146 Documented Reasons why Ryan Zinke is the Worst Secretary of Interior Ever

Documented Reasons why Ryan Zinke is 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 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
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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
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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
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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=
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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
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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 don’t 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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
 

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