned by the Obama Admin. Evidence continues to mount about the harmful conservation & health effects of lead bullets. This is one more example of Zinke ignoring science, demonstrating his stupidity & subordination to the gun lobby. See Ian Urbina A Clean Shot: Urging Hunters to Try Unleaded Ammo. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/24/us/ammunition-lead-bullets-condors.html Reason 208: Zinke-Republicans Still At It (despite trying to survive ethical transgressions scandal) trying to kill species & conservation. Zinke’s BLM is trying to evade court order to protect sage grouse by allowing tens of thousands of acres for oil-gas industry. Zinke & Republicans want to kill wolves—Republicans just passed bill to remove protections for gray wolves from Endangered Species Act. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/11/16/stories/1060106493 https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/11/16/stories/1060106489 Reason 207: Despite evidence of world wide threat to species. Zinke has not only done nothing—he has taken steps to threaten endangered species more. For example, allowing importation of lions & other trophy animals & restrictions on protecting migratory birds, cutbacks in protections for sage grouse, cuts in budgets & staff for conservation agencies such as USFWS, and total dedication of public lands for energy development & welfare rancher cows. The threats to species are increasing daily due to human population increases, development, & agriculture as a recent World Wildlife Study showed but Zinke is making the matters much worse. For documentation of above, see: Crisis for Endangered Species: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2018/10/millions-of-years-mammal-evolution-lost-news/?us er.testname=none&fbclid=IwAR27UxeSUrhoZNCBT6lnq6_svgTq_2OhqYIyZGkH-kks-3I1mAh33OMuI8s Sage Grouse: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/27/climate/trump-fracking-drilling-oil-gas.html Trophies: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/steven-chancellor-lion-trophy-import-permits-ryan-zinke-advisory-council_us_5bd78157e4b017e5bfd4dfaf Migratory birds: http://www.timberjay.com/stories/twin-metals-decision-part-of-a-much-broader-initiative,13850 Budget cuts: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/interior-department-reorganization-hearing_us_5a295068e4b0fa798612887f The New West Shows Up At the Polls! Watch out welfare ranchers! The most heartening news for those of us interested in conservation & public lands is that in several western states traditionally dominated by energy-rancher-owned politicians, several conservation-oriented candidates won notable triumphs in Utah, New Mexico, and Nevada & other states: Arizona: Tom O’Halleran, California: Repr. Harley Rouda, Minnesota Governor: Tim Walz Nevada: Repr. Jacky Rosen, Repr. Susie Lee, Repr. Steven Horsford, Governor Steve Sisolak New Mexico: Repr. Xochitl Torres Small, Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard Montana: Sen. Jon Tester, New Mexico: Sen. Martin Heinrich, Governor: Michelle Lujan Grisham South Carolina: Repr. Joe Cunningham, Utah: Repr. Ben McAdams, San Juan County Commissioner Willie Grayeyes Virginia: Repr. Elaine Luria See the story of these candidates & other results at https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/news/2018/11/13/460797/conservation-ballot-public-lands-waters-won/ Reason 206: Interior Department versus Transparency: Zinke has tried to keep his calendar secret to cover up his unethical meetings with energy companies. His deputy (& likely successor) David Bernhardt never uses email & never writes anything down in order to avoid scrutiny & accountability. We need the new House Committee on Natural Resources to conduct detailed investigations in which they put Zinke (if he is still around) and Bernhardt under oath for detailed questioning that will be required to reveal their ethical & legal transgressions for energy & other clienteles. See interview with Joel Clement at https://medium.com/westwise/joel-clement-interior-whistleblower-podcast-interview-db219d9a1a3a Reason 205: Zinke is the Swamp! The Guardian just detailed examples of how his appointees consulted with industry (for whom they worked previously) to bias decisions about sage grouse protections, methane reg., & endangered species protect. He has attempted to cover up his “swampy” actions by lack of transparency, resisting providing details on his calendar & meetings. He exemplifies the corrupt public official, prioritizing his own & industry profits over public good. See https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/nov/12/the-zinke-effect-how-the-us-interior-department-became-a-tool-of-industry Reason 204: Zinke has often spoken about Native Americans & tries to make it seem like he cares about them. But when their interests collide with Energy—Energy wins at it did when Trump-Zinke revoked Northern Bering Sea Protection that had been pushed for by tribal leaders—the Bering Sea Elders. See http://www.nomenugget.com/news/trump-issues-executive-order-revoking-northern-bering-sea-protection-and-tribal-participation Reason 203: Zinke not only mishandles his job but documents show that he violated his ethics pledge. More importantly, he broke his promises to the citizens of Whitefish, Montana. See https://www.washingtonpost.com/energy-environment/2018/11/05/newly-released-emails-suggest-zinke-contradicted-ethics-pledge/?utm_term=.a0ed392b79c3&wpisrc=nl_green&wpmm=1 Reason 202: Secrecy in Leasing Public Lands: Under Zinke Admin., most of the identities of people proposing oil-gas dev of public are unknown. Now they don’t have to reveal identities—making it impossible to check on their stewardship & thus allow “bad actors” to ruin public lands with impunity. See Lucy Livesay https://medium.com/westwise/whos-nominating-your-public-lands-for-oil-and-gas-leasing-d68af59a7025 Reason 201: Zinke often has to speak to and about Native Americans—but he never mentions how he ignored Native American input on Bears Ears & other environmental issue. Just one more reason why he deserves to be fired—which sounds increasingly possible. For Native American example related to the laughable attempt of a jackass Utah legislator trying to rename a highway through parks after Trump!: see https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2018/03/08/navajo-nation-leaders-oppose-naming-a-utah-highway-after-president-trump-calling-it-vengeful-hostile/ Reason 200: Zinke is overturning Federal regulations & ethical norms concerning predator control in Alaska. Former Alaskan Governor Tony Knowles described Zinke’s plan: attempting to rescind these regulations: "This is being done with no legal and scientific basis, minimal stakeholder involvement, and a hasty public process. One hundred and eight scientists, current and retired wildlife and resource managers, and many of the nation’s large carnivore experts, most with extensive experience in Alaska, have joined in sending a letter to Zinke adamantly opposing his action." Please read the article below & use its link to comment on Zinke’s latest horror. See https://www.hcn.org/articles/opinion-interior-is-undoing-a-legacy-of-national-park-stewardship-in-alaska-predator-control?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email Reason 199: What’s top priority at Interior Dept.? Public Lands? Conservation? Wildlife? Nope. Coal. They are fast-tracking huge North Dakota project, ignoring evmntal issues. Whatever happened to Zinke's touted "pivot to conservation." He has pivoted--to destruction--of wildlife, public lands, & marine life. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/11/01/stories/1060104919 Reason 198: Zinke of necessity sometimes has to visit sites linked to Civil Rights figures. But he can’t hide his real feeling—his love for Confederate generals. In speaking at a Camp dedicated for Union soldiers, he compared Lee to Martin Luther King! How much more can this buffoon who is causing so much harm to conservation do and survive in his job? See https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ryan-zinke-robert-e-lee-martin-luther-king-jr_us_5bd8d090e4b01abe6a190bb4 Reason 197: Zinke’s finally getting just deserts—Justice to investigate him, Conn. sues Interior, Senators question why Zinke unable to fill advisory panels. In other words, the World is finally recognizing that he is not only unethical but incompetent. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/10/31/stories/1060104827 https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/10/31/stories/1060104825 Wildlife are cheering for Democrats to win House. It could save sea lions, sage grouse, Canada lynx, and many other species that Zinke’s actions are targeting. They are also cheering for the Justice Department to convict Zinke of ethical violations. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/10/30/stories/1060104719 https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/10/30/stories/1060104701 https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/10/30/stories/1060104709 https://www.washingtonpost.com/energy-environment/2018/10/30/zinkes-own-agency-watchdog-just-referred-him-justice-department/?utm_term=.7ca51069fd2e&wpisrc=nl_politics-pm&wpmm=1 Reason 196: Zinke’s original Citizen Advisory Committee quit. He has a much better relationship with his new “International Wildlife Conservation Council” (also known as Trophies on the Wall Council). One member, Steven Chancellor, a big Trump donor, has obtained permits from Interior to for 3 male lions (Wonder how he managed to obtain that permit!) He, like Zinke, has hundreds of trophies that he displays—too bad they have such a lack of manhood that they have to do this. See https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/steven-chancellor-lion-trophy-import-permits-ryan-zinke-advisory-council_us_5bd78157e4b017e5bfd4dfaf Reason 195: Zinke endangers endangered species—rather than protecting them. Interior tried to withdraw a plan to limit harm to marine wildlife by gill nets and Zinke’s Interior taking “another shot” at removing Hawaiian hawk from Endangered Species Act Protection. This phony “TR Republican” has undermined conservation of species every time it conflicts with industry or trophy hunters. He is not worthy to be in a Department that TR made significant. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/10/29/stories/1060104597 & https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/10/29/stories/1060104607 Reason 194: Zinke’s rush to lease Federal lands for short-term profits to energy companies results over long term, vistas of oil rigs, pollution of air, destruction of species like sage grouse, and huge consumption of water in arid region. He is squandering public land & doing this by cutting requirements for careful study of environmental effects & ability to challenge them. Short-term gains for long-term devastation of public lands and wildlife—that’s the Zinke-Trump way. See New York Times story at https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/27/climate/trump-fracking-drilling-oil-gas.html Reason 193: Greenwire reports a big morale drop at Interior. This blog already detailed why this occurred in Reason 182—professionals think politics is dominating decisions & they are not allowed to communicate with the public. Indeed, if you check out the 192 reasons below, you will see that anyone who cares about conservation, the environment, wildlife, public lands, and oceans would despair working for someone who only cares about making his energy, ranching, & trophy hunters happy. Although Trump will nominate another loser, it’s time for accountability of Zinke’s terrible actions & thus for this liar to go. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/10/26/stories/1060104513 Reason 192: Zinke appoints “The Worst of the Worst”: Zinke appointed Karen Budd-Falen as “Solicitor for wildlife and parks.” Her qualifications? She holds that grazing livestock on public lands is “a private property right” & tough if there are any negative effects on wildlife & biodiversity. She supports miner who bulldozed wilderness area & landowners who did not believe they had to follow tag limits because this was “unconstitutional limits” on their right to property. In other words, forget about conservation, property rights trump protections for public lands & species. The Worst of the Worst. See https://www.hcn.org/articles/sagebrush-rebellion-sagebrush-rebel-karen-budd-falen-appointed-to-interior-department?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email Reason 191: Zinke’s USFWS is failing in its job to protect species. Why? Zinke’s top priority is energy company support & protections for any species could threaten that priority. His second priority is for developers—especially those with ties to Zinke and/or other wealthy Republicans. His third priority is trophy hunting—his few wildlife actions have all been to provide access for trophy hunters & some protection for migrating big game species. A Center for Biological Diversity analysis shows Zinke is withholding protection for 78 species. Non-game species—mean nothing to Zinke and apparently to any other USFWS employees. It is incumbent on reporters to ask Zinke USFWS appointees (e.g., Skipwith) what they have done for such species! Skipwith wants to compete with Teddy Roosevelt for protection of species! She is now working for a Department that is doing for wildlife what Hitler did for Jews! See https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2018/endangered-species-10-18-2018.php/?utm_source=eeo&utm_medium=email Reason 190: Zinke just approved first oil-gas drilling in Arctic off Alaska coast, arguing that it would be “good..for American energy dominance…and the environment”!!! Having pushed to destroy wildlife on Alaskan lands such as by drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and shooting denning cubs & pups in NATIONAL wildlife refuges, he now is moving onto destroying Alaskan waters and the wildlife they support. He statement is such a huge, bald lie that it truly matches the Trump-Hitler approach: the bigger the lie, the better. See https://www.washingtonpost.com/energy-environment/2018/10/24/trump-administration-just-approved-plan-drill-oil-alaskas-federal-waters-its-major-first/?utm_term=.8fa11733299a Reason 189: Zinke’s cutting Sage Grouse Habitat is illegal. A Federal judge just ruled that BLM must stop oil-gas leases on 1000s acres! He’s not as happy with Zinke End. Species policy as Skipwith--his new pick for USFWS (see below). As you know, Zinke abrogated a compromise worked out over several years by Federal, state, energy sector, and conservationists merely to please the energy industry. T.R. Republican! B.S.!!! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/10/24/stories/1060104215 Reason 188: Zinke nominates another industry hack to head USFWS. Aurelia Skipwith’s statement of acceptance stated that she wanted to “ensure implementation of …Zinke’s policies to protect species…ensure science..at forefront..achieving a legacy second only to President Teddy Roosevelt.”!!! Does she live in this universe? See 187 reasons below why Zinke is the antithesis of Teddy Roosevelt, has NO interest in saving species except for TROPHIES. He has banned climate change from Interior discussions. She starts off her “career” as competing for the TOP LIAR of Zinke’s very dishonest staff! See https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/412660-trump-to-nominate-former-monsanto-exec-to-top-interior-position Reason 187: Zinke has not only rejected science such as climate change but now is trying to hide from the transparency required by the Freedom of Info. Act. concerning the Endangered Species Act (ESA) & other key issues. Zinke knows he can’t stand up to honest scrutiny so he tries to hide his actions against ESA & wildlife conservation secret. He once more proves that Mr. Macho Navy Seal is actually a coward. