Ryan Zinke
The Hidden Battle Threatening the Future of America's Wild Places
State and federal agencies are warring over who has control of wildlife on public lands, while landscapes get trampled and invasive species obliterate endangered ones.
Bears Ears Now Has the Support of Its Home County's Leadership
The San Juan County commission voted two-to-one in favor of a resolution that rescinds the county's previous opposition to the monument and condemns its reduction by Donald Trump.
Trump Will Nominate David Bernhardt to Be DOI Secretary
Democrats and environmental advocacy groups oppose Bernhardt's nomination due to his background as an oil and mining industry lobbyist.
Trump Has Yet to Nominate a DOI Secretary to Replace Ryan Zinke, So Here's Who's Taking Over
David Bernhardt, who will step in to fill the role, is a lawyer and lobbyist with strong fossil fuel and water industry ties.
Even Without Zinke, It's Business-as-Usual at the Department of the Interior
Whether Ryan Zinke is in or out of office, a cohort of right-wing industry advocates still wield huge influence over the DOI.
Stories You Might Have Missed This Week
A Park Service Board gets new members, mudflows follow California fires, and a big company commits to clean energy.
How RaĂşl Grijalva Could Transform the House Committee on Natural Resources
The Democratic congressman will soon be able to reverse much of the anti-conservation legacy that his predecessor leaves behind.
The Trump Administration Wants to Roll Back Environmental Protections to Help Fight Fires
New farm bill provisions would eliminate environmental protections for forest management, without addressing the wildfires' biggest driver: climate change.
The Edit, Episode #13: A Conversation About Corruption in the Department of the Interior
On the latest episode of Pacific Standard's podcast about how our stories are made, we talk with contributor Jimmy Tobias about his investigation into Ryan Zinke's DOI.
Industry Influence at the DOI: Five Takeaways From Our Investigation
An investigation by Pacific Standard and the Guardian revealed the full extent to which Ryan Zinke's Department of the Interior favored industry over conservation.
The DOI Has Gone Astray—and I Witnessed It Firsthand
The former director of the Department of the Interior's policy office opens up about where the agency went wrong—and how to save it.
New Documents Reveal the Extent of Industry Influence on Ryan Zinke's DOI
"They are undermining the department's mission at every turn": New documents reveal just how much the Department of the Interior favored industry over conservation.
Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke May Face a Criminal Investigation
With the mid-term elections looming, some have speculated that Zinke will be among the next spate of cabinet members to leave their posts.
Oregon's Governor Will Sign an Executive Order Banning Offshore Drilling
Oregon Governor Kate Brown announced a plan to block offshore drilling off the state's coast on Monday.
The Government Is Accelerating Plans for the West Coast's Earthquake Warning System
Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke directed federal agencies to smooth the way for installing seismic sensors out west.
How Increased Logging to Prevent Wildfires Hinders Biodiversity
The Trump administration has posited that more active management of forests could help prevent future fires, but the science doesn't back that up.
The DOI Won't Sell Off Lands That Trump Removed From a Utah Monument
Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke didn't see the Bureau of Land Management's draft plan beforehand; he only learned the details when he read about them in the news.
Dispatches: Five Essential Reads From the Past Week
A collection of some of our most important and timely stories, from a profile of Billie Sutton, the former rodeo star running for governor of South Dakota, to a report on the growing trend of girls-only trade classes.
The Lede, Issue #26: Girls-Only Trade Classes, the Rodeo Star Running for Governor of South Dakota, Sacha Baron Cohen's New Show, and More
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Stories You Might Have Missed This Week
Ethiopia and Eritrea enter a new era, Ireland makes a big climate change move, and a sock scandal strikes the Department of the Interior chief.
A Top DOI Official Had at Least Six Meetings With the Mining Industry. She Then Helped Cancel a Study on the Public-Health Effects of Mining.
Records obtained by Pacific Standard reveal that a top official at the DOI had a hand in nixing a government-funded public-health study in Appalachia—after a series of meetings with some of the most powerful mining players in the country.
Stories You Might Have Missed This Week
Californians remove a controversial judge from the bench, Trump might be down with legalizing marijuana, and fourth-graders can keep going to national parks for free.
Anatomy of a Fact: When Facts Have Expiration Dates
Anatomy of a Fact is a recurring series exposing how the Pacific Standard research and fact-checking process works.
Emails Suggest the Department of the Interior Is Prioritizing Fossil Fuel Interests Over Wildlife Well-Being
Records reveal that, following requests by fossil fuel industry groups, a top official at the Department of the Interior appeared to take credit for helping to delay new federal protections for a once-endangered species.