Virginia Cramer, virginia.cramer@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke testified before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on his agency’s proposed budget. Sec. Zinke was visibly angered by Congressional questioning of agency decisions, including rollbacks of national monument protections and expensive private flights, even going so far as to challenge Senators to call his bluffs.
During the hearing, Zinke stated, "I never took a private jet anywhere," despite numerous accounts and his own Department’s admission that he has in fact flown privately on taxpayers’ funds.
When questioned on his actions to shrink Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante National Monuments, Zinke said “I challenge you to find me one square inch of land that has lost federal protection.” Zinke has taken measures to cut Bears Ears by 85% and shrink Grand Staircase by half.
In response, Athan Manuel, director of Public Lands Protection for Sierra Club issued the following statement:
“Zinke’s defense of his abuse of taxpayer funds and unprecedented attack on our public lands exposes his contempt for the Senate and the American people, confirming he believes he’s only beholden to the corporate polluters directing him. The fact remains that his private plane travel, abuse of taxpayers’ dime, extreme deference to the dirty fuel industry, and lack of concern for the American people demonstrate the need to remove Zinke from his scandal-ridden tenure immediately. Our country’s places and people deserve better than his waste, fraud and mismanagement.”
Snapshot of facts:
Zinke stands by his proposal to significantly raise National Park entry fees, despite research showing such a move would price many families out of our parks, while easing the way for dirty fuel interests.
Zinke’s budget request slashes funding for renewable energy and study of oil and gas environmental and health impacts, while increasing funding for oil and gas programs.
During the hearing, Zinke admitted there is no conclusive data to support his proposal to reduce royalties from offshore oil and gas development.
Zinke spearheaded an illegal plan to violate the Antiquities Act and shrink national monuments like Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante. Despite this, during the hearing Zinke challenged Senators to find one acre of land that has lost protections.
He changed the rules to fast-track oil and gas development on public lands while eliminating opportunities for public comment.
He is caught in a scandal surrounding the suspicious award of a no-bid, $300 million electrical reconstruction contract to a two-person company based his hometown – a company that his son used to work for.
He spent $40,000 of wildfire preparedness funds to treat himself to a private helicopter tour of Nevada.
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About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.