Parks Group Responds to Interior Secretary Staff Loyalty Questioning

WASHINGTON – The following statement by Theresa Pierno, President and CEO of National Parks Conservation Association, following remarks by Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke questioning loyalty of his department’s employees:

“The mission of the National Park Service is to preserve, unimpaired, the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. To serve in the ranks of this agency is to protect the very foundation on which our country was built. The duties of the National Park Service staff are clear and their calling pure. To question their loyalty and intentions, as well as all those who serve in the Interior Department, is bad enough. To do it in front of an oil industry group is truly shocking. It says a lot about the priorities of Secretary Zinke. And they appear counter to the mission of the department and agencies he’s tasked with leading.”

###

About National Parks Conservation Association

Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.3 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s natural, historic, and cultural heritage for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.