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/oct/18/trump-administration-us-endangered-species-discussions-secret Reason 186: Trump moves to protect Zinke whose unethical practices are being reviewed by placing a political appointee to act as the "watchdog for Interior"—usually this is a nonpartisan job. The inept & corrupt Zinke can’t face fair inquiry so Trump tries to save him. See the Washington Post article at https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/hud-political-appointee-abruptly-moved-to-lead-interiors-watchdog-office-amid-ongoing-investigations-into-zinke/2018/10/16/30de03b4-d164-11e8-83d6-291fcead2ab1_story.html?utm_term=.84662dd52870 Note: After this was posted, Trump & Interior receive very negative reactions so they apparently scuttled the plan. Nevertheless, HUD didn't do this on their own without agreement from Zinke so it shows that Zinke is out to eliminate any fair review of his dirty deeds. Reason 185: Zinke is a Dope. His idea of using military bases to supply energy for export has been exposed as “harebrained” and “half-cocked” by knowledgeable officials. They derided the idea of exporting coal when demand for it is expected to fall drastically. Even energy industry officials characterized the idea as “stretch.” Furthermore, Zinke has not consulted with states about this harebrained idea—funny when he criticized Obama for pushing Federal policies onto states without consultation. In short, Zinke has proven once more that he is incompetent—witness Congress’s total rejection of his proposed Interior budget cuts & states resistance to his wish to drill in U.S. coastal areas. In short, he is a dope who lucked into a job because he once happened to say he was a “Teddy Roosevelt Republican” and supported public lands—both of which he has proven to be HUGE lies. For documentation of his harebrained military base scheme, see https://www.politico.com/story/2018/10/15/zinke-energy-export-plan-848856 Reason 184: Zinke keeps his calendar vague to cover up his meetings with lobbyists representing energy industry corporations, the NRA and private vendors seeking to dominate public parks. This goes against the common and ETHICAL PRACTICE of providing detailed calendars and once again proves that Zinke is not fit for any office & certainly one that is supposed to protect public lands & wildlife. See https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/13/politics/ryan-zinke-calendars-interior-secretary/index.html Reason 183: Count on Zinke to hire the Worst! He just appointed Karen Budd-Falen as “Solicitor for Parks & Wildlife.” Her qualifications: She represents welfare ranchers in their fight against preservation of species such as the desert tortoise & favors private property rights. In other words, she opposes conservation & public lands. One more example of Zinke-Trump handing over government to people who oppose the functions they are supposed to be carrying out. Impeach Zinke! Impeach the creep!—I don’t think there is any other language to describe him. For documentation, See https://www.npr.org/2018/10/15/657542759/critic-of-federal-public-lands-management-to-join-department-of-the-interior Reason 182: Interior employees say that politics is dominating Zinke-Interior actions. 55 percent believe that “resource allocations” are directed away from those whose work is “politically contentious” such as those that that threaten powerful interests like energy industry and developers. 50 percent say that their ability to communicate with the public about science has worsened under Zinke. 75 percent agree that “consideration of political interests” has hindered the ability of the agency to make “science-based decisions.” See https://www.ucsusa.org/center-science-and-democracy/promoting-scientific-integrity/scientist-survey-2018#.W79so2hKiUn Reason 181: Zinke claims success due to sale of oil and gas leases in New Mexico but the data show that actually most of the public lands that Interior is trying to lease to energy industry attract no bids at all while the costs to the environment of their craze to give public lands over to industry are threatening priceless areas such as Utah’s Canyonlands National Park and Arizona’s Petrified Forest National Park. For details on Interior’s failures see https://medium.com/westwise/chest-thumping-interior-department-claims-one-success-amid-a-sea-of-losses-53c2abb0217a Reason 180: Zinke has ordered Interior “not to settle” with environmental groups when they sue the agency over their failure to protect species and habitat. They argue envmntal groups are “lawsuit crazy” but the truth is that these groups usually WIN those suits because Interior has failed to act as they were supposed to. This action will delay needed steps to protect species & habitat and is being done for two reasons: (1) It will delay actions that could impose costs on developers & industry that Zinke gives top priority to; (2) They will make it harder for these cash-strapped small groups to bring actions while opponents of protecting species & habitat, wealthy energy companies & developers have tons of money to pursue endless court actions. See https://www.hcn.org/articles/department-of-interior-issues-order-to-avoid-settlements-environment Reason 179: Zinke brags about his mining ban near Yellowstone but “attempted to reverse a similar moratorium on uranium mining near the Grand Canyon” let a mineral withdrawal on Oregon’s Chetco River expire this summer. See https://www.hcn.org/articles/department-of-interior-zinke-announces-mining-ban-near-yellowstone?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email Reason 178: Zinke’s “conservation of game animals” is even flawed. The only wildlife issue that Zinke pays attention to concerns helping preserve game animals for trophy hunters & he recently has bragged about protecting their migration routes but actually his “actions” are phony—his “lease notice” restrictions don’t actually protect areas from industry. For full description of how his migration “protection” is phony, see Wyofile article: https://www.wyofile.com/as-zinke-touts-migration-safeguards-conservationists-protest/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weeklynewsletter Reason 177: One of Zinke’s first actions was to open public lands to use of lead bullets—overturning previous regulations while not disclosing his ownership of shares in a company that produces the ammunition. Research by Univ. of Minn. Found that 90 percent of raptors in their rehab center had elevated lead levels & 75% of bald & golden eagles suffer from high lead levels. Significant percentages of game birds in Utah & elsewhere have elevated lead levels. Non-lead ammo & fishing gear are now easily available, not much more expensive than lead gear, & perform as well or better. As usual, Zinke & NRA crazies can’t abide ANY RESTRICTIONS on guns or ammo. One more key fact: as a result of lead ammo & fishing gear, lead is showing up in human food. See documentation at https://www.hcn.org/articles/opinion-hunters-and-anglers-need-to-get-the-lead-out?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email Reason 176: Zinke & his Industry Minions in Interior “redact” information that disproves their reasons for cutting Marine Preservation Areas (MPAs) and National Monuments. Forced to respond to Freedom of Information Requests, they were forced to release documents that showed that harm to fishing industry was highly exaggerated from MPAs and that loss of archaeologically valuable sites and increased vandalism would occur due to cutting the monument. Interior wrote proclamations scuttling ocean sites. See Jennifer Yachnin, E&E News reporter https://www.eenews.net/stories/1060090197 Reason 175: Zinke wants pesticides in National Wildlife Refuges. His Fish & Wildlife Service “revoked a 2014 ban” on use of neonics in them. Trump’s Interior department reverses ban of pesticides in wildlife refuges. Zinke’s “excuse” is pesticides are needed to “boost populations” of game species for trophy hunting, Zinke’s top priority (other than oil wells) for public lands. See https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/trump-s-interior-department-reverses-ban-pesticides-wildlife-refuges?suppress=true&utm_source=greenlife&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter Reason 174: Despite years taken by State Federal governments & input from industry & conservation orgs. Forest Service is making changes would reduce the size of priority habitat areas and some buffers around critical breeding sites, as well as potentially ease oil and gas development in grouse habitat. The agreement was perfect example of COMPROMISE. Not enough for Zinke & his industry-minions who rule Interior. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/10/05/stories/1060100677 Reason 173: Zinke deliberately ignores Native Americans on Bears Ears. He ignored Native Americans objections to his Bears Ears decision saying that he was a “facts guy.” Actually, a group of Native Americans, mainly Navajos, had gathered extensive data on cultural and historical lands that could be lost to Zinke’s change in Bears Ears. A Councilman from the Havasupai Tribe pleaded for maintaining a moratorium on mining due to threats from poisons passed down to them by the river. Zinke named the northern part of Bears Ears “Indian Creek” which shows either ignorance or deliberate malice towards the Native Americans. He named the southern area using the Navajo “Shash Jáa” but there are five tribes in the area and each has its own name for it. Native Americans believe he chose the Navajo name as a means to dividing the tribes. In short, Zinke deliberately ignored and insulted Native Americans in his so-called “fact-finding” and subsequent decision on Bears Ears. See https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/2018-4-september-october/feature/land-grab-trumps-campaign-against-bears-ears-national?suppress=true&utm_source=greenlife&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter and https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/what-s-in-a-name-bears-ears-national-monument?suppress=true&utm_source=greenlife&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter Reason 172: Zinke’s Interior Department does not take necessary steps to protect public lands & rivers even if they are important. Oregon Chetco River runs through or near Kalmiopsis Wilderness. Oregon has tried to have the river protected but Zinke & Republicans in Congress never did anything so the river now will be open to mining. No formal statement has been made by Zinke but his consistent favoring of oil-gas-mining on or near beautiful Federal lands makes clear his priorities—they don’t include protecting public lands, rivers, oceans even if they are beautiful. See https://www.hcn.org/articles/rivers-and-lakes-on-one-of-oregons-wildest-rivers-mining-protections-lapse Reason 171: Zinke wants to destroy another monument! He wants to open the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument to fishing. This monument provides habitat for endangered sperm whales and huge cold-water corals. It was created by Obama which makes it a top target for Zinke-Trump. See http://www.nationalmemo.com/interior-secretary-would-open-atlantic-marine-preserve-to-commercial-fishing/ Reason 170: Zinke wants to destroy conservation in Samoa, too: Not content to attacking national monuments like Bears Ears at home, Zinke was heard on his recent trip to Samoa telling them that he & Trump were committed to opening the Rose Atoll Marine National Monument to commercial fishing—violating rules that make these monuments protective of fish & biodiversity. No matter where he goes, you can count on Zinke to do harm to conservation. See https://www.saipantribune.com/index.php/something-is-fishy-with-zinke/ Reason 169: USFWS under Zinke ignores science that shows species such as Pacific fishers are endangered. USFWS used to be composed of professionals dedicated to the Endangered Species Act. Now working under Zinke who considers it the top priority for Interior to cater to industries, they cater to logging industry by minimizing evidence that the fishers are threatened by poisoning—changing the position held by USFWS under Obama. Zinke doesn’t trust any employees who don’t follow his priorities & USFWS has got the message—forget about ESA protections if they “threaten” industries. See https://www.hcn.org/articles/endangered-species-judge-to-the-fish-and-wildlife-service-dont-cherry-pick-science-pacific-fisher?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email Reason 168: In his never-ending quest to sacrifice the environment so as to reduce costs to the energy industry, Zinke’s Interior Department’s Bureau of “Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)” (italicized to indicate this is now a false name for this agency—under Zinke’s it’s no longer dedicated to safety and enforcement but should be renamed “Bureau of Submission to Energy Company Desires”!) will remove “the mandate to have 3rd parties certify safety devices”—they will allow oil companies to “police themselves.” They will also no longer have to notify about “false alarms.” This shows once more that the Interior Department no longer serves the U.S. public—it’s now run by ex-energy company employees for the benefit of the energy industry. See https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/408727-trump-officials-ease-offshore-drilling-safety-rule Reason 167: Zinke ignores National Parks, Environmental Quality, Recreational Priorities, and Threats to Wildlife for mindless coal mine expansion near Bryce National Park. Zinke’s BLM approved huge expansion of mine 10 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park that will affect the experience of park visitors and destroy breeding grounds of sage grouse. The expansion would increase coal-mine related jobs by an estimated 240-480 but these job numbers are “dwarfed by those associated with Bryce.” See https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2018/09/03/jcw-blm-approves-lease-of-2114-acres-near-bryce-canyon-for-coal-mine-expansion/#.W6u0VWhKiUk and https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2018/07/13/there-will-be-eight-times/ Reason 166: News outlets report how Ryan Zinke told oil and gas industry: “Our government should work for you.” He tried to “clarify the meaning of this statement” but this is actually not news and not a surprise—he has proven it every day! All of Zinke’s top policy appointments have been to energy-ranching interests. Every major action he has taken is for energy-ranching-trophy hunting. For the “quote,” see https://www.vox.com/2018/9/21/17886538/ryan-zinke-interior-oil-gas-industry-environment Reason 165: Zinke doesn’t want public input on leasing-auctioning of public lands—he is cutting the time for comments from 30-days to 10 days—the comment period in Obama was 60 days. And says he will not pay attention to most of them especially if they are from conservation groups. The only input he will listen to is “LOCAL” (i.e., industry) comments. See https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-administration-rushes-lease-federal-lands-090041852.