Deputy Secretary nominee no friend to wildlife

WASHINGTON (May 18, 2017) – The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee is holding a hearing to consider the nomination of David Bernhardt for Deputy Secretary of the Interior. Bernhardt raises serious concerns for the future of wildlife conservation, habitat protections and protecting our natural heritage from harmful industrial uses.

Statement from Former Defenders of Wildlife President and CEO Jamie Rappaport Clark:

“David Bernhardt’s history, both in the private sector and at the Department of the Interior, disqualifies him for Deputy Secretary of the Interior, a role that must prioritize managing and preserving a healthy natural heritage for future generations. His work as a lobbyist for the oil and gas industry, agribusiness, and other corporate interests represents a serious conflict of interest. It calls into question his ability to balance the needs of our wildlife, public lands and scarce water resources with pressure from big polluters for more access and less regulation.

“During his long tenure at the Department of the Interior he repeatedly sacrificed the trust placed in him by the American public to conserve our wildlife, public lands and other natural resources to help line the pockets of big industry. We urge the Senate to reject this nomination and demand a deputy secretary who can truly be a trustworthy steward of our nation’s most sensitive and imperiled natural resources.”