Coloradans love their outdoor spaces.
We are privileged to have the most diverse array of high peaks, forest trails, rivers and wildlife in one state than any other place on Earth. The 2019 Colorado College Conservation in the West poll bears that out with nearly three-quarters of Colorado voters agreeing that the ability to enjoy national forests, parks and other public lands is a significant reason they live in the West.
As a veteran of the Army serving in Kosovo and Iraq, it’s the reason I returned to Colorado. I have spent seven years working with fellow veterans to support the outdoor access Westerners love, advocating for better conservation programs and more balanced energy and environmental policies.
Unfortunately the actions of David Bernhardt, the man nominated by President Trump to be the next secretary of the Interior, do not reflect the values of most Westerners. His record as a former lobbyist for fossil fuel companies and now a leader at Interior driving policies to expand drilling and strip wildlife protections could not be farther away. Decades of ties to the energy industry have created conflicts of interest. Since Bernhardt rejoined the Interior Department in 2017, it has made at least 15 policy changes, decisions or proposals that would directly benefit his former clients.
As deputy and now acting secretary of Interior, Bernhardt has taken aim at weakening the Endangered Species Act. His final revised plans for sage grouse protections, released March 15, include amendments requested by the oil and gas industry and other interests that will undo protections crafted over nearly a decade by ranchers, business owners, sportsmen, energy industry officials, outdoor recreation leaders, veterans, conservationists and their partners in governments. In a new analysis by the Center for Western Priorities, energy companies with ties to Bernhardt own 20.4 percent of all federal oil and gas leases that overlap with sage-grouse habitat across five Western states, including Colorado.
Bernhardt has been behind offering oil and gas leases next to national parks, monuments and historical sites, and played an important role in the reduction of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments. As Interior solicitor in the George W. Bush administration, he spearheaded the campaign for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Veterans have taken note of the threat posed to the quality of outdoor experiences as a result of favoring oil and gas interests over sensible conservation. Veterans often find that the great outdoors helps to heal the effects of battle, where they can experience a sanctuary, free of stresses and uncertainties. Many returning from duty to their favorite outdoor places find a release they haven’t known for a long time.
With David Bernhardt defending energy interests as an attorney and now leading the “energy dominance” charge in the Trump administration, it doesn’t look like he’ll become a conservation champion any time soon. After seeing what’s been “accomplished” over the past two years, Sen. Michael Bennet, who voted for Bernhardt as Interior’s No. 2, is now opposed to Bernhardt as chief. Sen. Cory Gardner, who has expressed concern for protecting Colorado’s outdoor experiences, says he will vote for Bernhardt’s confirmation, somehow missing the glaring evidence that Bernhardt is far too skewed to lead Interior with any kind of balanced decision-making.
Western voters want the secretary of the Interior to emphasize conservation of nature and base decisions primarily in science. These values are a total rejection of the leadership David Bernhardt brings to Interior. In 2018, many conservation-minded candidates listening to their constituents won handily in the West regardless of political affiliation. Western Senators who plan to be around after 2020 might want to keep that in mind as Bernhardt’s Senate confirmation moves to a final vote.
Garett Reppenhagen is a veteran of the Army 1st Infantry Division. He lives in Colorado and is the Rocky Mountain West Coordinator for Vet Voice Foundation.