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=ma Reason 164: Trump & Zinke hail work on Florence but coal ash spill pollutes the state and Republicans protect Duke Power Company & make customers pay for any cleanup of spills. This is what “energy dominance” does for states: Pollution for the public, profits for the companies. It’s the Zinke-Trump-Republican way. See https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article218718570.html & http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-florence-dam-breach-20180921-story.html Reason 163: Once again Zinke serves the oil-gas-coal industry, not the U.S. public. Zinke rolls back rules on methane. Obama rules would have reduced methane emissions by 182,000 tons a year. Zinke rejects science and evidence for climate-change which is harming many communities in the U.S. The change by Trump could save companies as much as $2 billion in compliance costs over the next decade. The change could also result in the loss of $734 million in natural gas that would have been recovered over the next decade under the old rule. Those savings would have offset some of the industry's compliance costs. An estimated $330 million a year in methane is wasted on federal lands, enough to power about 5 million homes. See https://phys.org/news/2018-09-trump-pollution-drilling.html Reason 163: Zinke rolls back rules on methane. Obama rules would have reduced methane emissions by 182,000 tons a year. Zinke rejects science and evidence for climate-change which is harming many communities in the U.S. Once again he serves oil-gas industry, not the U.S. public. See http://pages.cdn.pagesuite.com/7/4/74aeee4a-9ee0-4347-a295-f980d61e541d/page.pdf Reason 162: Zinke-Trump Admin. oppose protection of wildlife such as Giraffes and Sea Otters. You can always rely on Zinke to do make the worst possible decisions concerning them—after all, he thinks the only worthwhile animal the one nailed to his wall. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/09/18/stories/1060098231 & https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/09/18/stories/1060098235 Reason 161: After putting up trophies of dead animals costing taxpayers thousands of dollars, Zinke opened up hunting at National Wildlife Refuges around the country. These are supposed to be WILDLIFE REFUGES, not Hunting Farms! Let’s get rid of this mindless trophy hunter. Reason 160: Zinke appoints temporary staff from energy industry who cannot & Don’t deserve permanent status, they make decisions favoring industry, but their harmful actions take hold anyway. This is illegal way that Zinke has been operating. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/09/12/stories/1060096755 Reason 159: Zinke recently bragged about the money he is making off auctions to oil & gas companies. The problem: Some of these are next to National Parks like Petrified National Park and his agency, BLM, did not give adequate time for the Navajo who lives in this area time to respond and oppose it. (Note: Zinke does pay attention to “locals”—but only if they are pawns of oil-gas-coal.) Just as in Bears Ears, he ignored Native Americans. See https://www.eacourier.com/copper_era/news/blm-land-auction-opens-acres-to-oil-and-gas-companies/article_45fb7cac-b4b0-11e8-a862-c30aeec4ea3f.html Reason 158: Zinke hands over wildlife to states—USFWS professionals & Endangered Species Act don’t matter anymore. EE news reports today that Individual states will wield more clout over fish and wildlife on about 780,000 square miles of Interior Department land nationwide under a new policy outlined by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. This follows his appointment of Anti-ESA to top staff positions, Susan Combs and Robert Gordon. States will do what they want—which in many states is make developers, industry, and ranchers happy. Wildlife & those concerned about them? Zinke doesn’t only not care—he is attacking them every chance he gets. For documentation, see https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/09/11/stories/1060096521 Reason 157: Zinke is intent on destroying the End. Species Act. He previously hired Susan Combs, who led the Texas attack on ESA. Now he hires as her asst. Robert Gordon, an anti-ESA hack, who has worked for Heritage (anti-ESA org.) and Rob Bishop, author of much anti-ESA legislation. Rather than defend wildlife conservation, he is doing everything possible to undermine and destroy the Act which has served as the guidepost for saving species throughout the World. Zinke is a real and present danger to anyone who cares about public lands & conservation. For Gordon’s details, see http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/405146-zinke-hires-endangered-species-act-critic-for-senior-post Reason 156: Zinke’s Interior is destroying the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. They are no longer prohibiting killing of birds if “the underlying purpose is not to take birds.” Even more so, they say that a disaster as big as Deepwater Horizon would not prosecuted under the Act—they would use another laws not specific to birds. In short, Zinke is undermining a law that almost dates back to the Teddy R. Admin. One more example of his pusillanimous backtracking on protection of birds & wildlife. This is not a partisan issue—8 states are taking the Admin. to court over the action and 4 of them are headed by Republican attorney generals. See https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2018/09/05/eight-states-are-fighting-trumps-attempt-declaw-migratory-bird-treaty/?utm_term=.bbe6731b6cfa Reason 155: Zinke promised transparency but delivers secrecy about who he is meeting with for what reasons. His calendars for his activities since May 2018 have provided only vague words about “internal briefings” and “external meetings.” Previous actions show that when Zinke fails to mention who he is meeting with, it is industry lobbyists. For example, in July his schedule said he met with Rep. Collins of New York but subsequently discovered that he also met with representatives of a tourism company “locked in a lawsuit” with Interior. No doubt these vague meetings are with his favorite industries (energy, welfare ranchers, trophy hunters, and private tourism companies that want to take over National Parks) as he doles out more goodies & favors to them. See https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/06/politics/interior-secretary-ryan-zinke-calendars-details-missing/index.html Reason 154: Zinke nominates coal industry consultant & climate denier to head agency to monitor mines. Fortunately, the Office of Government Ethics raised ethical issues that J. Steven Gardner was unable to accept. Unfortunately, Zinke’s Interior Department has already “done away with that federal regulation, which sought to reign in coal mining operations in order to protect residents in vulnerable areas like Appalachia from documented health and environmental ramifications.” In short, not only does Zinke work against conservation, but also against the health of U.S. citizens. Some patriot! See https://thinkprogress.org/climate-denier-interior-mining-nomation-eadd7d82c1e8/ Reason 153: Zinke continues to appoint energy industry patrons to policymaking positions. His staff is totally populated with energy (and some ranchers). Zinke found another top staff person to his tastes, Greg Renkes, who had to resign as Alaska Atty General due to ethical questions about making a deal that benefited a coal company he owned stock in. He knows these people will be loyal—to the energy industry. See https://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/06/us/alaskas-attorney-general-stepping-down.html Reason 152: Zinke works for energy industry—they reward him & his staff with jobs when they leave Interior in return for policies sacrificing public lands & oceans to industry desires. His ex-energy adviser just took a job in offshore drilling. The Swamp of oil-gas-coal industry thanks Zinke again for his highly profitable service to them--quite a change from Obama era when Interior worried about conservation, public lands & clean oceans. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/09/04/stories/1060095725 Reason 151: The Swamp is Worse than ever with Zinke in Charge. His appointees are nothing but lackeys for the industries they represent. Susan Combs represents ranchers & did her best to kill endangered species in Texas and let the oil-gas industry monitor their own compliance with rules protecting species such as the Sage Dunes Lizard. She took over Endangered Species protection in Texas with her Comptroller Department despite it having no expertise on conserving species at all. David Bernhardt, his Deputy Secretary, is an oil-gas lobbyist who goes back & forth between industry & government, handing out favors to industry. His recently departed “Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy,” Downey Magallanes, is the daughter of a coal policy executive and worked to provide benefits to oil & gas industries as a Senate Staffer. She is now being replaced by Kate McGregor who likewise has made a career serving the oil-gas-coal industries as a staffer on the Hill. In other words, Zinke’s Interior officials go back & forth between industry and government jobs—where they push policies favoring industry. This is the essence of the Swamp behavior which (supposedly) Donald Trump opposes. For documentation, see https://departmentofinfluence.org/person/downey-magallanes/ https://departmentofinfluence.org/person/susan-combs/ https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/07/30/stories/1060091613 & https://departmentofinfluence.org/person/david-bernhardt/ Reason 150: Zinke ignores both local and national “democratic” input and solid empirical evidence on superior benefits of monuments and conservation. Example: When he considered the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National (OMDP) Monument, he admitted that comments were overwhelmingly in favor of retaining monuments but ignored them because they were “orchestrated.” But Zinke orchestrates private meetings with oil-gas-coal-welfare rancher industries & adopts policy to satisfy their interests religiously. He skipped a National Monument Hall meeting packed with monument supporters. As has been shown in documents, his analysis of Bears Ears and other monuments ignored the major economic benefits gained by existence of monuments. His home state’s economic growth has been dominated by 5 countries growing quickly because they are nearby monuments. The western arid country public lands rancher industry that Zinke panders too is pathetic, unimportant to the nation’s meat production, unproductive, and would not exist without Federal subsidies. In recent days, information has surfaced that Zinke & his industry appointee (David Bernhardt) had to reverse a BLM decision to sell public land that was once protected inside the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. How did that decision happen? Well, since his appointment, BLM & the rest of Interior have learned that he kowtows to industry and, indeed, the decision was only changed after it got out & created an uproar. In short, Zinke ignores input and a mountain of evidence that monuments & conservation are economically superior to exploitation by the extractive and welfare rancher industries. For documentation on OMDP, see https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/news/local/2017/08/24/las-cruces-area-leaders-decry-zinke-summary-await-organ-mountains-desert-peaks-national-monument/600042001/ (2) For data on Montana economic growth, see https://headwaterseconomics.org/economic-development/trends-performance/montanas-economy-and-protected-lands/ (3) For documentation of his “reversal” on sale, see https://www.washingtonpost.com/energy-environment/2018/08/18/second-thought-zinke-nixes-interiors-plan-possibly-sell-public-land/?utm_term=.0dc2e4590594&wpisrc=nl_green&wpmm=1 Reason 149: Ryan Zinke, who already heads Dept of Energy, Immigration Naturalization Service, & Dept of Interior, now has taken over as Trump’s Chief Climate Scientist. He has discovered that fires & other evils are caused by environmentalists. He has expert help-his football buddy with a bus. Admin. degree judges scientific merit of research. See https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/8/22/17767146/ryan-zinke-interior-climate-research-football-buddy Reason 148: Conservation and preservation don’t hurt economies—they help them—perhaps too much! Zinke & Trump Admin. have fostered a false campaign that environmental protections hurt the economy and residents who live near protected areas. Actually, there is a mass of evidence to show that quite the contrary is true: areas near protected areas gain economically from them. I have documented these in my Wildlife Politics book but 2 recent studies show the same truth. Development has occurred in Southwestern Utah near protected monuments and parks because people want to live there & new industries want to locate there. Indeed, San Juan County in southeastern Utah has complained about national monuments within its borders but are launching a new campaign by local officials to take advantage of these designated areas to help fuel the local economy. Indeed, development near protected areas throughout the world threatens the protection of wildlife and this is a fact not just in the U.S. but around the world as I document in Wildlife Politics. In short, Zinke & Trump’s campaign against conservation and environmental protection is based on a totally false premise—they help the long-term growth of the U.S. Yet, they are continuing to push on all fronts to undermine them through weakening the National Environmental Protection Act (which forces careful consideration before development), the Endangered Species Act, the Magnuson-Stevens Act (which protected against overfishing), expanding unproductive welfare ranching on public lands (which destroy the quality of the lands while providing wasteful subsidies to a very small largely well-to-do “ranchers,” allowing exploitation of public lands by extractive industries while lowering the revenues to be obtained from them. In short, Zinke-Trump are doing everything possible to provide short-term gains for selfish interests which will harm the long-term quality and economy of the nation. For recent documentation of the relationship between conservation & economic growth, see: https://www.hcn.org/issues/50.14/growth-and-sustainability-in-southwestern-utah-unceasing-growth-means-increased-tension/print_view & https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/08/20/stories/1060094727 Reason 147: Zinke is totally committed to energy dominance—he regards conservationists as “terrorists.” Not long ago, Zinke excited some “green groups” that he would be “pivoting to conservation” after spending the first year plus devoted to energy dominance & welfare ranching. He was sensitive about the contradiction between calling himself a “TR Republican.” In the period since then, he has doubled down on his total devotion to energy dominance and welfare ranching. At a recent conference, he called “conservationists” terrorists—so that is what he really thinks about Teddy R! His solution to wild fires—logging forests and having cows graze even more public lands. This is from the man who heads the Department that contains the Forest Service, National Parks Service, and Fish and Wildlife Service. Conservation has not only been abandoned by him—it is under constant attack from him & his extraction-rancher industry appointees. There is no alternative to preserve conservation but to remove this jackass from office. For account of his vision of “cows munching” and drilling of public lands, see https://www.hcn.org/articles/politics-as-ethics-questions-swirl-zinke-knows-how-to-work-a-crowd?