Audubon Optimistic About Ryan Zinke’s Plans for the Interior Department

WASHINGTON, DC—Representative Ryan Zinke (R-MT) testified before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources as part of his confirmation process to head the Department of the Interior. The National Audubon Society issued the following statement:

“Ryan Zinke aspires to follow in the footsteps of Theodore Roosevelt with regard to conservation. Those are big shoes to fill, but our public lands and the birds and people who depend on them deserve nothing less,” said David Yarnold (@david_yarnold), Audubon’s president and CEO.

“In his hearing, Congressman Zinke repeated a firm commitment to ‘objective science’ when it comes to making decisions, including acknowledging that humans play a role in a changing climate. He advocated for permanent authorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, opposed any sale or transfer of federal public lands, agreed that some natural areas are too beautiful to develop and supported improvements in water infrastructure in the West.

“As Interior Secretary, Ryan Zinke can certainly count on Audubon to help him achieve a conservation legacy that we can all be proud of. We will engage with him in good faith and look forward to together protecting birds and the places they need.”

The National Audubon Society protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow, throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education and on-the-ground conservation. Audubon’s state programs, nature centers, chapters and partners have an unparalleled wingspan that reaches millions of people each year to inform, inspire and unite diverse communities in conservation action. Since 1905, Audubon’s vision has been a world in which people and wildlife thrive. Audubon is a nonprofit conservation organization. Learn more at www.audubon.org and @audubonsociety.

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Contact: Nicolas Gonzalez, ngonzalez@audubon.org, (212) 979-3000.