Reporting by Documented and POLITICO reveals that a widely cited study from the University of Wyoming on leasing federal lands for oil and gas extraction was secretly funded by the oil and gas industry. The study, released in December of 2020 by a Wyoming state agency, makes no mention of funding from the oil and […]
Category: Interior
Posted inCorruption, Interior, Oil and Gas, Uncategorized
David Bernhardt’s Ex-Lobbying Clients Met 70 times with Interior Department Appointees
A new analysis from Documented has found that from 2/15/17 to 10/1/18, there were at least 70 meetings between top DOI political appointees and entities listed on Acting Interior Secretary David Bernhardt’s ethics recusal letter. The analysis demonstrates that despite legally binding ethics pledges, Bernhardt’s one time lobbying clients have few fetters on their […]
Posted inUncategorized
David Bernhardt Met With API in a Second Undisclosed Meeting
Official documents released by the Department of the Interior reveal that acting Secretary David Bernhardt met with the American Petroleum Institute (API) in Denver, Colorado, on July 26, 2018. Bernhardt was the Deputy Secretary of the Interior at the time. According to travel forms that track travel expenses paid by non-Federal entities, API bought Bernhardt […]
Posted inInterior
David Bernhardt Photographs
David Bernhardt was picked to replace Ryan Zinke as Secretary of the Department of the Interior in January of 2019. Prior to joining the Department, Bernhardt was a lobbyist for oil, gas, and mining interests. Ethics rules prohibit him from meeting with a long list of former clients. Here are a series of photos of David Bernhardt […]
Posted inOil and Gas
Department of the Interior Ignores Scientists to Appease Oil Industry on Endangered Beetle
Secretary Ryan Zinke’s Department of the Interior has used “unsound science and poor ethics” in an attempt to cut protections for an endangered species of beetle, according to top scientific experts involved in the matter. The species at issue is the American Burying Beetle, whose last remaining habitat includes choice onshore oil and gas fields. This has made […]
Posted inUncategorized
Interior Department’s Vincent DeVito – the documents
Vincent DeVito is a Counselor to the Secretary of the Interior on Energy Policy. He was appointed by Ryan Zinke on May 1, 2017. The following source documents reveal Vincent DeVito’s hand in policy actions taken by the Department of the Interior meant to benefit the coal and oil industries. This page contains all relevant materials […]
Posted inInterior
Interior Secretary Meeting with Coal Industry Lobby Group Board of Directors
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and Arizona Governor Doug Ducey will speak to a room full of coal executives in Phoenix, Arizona at the National Mining Association (“NMA”) Spring Board of Directors meeting, according to a tweet from the keynote speaker of the event, Jim Carroll. This morning, I’ll do a keynote for the CEO’s of […]