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email Reason 146: Zinke & Republicans: Destroying National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, & Public Lands. First, Cong. Republicans & Zinke allowed hunters in National Wildlife Refuges to kill wolf & grizzly cubs in their dens. Zinke wants the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge drilled. Now Cong. Republicans & Supreme Court want hovercraft in National Parks. This is Zinke-Trump-Don Young style “New Federalism”—the right of slob hunters & industries to kill & destroy wildlife & wilderness regardless of whether it is supposed to belong to the U.S. public. See doc. in previous Reasons for Killing in wildlife refuges & ANWR drilling—for hovercraft case see https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2018/06/18/u-s-supreme-court-agrees-to-reconsider-case-of-alaska-moose-hunter-and-his-hovercraft/ Reason 145: Zinke & Interior Out to “Update” Endangered Species Act (ESA): Translation from “Republicanese” to Real English: They want to destroy it. Today’s Washington Post has opinion piece by energy lobbyist, David Bernhardt (now Zinke’s Deputy Secretary!) about how they will weaken protections on endangered species because, like patients in a hospital, they don’t need ongoing care. This is a false analogy for many if not most endangered species. Threats to their habitat are steady growing as population and development inexorably increases and a large percentage will require protections forever. They want to put “cost benefit” calculations into the determination of whether to save species which would undermine the incentives for developers, ranchers, and other selfish interests to create habitat conservation plans and reach compromises over protection of species like the sage grouse. Interior already has scrapped the Sage Grouse compromise which was a perfect example of the positive impacts of the ESA. Indeed, an ESA “updated” like the Republicans & Interior want would render the USFWS a “nothing agency”—states & local governments dominated by selfish local interests would do what they want with public lands and species. Professionals in USFWS should protest but either they have been forced out or resigned in protest or are afraid to speak up against Zinke-Bernhardt who believe that Interior’s main purposes are “energy dominance” and making welfare ranchers and trophy hunters happy. See Bernhardt’s “opinion” (i.e., unspeakable garbage) piece at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/at-interior-were-ready-to-bring-the-endangered-species-act-up-to-date/2018/08/09/2775cd8e-9a96-11e8-b55e-5002300ef004_story.html?utm_term=.3121b88d5c9b&wpisrc=nl_headlines&wpmm=1 Reason 144: Zinke hires the Worst such as naming Andrea Travnicek to oversee USFWS & NPS. She’s a lobbyist for coal and gas—thus he puts in charge people with interests OPPOSED to what they are supposed to do—conservation of species & public lands. See https://departmentofinfluence.org/person/andrea-travnicek/ Reason 143: Zinke versus Science: he wants to speed ANWR drilling before info on impacts ready. He squawks about fires but ignores climate change science that aggravates them. He is a “Know-Nothing” who has no business heading Interior. For documentation, see https://www.arctictoday.com/sped-timeline-make-drilling-alaskas-arctic-refuge-reality-prove-achilles-heel/ Reason 142: Zinke’s actions such as opening ANWR to oil drilling will leave lasting scars and ruin one of the few remaining wilderness areas. His “heritage” to our grandchildren is to destroy the nature that is become rare to non-existent. See New York Times story on how drilling has already left bad scars at https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/03/climate/alaska-anwr-seismic-testing-tracks.html?emc=edit_th_180804&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=103654190804 Reason 141: Zinke deliberately sabotages Conservation. He is working to implement rules that will weaken the Endangered Species Act in coordination with Cong. Republicans. He is supporting cut of Land & Water Conservation Fund to 1% of its maximum. He removed rules that force miners and drillers to pay for damage to Federal lands. He has loosened import of trophies of endangered species. In other words, in EVERY case where there is a conflict between conservation and the desires of extraction industry, welfare ranchers, & trophy hunters he DELIBERATELY sabotages conservation. His tweets NEVER speak out for professionals in Interior devoted to conservation but routinely laud law enforcement staff & anyone with ties to ranching & trophy hunting. See following sources for documentation of these points: https://www.hcn.org/articles/opinion-dont-let-politicians-kill-the-land-water-conservation-fund https://www.idahopress.com/eyeonboise/idaho-commission-says-wolf-livestock-kills-hit-record-in-past/article_76000591-8329-51cc-a607-634c899fb4e6.html https://www.outsideonline.com/2327916/secretary-interior-ryan-zinke-scandal Reason 140: Zinke punishes professionalism. He reassigns anyone who puts professionalism above priority of energy dominance & cows on public lands. He lauds only those involved in law enforcement functions or close relationship with his pals—extractive industries, welfare ranchers, & trophy hunters. See one example at https://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/employee-tapped-to-head-regional-national-park-service-rejects-transfer/article_d8a88d92-76a2-56b5-8974-8fe1f5364105.html Reason 139: Zinke gives more trophy hunting permits for lions but keeps the information hidden. There use to be country-wide policies but now done on “case by case basis” & they don’t let public know about them. Beneficiaries? Trophy hunters such as wealthy contributor to Trump. See https://www.newsweek.com/lion-trophy-hunting-permits-trump-1045891?utm_source=Twitter&utm_campaign=NewsweekTwitter&utm_medium=Social Reason 138: Zinke’s BLM is ending the policy of compensatory mitigation for damage to habitats and endangered species. His priorities are clear and warped. He says "mitigation is Un-American." So what is "American?"--doing everything possible to help extractive industries, developers, & ranchers and NOTHING for conservation and the public who want to preserve species and public lands. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/07/25/stories/1060091103 Reason 137: Zinke ignores information contrary to his positions, deliberately degrading the value of conservation. He appoints extraction & rancher industry to top offices. He ignores local input that contradicts industry interests. An analysis by the Washington Post of thousands of emails by Zinke & his aides found that they systematically ignored evidence of the value of national monuments & conservation while emphasizing the “value of logging, ranching, and energy development.” In short, Zinke is dishonest & biased and not worthy of being the head of a Department that is supposed to protect public lands. See the article at https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/trump-administration-officials-dismissed-benefits-of-national-monuments/2018/07/23/5b8b1666-8b9a-11e8-a345-a1bf7847b375_story.html?utm_term=.29661ef938d1 And Rolling Stone article: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/ryan-zinke-trump-war-on-department-of-interior-700218/ Reason 136: Zinke threatens to make the ESA a meaningless law. The very essence of the ESA is that conservation of species is a crucial value that should not be traded for profits by developers & state-local officials. Without that provision, the ESA becomes a meaningless law & selfish interests will do what they want. It also will make the USFWS a nothing agency. Any professional conservationist in USFWS should protest this change and resign in protest if it is not reversed. Reason 135: Zinke-Trump Pivot to Conservation: They want to destroy it. They want to strip the Endangered Species Act of key provisions that protect them regardless of economic impacts. Implications: Whenever developers want to develop an area with protected species & habitat, states will be able to ignore threats to species if they consider the economic impacts more important. See https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/wp/2018/07/19/endangered-species-act-stripped-of-key-provisions-in-trump-administration-proposal/?utm_term=.e428b0db7aef&wpisrc=al_news__alert-hse--alert-national&wpmk=1 Reason 134: Zinke’s so-called “Advisory Group” for parks is dominated by private industry that want to privatize park services such as a CEO who wants to “trademark” the name of Yosemite National Park! For a list of the members, see Secretary Zinke Selects Members of Newly Created “Made in America” Outdoor Recreation Advisory Committee https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/secretary-zinke-selects-members-newly-created-made-america-outdoor-recreation-advisory For a critique, see https://democracyforward.org/press/democracy-forward-sues-to-expose-zinkes-attempt-to-hand-over-americas-national-parks-to-his-corporate-allies-through-potentially-unlawful-committee/#.W04oi9JKiUl Reason 133: Zinke is selling out public lands for lowered royalty rates from oil-gas-coal. Royalty rates haven’t increased for decades but Zinke is LOWERING them even further. Zinke revoked policy to follow science on climate change effects. Actually, the exploitation of lands is so unproductive that energy industry has failed to respond to lowered royalty rates & proposed sales. Zinke ignores any consideration of conservation in decisions—only energy dominance & amount extracted matter. See the article by Zack Colman at https://www.revealnews.org/article/trump-dreams-about-a-new-energy-boom-oil-leases-could-cover-this-mountain-valley/ Reason 132: Zinke’s Cabinet, like him, consistently violate ethical rules Story by Huffpost shows Benjamin Cassidy, former NRA lobbyist, taking part in Interior decisions that he had previously lobbied for. Likewise, his aide Todd Wynn scheduled meetings with his former corporation and Masburn attended events hosted by her former employer, Heritage Foundation. Finally, his Deputy, Bernhart met with Casino outfit represented by his former employer. Shows how an unethical leader like Ryan Zinke, hires personnel who replicate his “stinky” behavior. See https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/benjamin-cassidy-nra-interior-department_us_5b3fa5e9e4b05127ccf1bb2b Reason 131: Zinke’s Interior produced 3 major attacks on conservation in one day (June 27th, 2018): 1. Allow Everglades highway across wetlands-See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/06/27/stories/1060086609 (2) New plan to destroy red wolves; See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/06/27/stories/1060086631 (3) Boost oil-gas on shores-See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/06/27/stories/1060086645. Just think about cumulative impact of 2/12 years more of Zinke-Trump on wildlife, public lands & sea shores. Reason 130: Zinke’s Interior Dept. brags about opening 10 Million Acres of Federal land to mining. It states that it is focusing on “economic development.” They say that “Federal lands belong “to every citizen” but Zinke cares only about mining industries & those citizens who will directly benefit from them. Most citizens favor protecting public lands for future generations but Not Zinke & Trump. The funds that pay for Interior Department comes from ALL STATES—those containing the public lands that Zinke is handing over to industry pay a MINORITY of the taxes that support his Department. Reason 129: Zinke & Trump versus Science: Interior’s U.S. Geological Survey scientists must get approval before talking with reporters. Zinke & Trump don’t like to see their lies contradicted by facts. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/06/25/stories/1060086337 Reason 128: Zinke fires professionals & hires lackeys: Zinke puts top Interior jobs in hands of those who support his (only priorities): oil, gas, coal, welfare ranchers, & trophy hunters. This is illustrated once again by his appointment of Dan Smith to replace Dan Wenk as Supt. Of Yellowstone. Wenk was unpopular with The Montana Group, Repub. lobbying org. that contributed to Zinke’s campaigns. They opposed free-roaming bison. Smith with an undistinguished career’s main “main achievement” was to “orchestrate” Wenk’s “reassignment” away from Yellowstone. See https://medium.com/westwise/former-yellowstone-chief-slams-secretary-zinkes-ousting-of-respected-yellowstone-superintendent-e28e21b93017 Reason 127: Zinke is The Swamp! Details have just emerged of how Ryan Zinke (and his wife, Lola) are engaged in a real estate deal with the Chair of Haliburton despite the fact that Zinke has made many decisions that enrich the company. The article describes numerous other ethical violations by Zinke. See https://www.politico.com/story/2018/06/19/ryan-zinke-halliburton-park-whitefish-montana-647731 Reason 126: What Zinke Cares About: Zinke never met with his Advisory group that was concerned with conservation but he is meeting again with his “Wildlife Conservation Council” dominated by trophy hunters. He knows what his priorities are: Killing trophy animals up at the top. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/06/18/stories/1060084913 Reason 125: Zinke has posted tweets about Native Americans. But he & Trump want to allow mining near Grand Canyon despite National Congress of American Indians has resolved against it & ignored the opposition of tribes to cutting of Bears Ears Monument. See https://www.hcn.org/articles/energy-and-industry-a-new-era-of-uranium-mining-near-the-grand-canyon?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email and https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/13/climate/trump-uranium-bears-ears.html?_r=0 Reason 124: Zinke ignores science—Interior halted study into link between surface mining & health and says it will no longer use science-based “guidance documents” to carry out laws. See https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/09/climate/trump-administration-science.html Reason 123: Zinke uses Advisory Groups dominated by Extractive Industries to propose reductions in royalty rates these companies pay for exploiting public lands—they are now proposing to reduce the rates even more—the Federal government’s rates are already far lower than what states like TEXAS charge. These Advisory groups have little or no representation from the public or conservation-minded groups. Thus the Zinke-Trump Advisory groups are a perfect example of the SWAMP that hypocrite Trump complained about. See the details at: https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/news/2018/06/04/451582/secretary-zinke-poised-give-breaks-drilling-industry-less-oversight-public/ Reason 122: Zinke only wildlife concern is for trophy hunters. He loosened regs in Alaska such as use of blinding lights, baiting, dogs, killing pups in dens, indiscriminate traps & snares, despite overwhelming public opposition but then Zinke doesn’t care about public opinion-only trophy hunters. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/05/25/stories/1060082775 Reason 121: Zinke turns Interior into law enforcement agcy. He brags about Interior staff arrests & seizures at same time he’s cutting conservation staff & budget. When has he bragged or even talked about conservation? So much for pivot! See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/05/31/stories/1060083105 Reason 120: By time Zinke “pivots” to conservation, he will have destroyed public lands & oceans. He has cuts National Monuments, destroyed agreement to save the sage grouse and the Migratory Bird Act, opened Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling, undermined protections against harm to public lands, and opened the entire U.S. coasts to drilling, just to name a few of his misdeeds. For sage grouse,see https://www.hcn.org/articles/endangered-species-sage-grouse-shake-up-alienates-conservationists?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email For migratory, see Reason 76. For Bears Ears, see 60. For drilling on land, see 59, for drilling on coasts, see 66 & 69 among others. In short, “conservation” for Zinke is opening up U.S. public lands and waters to Donald Trump & his wealthy friends. Reason 119: Zinke thinks that the purpose of National Wildlife Refuges is to provide trophy hunters more killing opportunities. For example, he is opening up a Refuge in Philadelphia to bow hunters. His only mentions of wildlife during his term in office concerns using them as trophies. