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Washington, D.C. – Following news that scandal-plagued Ryan Zinke will leave the Department of the Interior, the League of Conservation Voters released the following statement from President Gene Karpinski:
“Good riddance to the most scandal-plagued Interior Secretary in recent memory. Between his ethical failures, troubling history on racial issues, and irresponsible policies selling out our majestic public lands and waters to big polluters, it’s past time for Ryan Zinke to go. But the damage done by this administration’s anti-conservation policies will not be erased by his departure alone, and we remain equally concerned about the stewardship of America’s public lands under the direction of his deputy David Bernhardt, a former industry lobbyist who has been doing the bidding of corporate polluters since he joined the Interior Department.
“The investigations into Zinke’s ties to industry and misuse of taxpayer funds must continue and the Department of the Interior must reexamine every decision made during Zinke’s tenure that may have been influenced by the fossil fuel industry and other polluting special interests. Congress must also ensure that the next Secretary of the Interior is committed to protecting our public lands and the communities that depend on them.”