Ryan Zinke: An investment that’s paying off for oil and gas interests

As the Dean of Western Writers and historian Wallace Stegner famously put it, “National parks are the best idea we ever had. Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best rather than our worst.” There is good reason to believe Stegner when we look at the impact of America’s 59 national parks and 129 national monuments.

In April, Secretary Zinke announced that parks added $34.9 billion to the U.S. economy in 2016 and supported 318,000 jobs. Total direct visitor spending at our national parks topped $18.4 billion last year, growing at over six percent per year. That is over twice the national gross domestic product growth rate. And similar positive economic growth is found in and around communities near national monuments where indicators show stronger income, employment and population growth. The outdoor industry has become a rural economic driver, contributing $59.2 billion in state and local tax revenue. What remains priceless is the protected areas of wildlife habitat, precious remnants of human history and antiquities, pristine landscapes, and unforgettable experiences and memories created with each visit.

The question remains: Why is Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke working to lease every last bit of public land – including lands that directly border our most treasured parks and monuments – to oil and gas corporations? Zinke is ignoring the outdoor industry, hunters, anglers, ranchers and recreationists as well as the multiple use management directive that’s supposed to guide public lands decision-making. He is the Secretary of the largest land-managing department but is acting like an oil and gas land man paid by industry.

Under the multiple use directive, Secretary Zinke is charged with balancing all the uses of public lands, which include more than oil and gas but also agriculture, hunting, grazing, wildlife, recreation, fishing, mining and renewable energy – and, yes, protecting the magnificent scenery surrounding our parks and monuments. The one-sided favoritism shown by Secretary Zinke is a disservice to all other public lands users as well as future generations who should also be able to enjoy America’s best idea – our parks.

Is your favorite park on Oil and Gas Man Zinke’s list?

Basin and Range National Monument
Location of proposed leases: On border
Sale Date: December 2017
Status: Environmental Assessment comment period ends September 18, 2017
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Great Basin National Park
Location of proposed lease: 4.5 miles
Sale Date: December 2017
Status: Environmental Assessment comment period ends September 18, 2017
More Information

Map
Nevada BLM’s December 2017 Lease Sale. Includes parcels (red) near Great Basin NP and bordering Basin and Range National Monument.

Great Basin National Parlk

Canyons of the Ancient National Monument
Location of proposed leases: Bordering
Sale Date: March 13-23, 2018
Status: Draft Environmental Assessment expected on September 21, 2017
More Information

Hovenweep National Monument
Location of proposed leases: 5 miles
Sale Date: March 13-23, 2018
Status: Draft Environmental Assessment expected on September 21, 2017
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Map
Utah BLM’s March 2018 Lease Sale. Includes parcels (red) near Hovenweep National Monument (blue) and directly along the western boundary of Canyons of the Ancients NM (purple).

Dinosaur Monument Oil and Gas Leases

Bears Ears National Monument
Location of proposed leases: 0.1 miles
Sale Date: March 13-23, 2018
Status: Draft Environmental Assessment expected on September 21, 2017
More Information

Map
Utah BLM’s March 2018 Lease Sale. Includes parcels (red) near the boundary of Bears Ears NM (purple).

Bears Ears Oil and Gas Leases

Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument
Location of proposed leases: Bordering
Sale Date: March 13, 2018
Status: Draft Environmental Assessment to publish on September 30, 2017
More Information

Map
Montana/North Dakota BLM’s March 2018 Lease Sale. Parcel (red) bordering Upper Missouri River Breaks NM (purple).

Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Location of proposed leases: Bordering
Sale Date: March 13, 2018
Status: Draft Environmental Assessment expected on September 30, 2017
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Map
Montana/Dakotas BLM’s March 2018 Lease Sale. BLM proposing to lease a parcel (red) directly bordering the northern unit of Theodore Roosevelt NP (purple).

Dinosaur National Monument
Location of proposed leases: 1.3 miles
Sale Date: December 11, 2017
Status: Protest period ends October 2, 2017
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Map
Utah BLM’s December 2017 Lease Sale. BLM proposing to lease parcels (red) near the western boundary of Dinosaur NM (purple).

Dinosaur National Monument Oil and Gas

Fort Laramie National Historic Site
Location: 0.3 miles
Sale Date: March 19, 2018
Status: Protest period scheduled to begin on November 8, 2017
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Map
Wyoming BLM’s March 2018 Lease Sale. Includes parcels (red) less than ½ mile from the Fort Laramie National Historic Site (purple).

Fort Laramie Historic Oil and Gas Leases

Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site
Location: 5 miles
Sale Date: December 12, 2017
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Map
Montana-Dakotas BLM is proposing to lease this parcel (red), which is about 5 miles from the Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site (purple), as part of its December 2017 Lease Sale.

Fort Union Trading Post Oil and Gas Lease

 

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