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/05/22/stories/1060082361 Reason 118: Zinke’s Desperate & False Move to Restore Credibility: After a full year of not only IGNORING conservation but taking numerous steps to undermine conservation and wildlife, Ryan Zinke just met with a number of “green organizations” and announced that he would change his focus “over the next few years” from energy towards conservation. Why his Ryan Zinke doing this? Congress and the public concerned with conservation have been disgusted by his anti-conservation moves. Proof? Zinke tried to make HUGE cuts to the regular Interior Department budget but the Republican Congress rejected his cutbacks. Now he needs support from Congress and especially environmental organizations to achieve his proposed reorganization for Interior—a major purpose of which is to “streamline [translation: undermine] the National Environmental Protection Act” and ease rules on permitting! Somehow he found 17.5 Million dollars in his proposed budget for this reorg. But his credibility is ZERO with environmental orgs. Consequently, he is desperately trying to entice support. How? He makes a vague proposal to set up an “advisory group” to advise him on the reorganization. Reportedly many of the attending orgs. liked the idea of being on the Advisory group. Although I understand why green orgs are desperate to get input and be able to tell their donors that they have “access to Zinke”, it’s a huge mistake to coddle up to Zinke who’s only interested in support for reorg.—not conservation. He ignored previous advisory groups so completely, they resigned in protest. I suggest this to the environmental organizations: Agree to participate ONLY IF Zinke reverses the many harmful actions he has taken such as: (1) Reinstate the full Bears Ears Monument; (2) Get rid of anti-conservation staff such as rancher Susan Combs who hates the Endangered Species Act; (3) Reverse the decision to drill in coastal waters; (4) Support environmental regulations such as those to reduce Methane that he is trying to gut; (5) Make sure that oil-gas-coal development on public lands conform to existing NEPA rules that he is trying to undermine; (6) Ban use of lead ammunition on public lands—he cut regs on them; (7) Eliminate the International Wildlife advisory panel that is dominated by trophy hunters; (8) Enforce the ban on incidental killing in the Migratory Bird Act. I could go on listing dozens more actions needed to reverse harm he has done to conservation but the above steps would be a good start and serve to show he is genuine about “pivoting to conservation.” Reason 117: Zinke, Congress, & State Departments of “Game” are failing to deal with Crisis of Huge Drop in Excise Tax for Wildlife Restoration Fund. New Data on Excise Taxes on hunting-angling shows HUGE decline in pistols-firearms-ammo revs-down 31%-33% from 2017. There also has been a long-term decline in hunters shown by 2016 USFWS survey. So what has Congress, Zinke, & states response been? They want to spend wildlife restoration $ to recruit new hunters! This a futile losing strategy. We need to get new revenue sources such as general tax funds which would be well justified—to preserve wildlife for future generations. Expanded excise taxes on wildlife related activities such as Bird Feeding, binoculars, etc. would also make sense. At the state level, we also need new or expanded non-game-related revenue sources—some states have done a bit in this area but not enough & most states have done little or nothing. Instead, Congress is moving the WRONG way-their only action is to rewrite excise law (known as Pittman-Roberson) to allow use of wildlife funds to recruit new hunters! There also needs to be a total revolution in leadership of state agencies: I have been reviewing the leadership (e.g., directors and advisory commissions) for the state “Game” (tellingly, that is what a large percentage have in their titles) departments and not surprisingly, the leadership is overloaded with hunters with conservation-non-game interested people in a small minority in most states. Zinke is a total loss as a leader. Far from taking leadership for developing conservation of wildlife, he has demonstrated that he cares only about wildlife that can be used as trophies and he is going in the opposite direction from that needed. (See my blog’s Reasons #100, 99, 93, & 89 for documentation on Zinke trophy obsession). The USFWS survey showed that more people are WATCHING wildlife and revenues related to wildlife viewing are INCREASING while revenues from hunting are dropping. This has been a LONG-TERM trend—it’s been going on for more than a decade and there is every reason to believe it will continue if not escalate. For data to support these points: see Wildlife Management Institute report on excise taxes (Note: they are a PRO-HUNTNG organization!) https://wildlifemanagement.institute/outdoor-news-bulletin/may-2018/second-quarter-excise-tax-receipts-show-continued-drop-wildlife and the 2016 USFWS survey of wildlife related activities including watching and hunting, see https://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/Subpages/NationalSurvey/nat_survey2016.pdf Reason 116: Like Donald Trump, this article shows Zinke continues to lie even after his lies have been exposed—claims that Bears Ears cut not related to drilling-mining. Like Hitler, they believe in BIG LIES—and unfortunately, they seem to get away with it. See https://medium.com/westwise/the-fix-was-in-emails-show-zinke-staff-focused-on-potential-for-drilling-and-mining-in-monuments-b24a735cb080 Reason 115: The Swamp Is As Big as Pacific Ocean under Trump-Zinke: Story tells how Interior official met with his former employer, conservative Koch-funded “foundation,” about job matters violating ethics rules. Interior spokesperson Health Swift lies as often as Sarah Huckabee Sanders & that takes some doing. See article https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/may/14/interior-department-official-koch-conflict-of-interest?CMP=share_btn_tw Reason 114: Zinke-Trump’s War Against Science Continues: BLM blocked their archaeologists from speaking at science conference--from testifying problems of leasing lands rich in archaeology, failure to protect cultural resources valued by tribes, & need for better planning ahead of dev. rather than rely on “mitigation” that has proven to be failure in most cases. See https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2018/05/11/feds-blocks-government-archaeologists-from-speaking-at-a-major-science-conference/ Reason 113: Zinke puts people like Susan Combs in charge as Acting Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks despite the fact that her “to save” endangered species like the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard in Texas allowed energy companies to self-regulate their efforts in such a flawed way that the State of Texas now has to redo the plan which does not monitor sand mining which is a major threat and she touted a “popular credit swap program” that was useless to saving the lizard—oil & gas paid contractors to remove mesquite but system provided no sig benefit for the lizard. In short, Combs like Zinke does not care about conservation—her only goal is to avoid restrictions on oil & gas to improve their profits. For detail analysis of Combs and Texas failings, see https://www.mystatesman.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/exclusive-citing-fatal-flaws-texas-rewrites-plan-save-rare-lizard/kpUCClUTA5Wov5JIj4NI3K/ Reason 112: Zinke’s BLM is giving a royalty rate reduction to Utah coal producer that will reduce federal & state funds by 19 million—coal is uneconomic to extract now so Zinke is subsidizing coal that pollutes streams, air, & land. See https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2018/05/07/feds-grant-utahs-largest-coal-producer-a-royalty-discount-worth-up-to-19-million/ No help to coal-gas-oil is too costly for Zinke—no efforts to preserve conservation & public lands is worthy of doing as far as Zinke is concerned. Reason 111: While Zinke continues to undercut and underfund conservation-related activities of Interior, he is now spending MORE resources on immigration! He is assigning more Park Service employees to protect the border even though this is the function of the Department of Homeland Security. This shows once again the utter bankruptcy of Zinke—he is actually opposed to protecting public lands & conservation—he cares only for oil, gas, coal, welfare ranchers, and trophy hunters. For story on assignment of NPS officers to immigration functions, see http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/386570-interior-is-sending-officers-to-assist-patrolling-the-us-mexico Reason 110: Zinke's own state, Montana, rejects Zinke policies: Univ of Montana poll asked Montanans whether they approved or disapproved of Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke’s recommendations to decrease the size of national monuments. Of the respondents, 29% approved and 62% disapproved of Zinke’s recommendations. See https://news.umt.edu/2018/03/031418poll.php Reason 109: Zinke has altered scientific reports to omit human role in climate change, unprecedented political interference in government science at the Interior Department, which oversees the park service, according an article in Reveal. The article says that “Jonathan Overpeck, a climate scientist and dean of the University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability, said the deletions are “shocking from a scientific point of view, but also from a policy point of view.” And “To remove a very critical part of the scientific understanding is nothing short of political censorship and has no place in science,” he said. “Censorship of this kind is something you’d see in Russia or some totalitarian regime. It has no place in America.” See the full article at https://www.hcn.org/articles/corruption-human-role-in-climate-change-removed-from-science-report?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email Reason 108: Zinke is trying to kill a BLM rule that required oil & gas corps to repair leads of methane—even tho Senate voted this down. This change would save oil-gas lots of money but cause taxpayer to lose millions in royalty payments. Just one more example of how Zinke puts oil-gas-coal above conservation & public lands. Reason 107: Zinke wants to remove the 4(d) rule that provides default protection to threatened species. This would result in the need for FWS staff to determine whether and what protections are “necessary and advisable” for each and every species listed as threatened. This is being done while Zinke has reduced staff & budget of USFWS. Note that Zinke rarely mentions conservation & if he does, it is coupled with plans to lease public lands to oil-gas-coal to obtain revenues to make up for Interior budget cuts he is making. In short, he is a disgusting hypocrite. See https://www.edf.org/blog/2018/04/19/zinkes-latest-change-endangered-species-act-more-trouble-you-think?utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=edf_protect-and-defend_upd_dmt&utm_medium=social-media&utm_id=1524143345&utm_content=annie Reason 106: Earth Day under the Worst Environmental Admin. in History: Zinke’s hero, Trump, “celebrated” Earth day bragging about his cutbacks to environmental regulations—most of them done by Zinke or Pruitt: https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/04/23/stories/1060079821 Zinke is cutting charges to coal companies leasing use of public lands: https://mountainwestnews.org/study-wolverines-collar-humans-fecfbe3b7700 Reason 105: Zinke’s Conception of Conservation: Mining helps the land! Zinke thinks that Sage Grouse love oil wells and that mining western land is good because it makes land more productive when you “mix top soils”. See full extent of his ignorance on these & climate change at https://www.eenews.net/stories/1060079255 Reason 104: Zinke is a hypocrite and does not listen to local input unless it is in Montana. A New York Times story documents how he has protected areas in Montana while ignored local input & done away with protections in other states. An article from Wyofile shows how he has ignored local input from Republican-dominated county commissions to strip State BLM of the authority to postpone leases to extractive industries in order to protect areas rife with wildlife & recreational areas. For documentation of these points, See https://www.wyofile.com/zinke-clips-state-blm-conservation-power-draws-wyoming-ire/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weeklynewsletter And https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/16/us/ryan-zinke-montana.html?emc=edit_th_180417&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=103654190417 Reason 103: Congress Rejects Zinke Budget. Zinke’s budget request for Interior made huge cuts in conservation but Congress ignored his idiotic request & funded 2.5 Billion more. But he & Repubs are planning to rescind this money. It shows again how he has no concern with conservation & is a terrible admin.—Congress including many Republicans reject his Energy Dominance Only preoccupation. See the full article on the cuts at https://www.hcn.org/articles/department-of-interior-what-will-zinke-do-with-the-extra-2.5-billion-in-his-budget?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email Reason 102. Zinke is violating the law by illegally extending the tenure of temporary directors such as Susan Combs who is Acting Secretary for Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. I detailed in my Wildlife Politics book how she implemented a plan to avoid Federal regulations to preserve the threatened Sagebrush Lizard. Agreements with extractive industries & landowners were voluntary & the USFWS didn’t even have the right to view individual agreements to see if they were working! Combs like other Acting Directors does not have the credentials or support to win permanent status. This is just one more example of Zinke’s terrible appointments demonstrating he does not care about conservation at all. