Public-Lands

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke Resigns Facing 18 Federal Investigations

| Importance: 8/10

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke resigned while under at least 18 federal investigations for corruption, conflicts of interest, and ethics violations. Scandals included: involvement in a Montana land deal benefiting himself and Halliburton chairman, using wildfire funds for personal travel, chartered …

Ryan Zinke Donald Trump Department of Interior David Bernhardt corruption interior-department public-lands ethics-violation cabinet-scandal +2 more
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Ryan Zinke Opens Public Lands to Extraction While Profiting

| Importance: 8/10

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, who rode a horse to his first day while claiming to be like Teddy Roosevelt, opened 10 million acres of public lands to oil and gas drilling while his wife ran a consulting firm doing business with those seeking Interior Department approval. Zinke shrunk Bears Ears …

Ryan Zinke David Bernhardt Department of Interior Halliburton Oil Industry public-lands regulatory-capture environmental-destruction corruption extraction-industry
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Clinton Roadless Rule Protects 58 Million Acres of National Forests from Logging

| Importance: 8/10

In one of his final acts as president, Bill Clinton implements the “Roadless Rule,” prohibiting road construction, timber harvest, and most commercial development on nearly 58 million acres of pristine national forest land—more than a quarter of the entire National Forest System. The …

Bill Clinton U.S. Forest Service Timber Industry Mining Industry environment public-lands deregulation natural-resources conservation +1 more
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James Watt Resigns After Racist Remarks: Interior Department Corruption Ends

| Importance: 7/10

Interior Secretary James Watt announces his resignation after describing a department panel as having “a black, a woman, two Jews and a cripple,” mocking affirmative action. Watt resigns within three weeks of the September comments amid bipartisan condemnation. His controversial 33-month …

James Watt Ronald Reagan Department of Interior Beach Boys interior-department environmental-deregulation racism regulatory-capture public-lands
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