Ryan Zinke in The Guardian (U.K.)
On Energy & Oil:
Public lands opened for private company energy development
As the director of the National Park Service, at NPS we were hopeful [about] Ryan Zinke [when he was first appointed as Secretary of Interior], but we were soon disappointed, then appalled, as his doors were soon darkened by oil executives and climate
deniers. Under Zinke, policies that planned for climate change's impacts on national parks were rescinded, and leasing of public lands for development was accelerated (despite a glut of oil). Millions of acres that were available for outdoor recreation
will now be held by private companies for fossil fuel development. Many distinguished career public servants will be gone and many mid-level employees will be reconsidering their career choices.
Regulations that protect our air, water and wildlife will be weakened and need rebuilding. And our options for addressing climate change will have been narrowed.
Source: NPS Director in The Guardian on 2018 Trump Cabinet
Dec 16, 2018
On Environment:
Raise fees & eliminate national park passes for kids
When President Trump's new secretary of the interior Ryan Zinke rode a horse to the steps of his new office, there was cautious optimism. But as the 18th director of the National Park Service (NPS), where I oversaw over 400 national parks, now that
Zinke [has left the] Department of the Interior, many of us who care deeply about public lands have breathed a collective sigh of relief.While we were hopeful [about] Zinke, we were soon disappointed, then appalled, as his doors were soon darkened
by profiteers, big game hunters, oil executives, and climate deniers. Under Zinke, national monuments were carved up and reopened for development, exemplified by the reduction of Bears Ears national monument under the guise of a "review" under which
Native American input was left out and public opposition ignored. Then Zinke rolled out a series of poorly conceived ideas: eliminate national park passes for the active military and fourth graders, and increase national park entrance fees.
Source: NPS Director in The Guardian on 2018 Trump Administration
Dec 16, 2018
Page last updated: Nov 03, 2024