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.
Ryan Zinke
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
An exclusive newsletter that gives premium members greater access to Pacific Standard stories, staff, and contributors in their inbox every Sunday morning
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.
Ryan Zinke's Misguided Japanese Greeting
Zinke's Japanese-language gaffe shows his true colors when it comes to who can truly be considered American.
Animal Rights Groups Sue the Department of the Interior Over Trophy Hunting
The lawsuit alleges that the DOI's decision to allow Americans to bring their hunting trophies back home violates the Endangered Species Act.
A Watchdog Group Sues 16 Federal Agencies for Records of Office Upgrade Expenses
Trump officials are facing increasing scrutiny for extravagant uses of taxpayer dollars.
A Top Adviser at the Department of the Interior Is Under Fire After Meeting Extensively With Oil and Mining Representatives
Public records show that a senior DOI adviser has met with mining and fossil-fuel representatives far more than she has with environmentalists.
What Would a Democratic House Do to Protect Our Environment?
A chat with Democratic Representative Betty McCollum of Minnesota.
At the Department of the Interior, Industry Lobbyists and Revolving-Door Operatives Shape Sage Grouse Policy
Public records show that industry groups and conservative politicians have had the ear of top Department of the Interior officials as they seek to dismantle conservation protections for the imperiled species.
The Edit, Episode #5: A Conversation About Conservation and the Future of Public Lands
On the latest episode of Pacific Standard's podcast about how our stories are made, contributing writer Jimmy Tobias discusses his reporting on extinction, extraction, and environmental justice.
The Department of the Interior to Pilot Restructuring Efforts With Alaska Office
The department is planning to re-adjust its regional boundaries and revamp its organization system in 2018, starting with a pilot management office in Alaska.
Oil and Gas Ties Run Deep in the Trump Administration
Given the connections to the oil and gas industry within the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of the Interior, rollbacks to environmental protections should come as no surprise.
Trump Administration Seeks to Open Most Coastal Waters to Offshore Oil Drilling
The decision would remove protections for up 100 million acres of water, some of which have been closed to drilling for three decades.
Why Ryan Zinke's Plan to Raise Entrance Fees to National Parks Will Do Little to Actually Benefit National Parks
The secretary of the interior wants to raise user fees at the national parks. His proposal will hurt all but the wealthiest Americans, and it won't work.
Congress' Latest Attack on the Antiquities Act Is Not About National Parks
Exaggeration and misdirection can only damage the conservation movement's credibility.
Entrance Fees for America's Favorite National Parks Could Double
Amid budget cuts from the Trump administration, the Department of the Interior wants to up entrance fees and use the revenue to repair aging infrastructure.