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/04/05/stories/1060078267 and https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2018/04/04/a-fierce-opponent-of-the-endangered-species-act-is-picked-to-oversee-interiors-wildlife-policy/?utm_term=.18ec8da25027 Reason 101: Zinke takes advice—from those who want to make a profit from public lands and destroy wilderness. His appointments to the Outdoor Recreation Committee include people from boat and snowmobile manufacturers and ATV dealers and those who have conflicts of interest as concessionaires and want to privatize camping and other park operations. It does not include anyone from the Outdoor Industry Asso. who conduct “nonomotorized activities” and who criticized scaling back Bears Ears. As usual, Zinke selects the worst possible advisors—those who oppose conservation and public lands. See https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/zinke-creates-new-outdoor-recreation-panel-made-up-entirely-of-industry-advisers/2018/03/26/04f3e960-2f9a-11e8-8688-e053ba58f1e4_story.html?utm_term=.e03a3ea966dc Reason 100: Zinke’s only interest in wildlife is trophy hunting but data on hunting from the 2016 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife PROVE that hunting continues to DECLINE with big decreases in hunting. Likewise, Excise tax revenues show a HUGE decline in revenues (33% to 37%) for pistols, firearms, and shells-cartridges. Indeed, the Wildlife Management Institute, a PRO-HUNTING organization states that “These numbers do not paint a very bright future for state fish and wildlife agency funding and the future of hunting and fishing.” These findings demonstrate that Zinke’s total focus and revenues derived from and his ignoring wildlife conservation and non-game species is disastrous. USFWS’s 2016 shows that the number of hunters continued a two-decade steady decline. By way of contrast, non-consumptive uses of wildlife continued a steady increase with 20% increase in those who watch nearby their homes and 3 percent increase in those who travel to view wildlife. The message is clear: We need to refocus the Interior Department’s and Zinke’s focus on trophy hunting—they are destroying wildlife conservation. New revenue sources not based on hunting need to be tapped. Zinke’s “leadership” is destroying conservation in the U.S. and is contrary to what MOST AMERICANS want from Interior and State wildlife agencies. The Excise data & Wildlife Management Institute data are available at: Wildlife Management Institute. https://wildlifemanagement.institute/outdoor-news-bulletin/february-2018/excise-tax-update The USFWS 2016 survey is available at https://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/Subpages/NationalSurvey/nat_survey2016.pdf Reason #99: Zinke does not seek balanced advice—he only listens to those he agrees with. For example, his hunting council is composed of celebrity hunting guides, representatives from rifle and bow manufacturers, and wealthy sportspeople who boast of bagging Big 5 trophies. “Most are high-profile members of Safari Club International and the National Rifle Association, groups that have sued the Fish and Wildlife Service to expand the list of countries from which trophy kills can be legally imported.” See Asso. Press story on this meeting at https://www.wsj.com/articles/APae53d56159b1468ca837db22538ce82e?mod=searchresults&page=1&pos=1 Reason 98: Zinke isn’t content with cutting budget for Interior’s conservation programs. He now is forcing BLM’s employees to wear insignia showing Oil Rigs & Cattle Ranching. He has no shame & cares not one whit for conservation or professionalism of his employees. He cares only about extractive industries & welfare ranchers (& trophy hunting). What a small, puny man he is! See https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/the-energy-202/2018/03/16/the-energy-202-interior-agency-gives-employees-vision-cards-depicting-oil-rigs/5aaaadcd30fb047655a06cbf/?utm_term=.0667a4f69f7d&wpisrc=nl_politics-pm&wpmm=1 Reason 97: Zinke is a doubletalker and coward. At hearing, he now says that there may be no drilling off Pacific—like Florida! He made a terrible decision and is unable to back it up—he deserves to be fired. At same time, he “virtually eliminated the Land & Conservation Fund” and cuts monuments. His defense—the monuments are still under “federal protectons”—well those are protections set up in previous Administrations that cared about conservation. This Administration & Republicans are eagerly looking to eliminate or weaken those protections such as the Endangered Species Act. See account of his doubletalk & cowardice at https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2018/03/13/zinke-oil-and-gas-exploration-off-the-pacific-coast-might-not-happen/?utm_term=.50ecc7000f41 Reason 96: Zinke isn’t content to reduce monuments & park funding—he wants to litter areas surrounding them with mines & pumps. See https://www.denverpost.com/2018/03/09/great-sand-dunes-national-park-mineral-rights-auction/ Reason 95: Zinke will save parks by destroying public lands while cutting Interior Budget. Zinke’s Interior propose to provide funding for national parks infrastructure needs by taking money from energy developments on Federal lands and waters. At the same time, he is proposing a 10% CUT to the Interior budget. So he brags about plan to “fund national parks” while cutting money from the budget of the agencies that run the parks & by destroying public lands and waters—that is the Zinke-Trump approach to conservation—fund parks by killing public land and conservation. See https://www.eenews.net/gw/2017/02/28 and https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/03/07/stories/1060075699 Reason 94: Zinke is violating the law by having “Temporary” Directors to remain in charge for long periods of time. He has done this with 3 key positions: the directors of National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Fish and Wildlife Service. See http://www.peer.org/news-releases/temporar-interior-directors-illegal.html Reason 93: Zinke voids one of Trump’s rare humane actions—Trump referred to elephant trophy hunting as a “horror show” but Ryan Zinke only likes wildlife—elephants or any other species—that is available for trophies so his Interior Dept. has quietly allowed “permits” for trophies. See https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/wp/2018/03/06/trump-called-elephant-hunts-a-horror-show-his-administration-just-lifted-a-trophy-hunting-ban/?utm_term=.fa8914c7d7d9 Reason 92: Zinke wants to kill unburdensome regs such as Obama’s Methane regulations for no good reason other than he wants zero minimum regulation of extractive industries. An article by Jonathan Thompson details the harm that would be done to the environment & conservation for the very minor costs that regulation costs extractive industries. https://www.hcn.org/articles/methane-rules-in-danger?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email Reason 91: Zinke treats Interior employees unfairly & unprofessionally. Many are resigning or retiring under protest such as 2 USGS professionals who refused to go along with his illegal use of information before it was released to the public. He has questioned the loyalty of his employees. He is planning on cutting 4000 employees—they are not needed anymore because Interior no longer cares about conservation and the environment—only energy dominance & turning over the land to extractive industries. See https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2018/02/21/two-scientists-have-left-the-interior-department-after-zinke-demanded-confidential-energy-data/?utm_term=.ab9249c13fcf&wpisrc=nl_green&wpmm=1 Reason 90: The Zinke-Trump budget will cut funds for protecting endangered species by 47 percent and USFWS overall budget by 19 percent or 300 million dollars—a budget that had already suffered huge cuts this year. Zinke does not care about his agency’s missions—his only concern is extractive industries & welfare ranchers. See http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2018/endangered-species-funding-02-13-2018.php Reason 89: The only interest Zinke has in conservation is for trophy hunters. His big “conservation announcement” in Utah was “to expand opportunities for big game hunting.” See official Department of Interior admission of this at https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/secretary-zinke-prioritizes-conservation-big-game-migration-corridors Reason 88: Zinke appoints the worst people possible for Interior—those pushing for extractive industries with interests opposed to those of conservation. For example, Douglas Domenech Asst. Sec. for Insular Affairs is having his duties expanded. His qualifications? He lobbied for them, encouraged drilling on Virginia’s oceanfront, and authored the “moral case for fossil fuels”—an effort funded by Kochs & extractive industries. See https://departmentofinfluence.org/person/doug-domenech/ Reason 87: Zinke’s rush to turn over public lands to oil-gas-coal ignored science & follow NEPA rules & thus open to legal challenge. See New York Times article by Coral Davenport at https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/31/climate/trump-zinke-environmental-rollback.html?em_pos=small&emc=edit_sc_20180205&nl=science-times&nl_art=11&nlid=10365419&ref=headline&te= Reason 86: While Zinke shows no interest in the conservation goals of the Interior Department, he continues to show great interest in political fundraising that is heavily involved in direct-mail contributions. He is a political hack who is harming the environment as he pursues contributions from wealthy extractive industries. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/02/05/stories/1060072913 Reason 85: Zinke isn’t just for extractive industries—he wants to kill renewable energy sources, public lands, and conservation all at the same time in California “environmentally sensitive lands.” See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/02/01/stories/1060072665 Reason 84: Zinke has no ethics and no shame. He opened public lands to use of lead bullets—overturning previous regulations while not disclosing his ownership of shares in a company that produces the ammunition. See https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/zinke-proof-research-shares_us_5a60e1fae4b0b3f7fa12c397?vo4 Reason 83: Zinke lies and bad decisions don’t hold up when held up to public scrutiny—shows what an incompetent toady he is. His argument that “Florida is unique” is indefensible (except on political interpretation!) He has gotten away with destroying conservation due to lack of mass media attention but now his phoniness & incompetence have become clear. See https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/1/11/1731876/-Ryan-Zinke-says-Florida-is-obviously-unique-as-Trump-condemns-rest-of-coast-to-more-drilling Reason 82: Zinke is an incompetent Administrator. This point is illustrated by his recent announcement that offshore drilling is out for Florida. Turns out he never discussed this was agency responsible for it & that decision has not been made—which is typical of his “spontaneous and confused decisions that have left policies vulnerable to legal challenge.” See https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/19/climate/offshore-drilling-florida.html?emc=edit_th_180120&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=10365419 Reason 81: Zinke is a threat to endangered species not only in the U.S. but worldwide. He is “stocking international wildlife panel” with big-game hunters, thus threatening attempts to save species like lions, elephants, and tigers. See E&E News at https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/01/18/stories/1060071325 Reason 80: Zinke’s lack of concern for conservation is demonstrated by his failure to appoint a Director for the National Park Service—the first time this has happened since 1916. Since he only cares about “energy dominance,” this should not be surprising. See article in LA times at http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-national-park-zinke-oil-gas-20180117-story.html Reason 79: Zinke has totally ignored not only overwhelmingly majority of input from environmental-conservation groups but even that from the National Park Service Board that is supposed to provide guidance for his decisions—so much so that ALL of the members led by former Alaska Governor Tony Knowles resigned. By way of contrast, he is filling Interior positions with former employees of extractive industries. See https://www.mprnews.org/story/2018/01/17/npr-majority-of-national-park-service-board-resigns Reason 78: Fish and Wildlife: Are they conservation agency or do they exist to foster “energy dominance?” Zinke’s USFWS is debating whether to remove goal of “net conservation gain” as goal of mitigation due to pressure from extractive industries. Actually, research shows that mitigation areas to compensate for loss of sensitive areas are often far inferior to the habitat being lost due to developments. Removal of this requirement is one more example of total abandonment of their conservation priority by this agency due to Zinke. See https://www.eenews.net/stories/1060070959 Reason 77: Zinke lies shamelessly and repeatedly. The New York Times reported that Zinke claimed that “there is no mine within Bears Ears” but actually there were “300 uranium mining claims inside the monument” and he brought alone Energy Fuels, the CANADIAN Uranium Mining company on his trip to Bears Ears while refusing to meet with Native American groups opposed to mining—but he claims that he claims he heeded “LOCAL voices” in his decision. See https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/13/climate/trump-uranium-bears-ears.html?_r=0 Reason 76: Zinke’s appointees such as Interior legal counsel Daniel Jorjani make blatantly illegal interpretations of laws and treaties to allow development by extractive industries such as in Twin Metals leases near Boundary Waters & incidental killing under Migratory Bird Act—hoping that Trump-appointed stooge judges will uphold. See http://www.timberjay.com/stories/twin-metals-decision-part-of-a-much-broader-initiative,13850 Reason 75: Zinke & his Bureau of Land Management deleted webpages concerning climate change, renewable energy, and the overall mission of the agency. He has undermined science and ignored the conservation mission of the agency. His totally unbalanced actions to achieve “energy dominance” make a travesty of the Interior Dept.—it has become the Department of Extractive Industries & Welfare Ranchers. See https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/climate-webpages-erased-and-obscured-under-trump/ Reason 74: Zinke ignores science in favor of politics in giving grants. E&E News reports that “The Interior Department will now funnel certain grants through a political screening intended to ensure the federal dollars "better align" with the administration's "priorities," according to a newly revealed memo. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/01/09/stories/1060070507 Reason 73: Zinke names the least qualified, indeed the worst people possible, to head agencies under Interior. They oppose the missions of the agencies they are supposed to head and do everything they can to undermine them. For example, reports from E&E News say that Zinke will name a former park superintendent head of the National Park Service despite the fact that he helped wealthy people cut down trees. See https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2018/01/05/stories/1060070251 Reason 72: Zinke’s Interior Department approved the building of a road through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge that wildlife experts say will damage wildlife who depend on this habitat. The local officials & Japanese-owned local business say that the road is needed for access to medical care but the Federal government has already spent $50 million on providing\ such access. See Lisa Friedman, NewYorkTimes at https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/07/climate/alaska-road-refuge.html?emc=edit_th_20180107&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=10365419 Reason 71: Zinke’s will remove protections for the Arctic. His draft proposal would calls for the removal of crucial Arctic protections and authorization of new leasing in this incredible landscape. See https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/trump-administration-to-roll-back-crucial-arctic-protections?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=oceans Reason 70: Zinke ignores science and revokes climate change and mitigation policies. He tells Interior to ignore climate change and revokes any need for mitigation of harm done by extractive industries. See http://www.hcn.org/articles/climate-change-interior-department-revokes-climate-change-and-mitigation-policies?