Look West: Public lands and energy news from the Center for Western Priorities


** Watchdog: Trump Interior secretary violated ethics rules, misused office
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Thursday, February 17, 2022
Former Interior secretary Ryan Zinke with his dog, Ragnar, in the secretary's office. Photo: DOI.gov ([link removed])

A report from the Interior Department Inspector General ([link removed]) (IG) found that former secretary Ryan Zinke misused his official position ([link removed]) , violated his ethical obligations ([link removed]) , and did not comply with his duty of candor when negotiating with a developer ([link removed]) about a potential real estate project and brewpub in Whitefish, Montana.

The real estate project, known as 95 Karrow, is financially backed by David Lesar, who was the chairman of oil giant Halliburton at the time ([link removed]) . Zinke started The Great Northern Veterans Peace Park foundation ([link removed]) and was president of the organization before resigning to serve as Interior secretary. The foundation owns a 14-acre lot adjacent to the project site and initially agreed to allow developers to build a parking lot on the foundation’s land, where Zinke also had hopes of opening a microbrewery. Zinke stayed in constant contact with project developers while in office and even after stepping down as the foundation's president. According to the IG report ([link removed]) ,
Zinke “played an extensive, direct, and substantive role in representing the Foundation during negotiations” on the project.

The IG report found that Zinke knowingly made “incorrect and incomplete” statements ([link removed]) to Interior Department ethics officials about his involvement with the project and directed his subordinates to arrange a meeting with the developers in his government office, followed by a dinner and personal tour of the Lincoln Memorial. The report contradicts Zinke’s previous statements to the press, in which he denied having any involvement ([link removed]) in the brewpub’s development.

Center for Western Priorities Executive Director Jennifer Rokala said in a statement ([link removed]) , “The Inspector General just confirmed what we’ve known all along—corruption was rampant in the Trump administration. Self-dealing like this was par for the course. Ryan Zinke only got fired because he got caught."

Investigators referred the matter to the Department of Justice for potential prosecution ([link removed]) but the agency declined to pursue a criminal case. “It’s unfortunate that Attorney General Garland declined to pursue a criminal case against Secretary Zinke," said CWP's Rokala ([link removed]) . "The IG report makes it clear that Zinke broke the law when he ordered his staff to facilitate a meeting and private tour with the developers, one of whom was a top executive at Halliburton. Even though Trump is no longer in office, the Justice Department has an obligation to hold his administration accountable when cabinet secretaries flout the law and their ethics pledges."
Quick hits


** New Mexico legislators punt on funding oil and gas inspectors
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Capital & Main ([link removed])


** Feds, Colorado River states work on plan to avoid emergency water release into Lake Powell
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Colorado Public Radio ([link removed])


** Montana regulators hang on as investors, utilities move away from coal
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Billings Gazette ([link removed])


** 5 things to know about gray wolves regaining Endangered Species Act protection
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High Country News ([link removed])


** White House threading the needle in calling out environmental justice without being explicit on race
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New York Times ([link removed])


** Should Coloradans be allowed to travel rivers that pass through private land?
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Colorado Sun ([link removed]) | Out There Colorado ([link removed])


** Watchdog: Trump Interior secretary violated ethics rules, misused office
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Huffington Post ([link removed]) | The Hill ([link removed]) | Washington Post ([link removed]) | Politico ([link removed]) | Associated Press ([link removed]) | E&E News ([link removed]) | KTVQ ([link removed])


** The challenging and necessary task of changing place names on public lands
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Durango Herald ([link removed])
Quote of the day
” Reviewing names of the mountains, mesas, canyons and deserts of America’s public lands will present a formidable geographic challenge. Revisiting American history challenges all of us, but our nation and our culture are not static. We look back so that we can move forward."
—Andrew Gulliford ([link removed]) , author and professor of history at Fort Lewis College
Picture this


** @USFWSRefuges ([link removed])
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Cold feet? Well, no wonder. Red-winged blackbirds at Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge in Wyoming. 📷Tom Koerner/@USFWS

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