A mining firm executive griped to Zinke about federal pollution rules. The secretary apologized.
Source: Washington Post
A mining firm executive griped to Zinke about federal pollution rules. The secretary apologized.
By Darryl Fears March 28 at 3:39 PM
This post has been updated.
It lasted just 21 seconds, but an exchange last fall between Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and the chief executive of an Idaho-based mining company tied to major toxic contamination in the Little Rocky Mountains is raising eyebrows.
“Hello, Secretary. Good to see you again. Phil Baker with Hecla Mining Company,” said the executive, Phillips S. Baker Jr. “I’m here to tell you and others about the impediments to mining from the permitting regime we have.”
Before he could explain the impediments, Zinke responded: “On behalf of the United States government, we apologize.”
Some conservationists are calling it another example of the deference the Trump administration gives to excavation companies, but an Interior Department spokeswoman, noting the laughter in response to Zinke’s remark, said it was a joke.
The exchange was captured on videotape that was obtained through a Freedom of Information request to Interior filed by the Western Values Project, a nonprofit watchdog group located in Zinke’s hometown of Whitefish, Mont.
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Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2018/03/28/a-mining-firm-executive-griped-to-zinke-about-federal-pollution-rules-the-secretary-apologized/
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