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email Reason 69: Zinke has opened virtually all offshore areas to drilling regardless of environmental and conservation threats. Zinke’s pal, Thomas Pyle, President of American Energy Alliance, just said offshore areas: “these are our lands.” He is right. With Zinke & Trump in charge, all public lands and all offshore areas will belong to extractive industries. Until the public hears about these threats from the mass media & contacts their reps., these harmful actions will continue. See https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/04/climate/trump-offshore-drilling.html?emc=edit_th_20180105&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=10365419 Reason #68: Zinke will no longer enforce incidental killing of migratory birds by industry—failing to enforce the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. See documentation at http://www.audubon.org/news/the-white-house-turns-its-back-americas-birds Reason 67: Zinke wants to mine on the Edge of Boundary Waters Canoe Area—an action previously blocked by Obama. He again shows is all out commitment to extractive industries—he could care less about conservation. He regards Interior as a Federal Mining Company. See http://www.wildlifepolitics.org/blog Reason 66: Zinke’s Department ordered the National Academies study on the safety of offshore drilling to be stopped—another example of his all out reckless exploitation of natural resources with no concern for conservation & explicit rejection of science. See Gronewold, E&E News at https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2017/12/22/stories/1060069795 Reason 65: Zinke’s Interior Dept. is proposing to allow continued commercial fishing in the first U.S. Atlantic Ocean marine monument that researchers have called “an incredible biodiversity hotspot.” Trump Administration Facing Battle Over New England Marine Monument. A no-fishing monument actually supports fishing because it allows fish “re-establishment zone” where populations are revived due to the lack of “human harvesting.” See Hladky’s Hartford Courant article at http://www.courant.com/politics/hc-pol-coral-canyons-trump-threat-20171215-story.html Reason 64: Zinke punishes Interior Department employees for making science-based statements about the harm that climate change will wreak on national parks. Zinke doesn’t like science or freedom of speech when it contradicts Trump and his biases. See article by Timothy Cama at http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/364994-zinke-reprimanded-park-head-after-climate-tweets Reason 63: Zinke is politicizing and slowing access to Freedom of Information Access (FOIA) requests. He has centralized all different agency FOIA requests into his central office under a political hack. See Washington Post article by Grandoni & Eilperin at https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/12/15/trump-environmental-officials-are-keeping-tight-rein-over-stampede-of-foia-requests/?utm_term=.8c18c378e566 Reason 62: Zinke devises false “local participation” in monument decision-making dominated by pro-development & few Native Americans who want monument. See Felicia Fonseca, “Tribes: Monument Co-Management Proposal Is Slap in the Face” at https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2017-12-11/tribes-decry-proposal-for-co-management-of-utah-monument Reason 61: Zinke and House Republicans attack private company for expressing opposition to monument cutbacks. This is another unethical action by Zinke. See coverage of dispute with Pataogonia in article by Matthew Daly at http://www.denverpost.com/2017/12/11/ryan-zinke-gop-patagonia-feud/ Reason 60. Zinke ignored public comments and Native Americans concerning Bears Ears but Washington Post article documents how he paid close attention to uranium firm in decision to shrink Bears Ears. See Juliet Eilperin, “Uranium firm urged Trump officials to shrink Bears Ears National Monument” at https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/uranium-firm-urged-trump-officials-to-shrink-bears-ears-national-monument/2017/12/08/2eea39b6-dc31-11e7-b1a8-62589434a581_story.html?utm_term=.327ad11a3d0b Reason #59: Zinke is systematically weakening key rules established to ensure that U.S. gets adequate revenues from extractive industries and gets input from Native Americans that would be affected by drilling and keep energy development away from sensitive areas. See article by Jonathan Thompson in High Country News at http://www.hcn.org/articles/department-of-interior-interiors-return-to-the-robber-baron-years?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email Reason #58: Zinke is about to cut 1.6 billion from Interior Budget & reorganize it so that it is located near extractive industries & welfare ranchers—his plan is proposed by “advisers” working for Koch Brothers & extractive industries. See Chris D’Angelo. Republicans Turn To Industry For Advice On How To Reorganize Interior Department https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/interior-department-reorganization-hearing_us_5a295068e4b0fa798612887f Reason #57: While Zinke cuts funding for conservation programs in Interior, he wastes money on expensive travel such as helicopters to ride his horse! Ryan Zinke “Spent $6,250 On A Helicopter So He Could Ride Horses With Mike Pence.” See article by Nick Visser at https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ryan-zinke-helicopters_us_5a2a2337e4b069ec48ac3272?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009 Reason 56: Zinke is preparing to cut back more monuments. He “supports cutting Nevada’s Gold Butte and Oregon’s Cascade-Siskiyou” and will be allowing motor vehicle traffic in Siskiyou and assuring grazing in New Mexico’s monuments. See https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/zinke-backs-shrinking-more-national-monuments-shifting-management-of-10-others/2017/12/05/e116344e-d9e5-11e7-b1a8-62589434a581_story.html?utm_term=.85da7d13a813 Reason 55. Zinke selects top Interior officials who oppose & will undermine the agency’s conservation purposes. For example, Zinke is considering Karen Budd-Falen to head the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). She has been a long-time critic of BLM favoring local government over Federal environmental regulations. She wants to cut back radically on monuments & supports legislation to do by Utah’s anti-conservation congressman, Rob Bishop. She criticizes national parks for being “single use” properties, talks enthusiastically about grazing, timber logging, and extractive industries use of BLM lands. She doesn’t mention conservation as a priority for the agency. In short, Zinke puts in power individuals like himself: they don’t care about the environment or conservation. See Jennifer Yachnin at http://www.wyofile.com/potential-blm-chief-vows-push-local-input-reduce-monuments/ 54. Zinke is a big hypocrite—cuts monuments elsewhere but wants to add one in his home state of Montana. See https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/zinke-aims-to-shave-national-monuments-except-in-his-home-state_us_5a1b8315e4b0d4906cafab87 53. Even Republican supporters of Ryan Zinke now regret that he is head of Interior—they see that he lied when he said he was a “Teddy Roosevelt Republican.” See E&E News at https://www.eenews.net/gw/2017/11/27 52. Zinke supported eliminating restrictions on the importation of elephant trophies & also loosed restrictions on importation of lion trophies. It shows once again that Zinke cares nothing about wildlife conservation other than supporting hunters seeking trophies. See E&E News. https://www.eenews.net/gw/2017/11/21 51. Under Zinke’s (who cares about hunting & trophies above all), the USFWS reversed Obama policies and is now allowing imports of elephant and lion trophies despite the fact that these species are increasingly endangered & Zimbabwe is a dictatorial & terribly managed country.Interior Department to allow imports of elephant and lion trophies from Africa, reversing Obama policies https://blog.humanesociety.org/wayne/2017/11/interior-department-allow-imports-elephant-lion-trophies-africa-reversing-obama-policies.html 50. Zinke, the head of the Interior Department, has no comments about Bundy—the man who refuses to pay for his usage of public lands & who threatened BLM (Interior Department) personnel with guns when they tried to enforce Interior Department Regulations. Actually, it is a wonder why he hasn’t come out and supported & lauded Bundy—they are of the same mindset—the hell with conservation. https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2017/11/07/stories/1060065865 49. Zinke’s Interior: Everything for Hunters, Nothing for Wildlife Conservation: According to E&E News, Zinke has expanded “hunting opportunities” at 9 wildlife refuges and opened another to sport fishing”—emphasizing that he does not care about the original purpose of refuges—to conserve wildlife—not kill it. https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2017/11/07/stories/1060065877 48. Zinke’s Terrible Personnel Management Policies: E&E News reports that Zinke has left important positions in the Interior Department vacant for an “unusually long time.” At the same time, he has hired former Navy Seal as his “recreation czar.” This reinforces his view of his department as a military force & does not tolerate anyone who cares about priorities other than Zinke’s—i.e., making money for extractive corps. & public land welfare ranchers—except for unethical hunters. https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2017/11/07/stories/1060065875 47. Zinke “repealed an Obama administration rule that ended a scam coal, oil and gas companies had long relied on to make deceitfully small royalty payments to the federal treasury.” As a result, “fossil-fuels companies can once again shortchange the public out of its royalties.” What’s more, Zinke raised entry fees to parks—the added fees are calculated to raise 70 million dollars for parks but the “calculated lost annual revenue from reopening the royalty loophole at $75 million.” What more can you say about him? He is a clear & present danger to public lands and conservation. See https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/ryan-zinke-is-erasing-public-from-lands-hes-meant-to-guard/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=article_left_1.1 46. Zinke is planning to reverse ban on mining in watershed of Grand Canyon. See http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/358311-trump-admin-to-reconsider-grand-canyon-uranium-mining-ban#.Wfpe3065vU0.twitter 45. Zinke had questionable ethics as a Member of Congress selling a vehicle at low cost violating campaign ethics rules and his poor ethical system has continued in office with his abuse of travel costs at the public’s great expense. See https://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/30/ryan-zinke-campaign-fec-complaint-244313 44. Zinke convinced Trump to shrink Bears Ears and Grand Staircase from 1.35 million acres down to 120,000 acres. The first big cutback in monuments by Zinke who claimed to be Teddy R. Republican—Roosevelt invented monuments. See http://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2017/10/27/trump-tells-sen-orrin-hatch-hell-shrink-the-bears-ears-national-monument/ 43. Zinke is going to eliminate Obama leasing reforms that keep energy development away from national parks and other environmentally sensitive areas. These reforms gave a voice to local and regional interests in how oil and gas is developed. For example, the reform closed 145,000 acres of federal lands near the Arches and Canyonlands national parks to future mineral leasing, capped well densities on projects in sensitive areas, and placed no surface occupancy restrictions on about 306,000 acres "that are highly valued for scenery and recreation.” See Scott Streater, Key Obama-era leasing reform to get the ax” at https://www.eenews.net/stories/1060064921 42: Zinke views environmental protections “burden” to “energy dominance. He wants to alter or remove End. Species Act, NEPA, Rules for offshore drilling & fracking. https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/department-interior-releases-energy-burdens-report 41. Zinke’s PAC has used unethical practices, focusing on getting donations from small donors who can ill afford these contributions and then spending most of the money on overhead. He continues to “closely associate with a PAC, ForthRight Strategy, whose former executive pleaded guilty to child pornography charges.” See Lefebre & Juliano, Politico, at http://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/24/zinke-fundraisers-republican-operatives-244094 40. Zinke refuses to say why he is cutting back monuments when overwhelming public support for them. See the YouTube Video where Zinke is interviewed about public monuments & can’t defend his recommendations to cut them. His position on monuments is especially notable because during his confirmation hearings he described himself as a “Teddy Roosevelt Republican”—Teddy Roosevelt is the president who pioneered the use of monuments for conservation. Zinke once again proves that he a liar and a hypocrite and his administration has no transparency. The video is at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5WeTDZMGZQ 39. Zinke’s Way: Everything for Hunters—Nothing for Wildlife Conservation. The USFWS is working on a plan to allow hunters to kill trumpeter swans—a species that has been protected. The purpose of this change is to protect hunters who (supposedly) mistakenly shoot the trumpeters & thought they were aiming at tundra swans—an unprotected species. This is simply another example of Zinke’s Interior Department & the Trump Admin. prioritizing unethical hunting over wildlife conservation goals. Similarly, USFWS is removing protections from wolves & grizzlies because they compete with hunters for elk and other “game species”—the only species that Zinke is interested in. Zinke wants to broaden use of lead bullets and fishing gear to pander to unethical hunters-fishers who don’t want to spend a few more pennies to protect species from their harmful effects. The Trump Admin. is pushing a Sportsmen’s bill that will allow silencers because they are concerned about harming hearing of hunters as they kill animals. Zinke and the Trump Administration have sho[BR1] wn absolutely no interest in wildlife conservation—they will undoubtedly welcome the legislative moves to undermine (if not eliminate) the Endangered Species Act. Zinke, the Trump boys, and their friends like to kill wildlife—not preserve it. Article on Trumpeter Swans is available at: http://www.therepublic.com/2017/10/14/us-swan-hunting/ 38. Zinke’s is working behind the scenes to build a controversial and long-contested road through the heart of Alaska’s Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, documents show. The Army Corps of Engineers has studied it & shown that alternatives to the road are superior. See article by Lorraine Chow at https://www.nationofchange.org/2017/10/17/groups-slam-zinkes-backroom-deals-build-road-alaskan-wildlife-refuge/ 37. Zinke threatened Senator Lisa Murkowski over her vote on Obamacare. His implicit threat was to act against her priorities involving the Interior Department. This show how Zinke is willing to subvert any Interior Department issues to Trump political priorities. See https://www.adn.com/politics/2017/07/26/trump-administration-signals-that-murkowskis-health-care-vote-could-have-energy-repercussions-for-alaska/ In this case, Murkowski’s priorities are anti-conservation but the general principle is Zinke is willing to subvert Interior priorities for unrelated political concerns. 36. No ethical principles—Zinke minions approve harmful projects with conflicts of interest. Trump’s BLM removes a hurdle for controversial Mojave Desert Cadiz project which his Deputy Secretary will financially benefit from. Zinke has no problem with this ethical issue. The Obama Admin. and environmentalists opposed the project because of concerns that pumping enormous amounts of water out of the aquifer could deplete natural springs. The springs sustain habitat for rare wildlife in the desert such as tortoises and bighorn sheep.” See http://www.hcn.org/articles/water-trumps-blm-bureau-of-land-management-clears-a-hurdle-for-controversial-cadiz-project?