The man who once wrote that “the Founding Fathers intended all lands owned by the federal government to be sold” has had his time in charge of U.S. public lands extended. Interior Secretary David Bernhardt signed an order Thursday leaving William Perry Pendley in charge of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) until April 3, […]
The Senate voted to confirm former oil-and-gas lobbyist David Bernhardt as Secretary of the Interior Thursday, despite calls from Democrats and government watchdogs to investigate his past conduct, The New York Times reported. The confirmation vote was 56-to-41, making Bernhardt—who has so many conflicts of interests he has to write them on an index card […]
By Jessica Corbett Environmental activists are calling on senators to reject the nomination of former fossil fuel lobbyist David Bernhardt to lead the U.S. Department of the Interior. The calls come ahead of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s Thursday morning hearing to consider his nomination. “David Bernhardt is a walking, talking conflict of […]
Acting Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, who faces a Senate confirmation hearing Thursday after President Donald Trump nominated him to head Interior permanently, acted to block a report that found that two pesticides “jeopardize the continued existence” of more than 1,200 endangered species, according to documents obtained by The New York Times and the Center for […]
President Donald Trump officially nominated David Bernhardt—a former energy lobbyist environmental groups have described as a “walking conflict of interest”—to officially take over as interior secretary after Ryan Zinke stepped down in December 2018 following various scandals. “It’s a humbling privilege to be nominated to lead a Department whose mission I love, to accomplish the […]
Hats off to Delta Air Lines. The company’s charitable arm awarded the National Park Service an $83,500 grant to help reopen the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park in Atlanta from Jan. 19 through Feb. 3 in honor of Dr. King’s legacy. The Atlanta-based airline was inspired to act after learning that some of […]
By Emilie Karrick Surrusco As 2019 begins, it’s out with the old and in with the same old, same old. Scandal-ridden Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke released a brief farewell letter Wednesday in red marker. With Zinke’s successor not yet named, David Bernhardt becomes acting secretary. The move swaps out one political insider closely […]
By Jeff Turrentine Navy SEALS are known for their incredible endurance and superior ability to get out of tough, high-stakes situations. But ex-SEAL Ryan Zinke, our current secretary of the Interior, likely won’t be able to climb, jump, swim or rappel his way out of the ethics mess he’s gotten himself into. If the rumors […]
One hundred and fifty conservation groups sent a letter Wednesday urging U.S. senators to oppose the nomination of energy lobbyist David Bernhardt as top deputy in the Interior Department, citing his efforts to enrich corporations at the expense of the environment. Bernhardt’s confirmation hearing is set for Thursday before the Senate Committee on Energy and […]