Thread by @highcountrynews

1/ @DOIDepSec #Bernhardt is up for nomination as @Interior Secretary today. The lobbyist and lawyer is seen as a skilled bureaucrat who can avoid the limelight while pursuing @DonaldJTrump’s “energy dominance” agenda on #publiclands Thread 👇

@DOIDepSec @Interior @DonaldJTrump 2/ Two weeks ago, @DOIDepSec announced significant rollbacks of the 2015 sage grouse conservation policies. Some Western governors did their best to soften the #publiclands regulation cuts. hcne.ws/2FzUD5o

@DOIDepSec @Interior @DonaldJTrump 3/ Oil industry execs gloated about “unprecedented access” to staff @Interior. Bernhardt is a former lobbyist for #oilandgas interests, coal-fired power plants and fracking. Enviros call him a “walking conflict of interest.” From our partner @reveal
hcne.ws/2FylHSH

@DOIDepSec @Interior @DonaldJTrump @reveal 4/ “In some sense, Ryan Zinke really was Trump’s mini-me in terms of flailing around & fumbling very loudly… Now, we could be turning over the helm to cold-blooded professionals who are industry lobbyists that really know how to get things done.” hcne.ws/2WqE0AJ

@DOIDepSec @Interior @DonaldJTrump @reveal 5/ #Bernhardt issued an order for @Interior to avoid settlements. “It’s a net win for no one, except those that benefit from slowing down enforcement of the law,” @JustinPidot said. hcne.ws/2EkwWRs

@DOIDepSec @Interior @DonaldJTrump @reveal @JustinPidot 6/ “What we’re seeing is what happens when you appoint industry lobbyists...” said Jayson O’Neill, @Western_Values. “Without any public process, they’re moving ahead behind closed doors to change policies to benefit their #oilandgas friends.” @ShogrenE hcne.ws/2pdd4p0

@DOIDepSec @Interior @DonaldJTrump @reveal @JustinPidot @Western_Values @ShogrenE 7/ While serving as Ryan Zinke’s number 2, #Bernhardt ordered @Interior staffers to limit environmental analyses to one year for the effort to shrink Utah’s Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.
hcne.ws/2sVZtGY

@DOIDepSec @Interior @DonaldJTrump @reveal @JustinPidot @Western_Values @ShogrenE 8/ #Bernhardt gave a gift to #fossilfuel industries right before Christmas 2018, slashing climate and conservation policies on #publiclands and waters that were “burdens” to energy development.
hcne.ws/2FBZuTw

@DOIDepSec @Interior @DonaldJTrump @reveal @JustinPidot @Western_Values @ShogrenE 9/ Soon after @DOIDepSec joined @Interior, an old client of #Bernhardt got the greenlight on a water pipeline turned down by the Obama administration. hcne.ws/2Fz7hSf

@DOIDepSec @Interior @DonaldJTrump @reveal @JustinPidot @Western_Values @ShogrenE 10/ Documents show @DOIDepSec continued lobbying for Westland’s water in #California after joining the Trump transition team. Senate Republicans pushed past this evidence in confirmation hearings. From @Reveal hcne.ws/2NampZ1

@DOIDepSec @Interior @DonaldJTrump @reveal @JustinPidot @Western_Values @ShogrenE 11/ “If @DOIDepSec recuses himself from all the issues he worked on as a lobbyist, it’s not clear he’ll have anything to do as deputy @Interior secretary,” @aweiss said. hcne.ws/2RIEX44

@DOIDepSec @Interior @DonaldJTrump @reveal @JustinPidot @Western_Values @ShogrenE @aweiss 12/ We’ll continue to follow goings on at @Interior & the #Bernhardt confirmation hearing, which is going on now. You can watch it live here: hcne.ws/2Ft9rTe

@DOIDepSec @Interior @DonaldJTrump @reveal @JustinPidot @Western_Values @ShogrenE @aweiss 13/ Read all our coverage of @Interior here: hcne.ws/2FxKlD0