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email 35. Zinke Strikes Again: He has approved drilling near national monuments & parks—Oil, Coal, Gas Win, Conservation loses: Every day brings news of another Zinke action against the conservation goal of the Interior Dept. He will allow drilling near the Dinosaur National Monument and also approved oil and gas leases near Zion National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Chaco Culture National Historical Park, Hovenweep National Monument and Fort Laramie National Historic Site. Zinke has shown no interest whatsoever in the conservation goals of the Interior Dept. See story by Stephen Nash of New York Times at: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/18/travel/drilling-near-dinosaur-monument.html?emc=edit_tnt_20171018&nlid=10365419&tntemail0=y 34. Zinke is pushing a road through an Alaskan Wildlife Refuge that studies by USFWS show will be harmful to wildlife. Moreover, he is doing it in a way to keep the planning of the road secret and thus unavailable for public scrutiny. This again shows Zinke’s priorities and characteristics—development over conservation and lack of transparency. See Washington Post; https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/interior-looks-at-behind-the-scenes-land-swap-to-allow-road-through-wilderness-refuge/2017/10/15/c6458380-aeb7-11e7-9e58-e6288544af98_story.html?utm_term=.98910da734cb 33. In just 2 years in Congress, Zinke received 350K from extractive industries. He is paying them back by turning public lands into mining-oil-gas moneymaking industries while destroying habitat & caring not at all for conservation aspects of Interior Department: https://wildernesswatch.org/ 32. Zinke defends Confederate monuments—says they are necessary so that “we can learn from history”?? The monuments depict the defenders of slavery as heroes—Zinke is, like Trump, clueless and supporter of white supremacist. Source: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/zinke-taking-down-confederate-statues-upset-native-indians?utm_content=buffera4129&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer 31. Zinke has opened public lands to ATVs and motor vehicles in areas such as Utah’s Recapture Canyon where they had been banned: http://www.hcn.org/issues/49.7/latest-zinke-reopens-recapture-canyon-to-motor-vehicles?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email 30. Zinke is all out for oil—no room for conservation or compromise for conservation or wildlife. In 2013, the Obama Admin. & Congress reached a COMPROMISE that opened large new areas for oil in exchange for protecting vital biodiverse lands. No one sued over this compromise. But Zinke and his BLM are now putting up “every available tract” under the 2013 for lease to oil companies—this action is not based on industry demand—they are not even close to using the lands already available to them in Alaska. He wants to commit the area to oil drilling regardless. See Christopher Solomon. America’s Wildest Place is Open for Business. NYT. Nov. 10, 2017. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/11/10/opinion/sunday/wildest-place-in-america.html?em_pos=large&emc=edit_ty_20171110&nl=opinion-today&nlid=10365419&ref=headline&te=1&_r=0 29. Zinke treats the Interior Dept. as his army unit—he accuses employees of disloyalty and has flags raised at the Dept. “headquarters in downtown Washington, Secretary Ryan Zinke has revived an arcane military ritual that no one can remember ever happening in the federal government.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/wheres-zinke-the-interior-secretarys-special-flag-offers-clues/2017/10/12/68672476-aeb2-11e7-9e58-e6288544af98_story.html?utm_term=.b663b91fa22f 28. Zinke lied about claims for energy production—he got “4 Pinocchios from Washington Post: http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/zinke-earns-four-pinocchios-for-domestic-energy-production-claims/article_0a228cd7-b8a2-5812-9689-51e00f3cfb3a.html?utm_content=buffer2c912&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=LEEDCC 27 Zinke has abused travel wasting public funds on flights as reported by the media on September 29th. See https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2017/09/28/59533ed8-a4b8-11e7-ade1-76d061d56efa_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_zinketravel-1105pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.35b74046bc9d 26 Zinke punishes professional employees for fighting climate change such as Joel Clement who was transferred from a job protecting Alaskan villages from rising seas to “auditing fossil fuel company leases as discussed in LA Times http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-trump-civil-servants-201709-story.html that allows Alaskans to kill wolf pups and bear cubs in dens in NATIONAL WILDLFIE REFUGES. Chicago Tribune: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-alaska-0313-jm-20170310-story.html 24 Zinke is opening BLM to more ORV use in sensitive areas which threatens archeological sites but is also very harmful to wildlife as has been proven by scientific research. High Country News: http://www.hcn.org/issues/49.7/latest-zinke-reopens-recapture-canyon-to-motor-vehicles?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=emailAnd pp. 295-335 of Todd Wilkinson, Science Under Siege. 23 Zinke has pushed policy changes that prioritize extractive industries and devalue conservation. His staff “filed a legal proposal to rescind the nation’s first safety regulation on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. They are exploring a proposal to loosen safety rules on underwater drilling equipment put in place after the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Zinke rolled back an Obama-era order to block coal mining on public lands and delayed carrying out a regulation controlling emissions of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, from oil and gas wells.” New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/25/us/politics/interior-secretary-zinke-staff-conservation-regulations.html?emc=edit_th_20170726&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=10365419&_r=0 22 Zinke’s staff are dominated by extractive industry officials and lobbyists. An early count totaled 21 of his staff from extractive industries versus 3 from conservation-sports area. He hired Susan Combs of Texas to control the agency’s budget. Combs fought against USFWS efforts to preserve species. High Country News: http://www.hcn.org/articles/interiors-energy-priorities-undergird-sweeping-monuments-review?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email And High Country News: http://www.hcn.org/articles/whos-up-for-trump-administration-positions-this-week?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email 21 Zinke and Interior have denied endangered species protection to threatened species such as the Pacific Blue Fin Tuna. He toadies to the fishing industry. Ecowatch: https://www.ecowatch.com/bluefin-tuna-endangered-species-2470265690.html 20 Zinke gives private talks to groups that want to take over public lands for states and private interests such as ALEC-- American Legislative Exchange Council funded by the Koch Brothers and Exxon. By way of contrast, he gave little chance for input to conservationists in his review of monuments. High Country News: http://www.hcn.org/articles/department-of-the-interior-secretary-gives-closed-door-speech-to-alec?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email 19 Zinke’s 2018 budget for the Bureau of Land Management would “shift B.L.M. funding for nonenergy programs to oil and gas production. With the bureau’s staff and resources already strained, the Trump budget would force the agency to short-circuit environmental reviews and impact assessments on energy development and curtail priorities important to rural communities that depend on the public lands, like fire prevention, rangeland improvement, conservation of fish and wildlife habitat, and recreation.” New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/28/opinion/trump-oil-public-lands.html?em_pos=small&emc=edit_ty_20170828&nl=opinion-today&nl_art=4&nlid=10365419&ref=headline&te=1&_r=0 18 Zinke has forced the Interior Department to speed oil & gas leases on public lands that would “short circuit” environmental reviews of these leases—the leases run for at least 10 years & often much longer. New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/28/opinion/trump-oil-public-lands.html?em_pos=small&emc=edit_ty_20170828&nl=opinion-today&nl_art=4&nlid=10365419&ref=headline&te=1&_r=0 17 Even sportsmen, the one “conservation group” that Zinke pays any attention to, find his policies wrong including the shrinking of monuments and inattention to conservation. High Country News: http://www.hcn.org/articles/public-lands-as-sportsmen-watch-zinke-disillusionment-replaces-hope?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email 16 Zinke and Trump appointed National Rifle Association official (lobbyist) to the US National Park Foundation board—she wants to get rid of regulations that hinder hunting and wants to allow baiting and killing of cubs and other unethical hunting practices. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/nra-us-national-park-foundation-donald-trump-susan-lapierre-womans-leadership-forum-a7928791.html 15 Zinke supports opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to extractive industries—again demonstrating his top priority is “energy dominance” and cares nothing for conservation. New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/16/climate/trump-arctic-refuge-drilling.html?mcubz=3&_r=0 14 Zinke is totally focused on hunting and game species—he cares nothing for non-game animals and the vast majority of the public who like to watch wildlife instead of hunt it. But these non-game watchers spend far more money and support communities near conservation areas than hunters. EE News: https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/stories/1060061129/most_read 13 Zinke misled Trump and the public on the monuments that have previously been cut. In most of these cases, the land remained protected such as by the National Park Service. Again, demonstrates that nothing Zinke says can be trusted. EE News: https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2017/09/21/stories/1060061363 12 Zinke supports Department of Interior’s top lawyer Ryan Nelson who wants to make it hard or impossible for conservationists to delay logging and other activities that harm wildlife. EE News: https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2017/09/21/stories/1060061353 11 Zinke supports “aggressive forest thinning” to deal with wildfires despite the fact that it is climate change and weather that cause the fires and that ecologists have shown that this this thinning has bad consequences for ecosystems and the fires have good effects for wildlife and elk hunters. High Country News: http://www.hcn.org/articles/dc-dispatch-zinkes-fire-memo-calls-for-aggressive-thinning-of-western-forests?utm_source=wcn1&utm_medium=email 10 Zinke wants to privatize campsites on public lands—which is guaranteed to increase prices for campers & turn over key decisions to those who care about profit first: The New Mexican http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/idea-to-privatize-campsites-has-opponents-worried-prices-could-skyrocket/article_6b27e3e2-e9cf-56c9-bf13-2ca02cbb71a1.html 9 Zinke is giving more “flexibility” to welfare ranchers on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in how cows graze public lands. There is a mountain of evidence such as that described in George Wuerthner’s Welfare Ranching (book) and Lynn Jacobs Waste of the West (book) that ranching is harmful to the lands and wasteful subsidy of the welfare ranchers who abuse the land. The BLM’s own survey shows their lands are in terrible shape though they try to deny that it is due to omnipresent welfare rancher grazing. EE News: https://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2017/09/22/stories/1060061495 8 Zinke doesn’t understand or doesn’t listen to science—for example, he focuses on sage grouse populations instead of habitat conservation and proposes using captive breeding to support sage grouse—both approaches are discredited by science. Audubon: http://www.audubon.org/magazine/fall-2017/zinkes-new-conservation-plans-will-hurt-not-help 7 Zinke has accused Interior employees of disloyalty—showing that he does not understand the purpose of the department he heads. His “loyalty” comments have been roundly condemned by public employees & ethicists. His concept of loyalty is based on loyalty to the chain of command—Trump and Zinke—while employees should be loyal to the assistance Interior provides to the U.S.—not Trump, Zinke, and extractive industries. EE News: https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2017/09/26/stories/1060061733 6 Zinke supports so-called “Sportsmen’s Heritage Bill” that protects use of lead bullets including in wildlife refuges. Lead bullets have been proven to be harmful to species such as the Condor demonstrating and are inexpensive—surveys show that most hunters support the use of non-lead bullets. Again that Zinke cares more about unethical hunters & the NRA than conservation: New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/27/opinion/editorials/nra-guns-california-trump.html?em_pos=small&emc=edit_ty_20170927&nl=opinion-today&nl_art=3&nlid=10365419&ref=headline&te=1And http://nmpoliticalreport.com/209535/lead-zinke-ban-public-lands-en/ 5 Zinke’s report on monuments contained several factual errors concerning them exposed by Senator Heinrich of New Mexico showing that Zinke is ignorant, a liar, and incompetent: https://medium.com/westwise/senator-calls-out-multiple-factual-errors-in-national-monuments-report-to-donald-trump-9c462ac1251b 4 In hearings for his job, he claimed he was a “Teddy Roosevelt Republican” but TR was the first president used the Antiquities Act to expand monuments while Zinke is pushing major cutbacks to monuments. These cutbacks despite conclusive survey evidence that western state citizens support monuments & don’t want to cut them—only small but powerful extractive industry and welfare ranchers favor cutbacks: E&E News: https://www.eenews.net/greenwire/2017/09/27/stories/1060061887 3 Instead of fighting for conservation & national parks, he pushes for “energy dominance” as if he were Sec. of Energy. Our national parks are overwhelmed with visitors & need more support but the Trump-Zinke budget proposes a 13 percent budget cut! New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/27/us/national-parks-overcrowding.html?emc=edit_th_20170928&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=10365419&_r=0 2 He is scrapping the Sage Grouse compromise plan that took years to negotiate between the Obama Admin. & western states—he is devoted first and foremost to “new mineral leasing, grazing and other commercial activities across the quirky bird’s Western habitat.” He went ahead without consulting western governors of Wyoming & Colorado who helped forge the compromise. Audubon Society http://www.audubon.org/magazine/fall-2017/zinkes-new-conservation-plans-will-hurt-not-help And New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/28/climate/trump-sage-grouse.html?emc=edit_tnt_20170928&nlid=10365419&tntemail0=yAnd Wyofile: http://www.wyofile.com/western-governors-fret-zinke-ponders-review-grouse-plans/1 1 The major reason why Zinke won easy confirmation was based on his opposition to takeover of Federal public lands by states but his record shows no concern for conservation. “He has a 4 percent lifetime score from the League of Conservation Voters, and oil and gas companies have donated nearly $350,000 to his campaigns. He is a strong supporter of coal — “we are not going to power our nation on pixie dust and hope,” he told a local crowd in 2014 — and has pushed to end Mr. Obama’s moratorium on new coal leases.” The only wildlife Zinke cares about are game or fish that he consumes. The only public lands users he cares about are extractive industries, welfare ranchers, and hunters. He care nothing for non-game animals or people who want to enjoy wildlife without killing it. New York York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/01/us/for-interior-montanan-with-deep-roots-and-inconsistent-record.html?emc=edit_th_20170302&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=10365419&_r=0 [BR1]
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During my research for the book, I noticed that there was no blog available for sharing informaton on wildlife conservation and thus I set up this blog to accomplish this purpose. Please share any informaticoncerning issues related to wildife policy and politics. I welcome feedback from users concerning this blog and website.
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