Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Friday 8 June 2018

Yellowstone boss says Trump administration forcing him out

By MATTHEW BROWN that impacts the livestock rationale for the moves.
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — issue." Yellowstone straddles
Yellowstone National Wildlife advocates who the borders of Montana,
Park's superintendent want changes to the 2000 Wyoming and Idaho and
said Thursday that he's agreement expressed was established in the
being forced out as a dismay at Wenk's ouster. 1872 as the first national
"punitive action" following Thousands of park bison park. Under Wenk, it has
disagreements with the were shipped to slaughter struggled with a sexual
Trump administration over during his tenure to keep harassment scandal
how many bison the park the population in check. that echoed problems
can sustain, a longstanding Wenk sought to curtail the in other national parks
source of conflict between killings with fledgling efforts and prompted personnel
park officials and ranchers to transfer surplus bison changes in some instances.
in neighboring Montana. to American Indian tribes Members of Yellowstone's
Superintendent Dan Wenk and expanding where the maintenance department
announced last week that This August 17, 2017 file photo shows Yellowstone Superintendent animals are tolerated in were disciplined last year
Dan Wenk speaking at an event marking a conservation
he intended to retire March agreement for a former mining site just north of the park in Montana. after an investigation found
30, 2019, after being offered Jardine, Mont. "We'd hate to set the rug female employees faced
a transfer he didn't want. Associated Press get pulled out from under sexual harassment and
He said he was informed that with a change in other problems.
this week by National Park birthing material. It also can federal government and leadership," said Caroline Wenk said those problems
Service Acting Director infect people. that Zinke "has been Byrd with the Greater never were brought up
Paul "Dan" Smith that a Park biologists contend the absolutely out front on that Yellowstone Coalition. in the discussions about
new superintendent will be population of more than issue." Wenk has spent more than his possible transfer or
in place in August and that 4,000 bison is sustainable. Wenk said he had multiple four decades with the retirement.
Wenk will be gone by then. But Zinke and his staff conversations with Zinke National Park Service and National Park Service
"I feel this is a punitive have said the number and his staff about bison, seven years in Yellowstone. Midwest Region director
action, but I don't know is too high, Wenk said, most recently this week. When he initially Cam Sholly will be installed
for sure," Wenk told The and raised concerns that "We're not a livestock announced his retirement, as the new superintendent,
Associated Press. Yellowstone's scenic Lamar operation. We're managing he said he didn't view his Wenk said. Sholly is a Gulf
He wasn't given a reason Valley is being damaged a national park with natural proposed transfer to the War veteran and former
and said the only dispute by overgrazing. systems," he said. "We Washington, D.C., area as member of the California
he's had with U.S. Interior Zinke, a former Montana do not believe the bison political. Highway Patrol who
Secretary Ryan Zinke, who congressman, has paid population level is too high A recent investigation into previously served as chief
oversees the park service, close attention to projects or that any scientific studies 35 personnel reassignments ranger of Yosemite National
was over bison. back home, stirring would substantiate that." proposed in the Interior Park.Jonathan Jarvis, head
Ranchers in neighboring speculation that he has The livestock industry wants Department under Zinke of the park service under
Montana have long sought future political ambitions in Yellowstone's bison herds revealed that 16 senior President Barack Obama,
reductions in Yellowstone's the state. reduced to 3,000 animals, a employees viewed their described Sholly as a
bison numbers because Interior spokeswoman population target specified moves as political retribution strong leader and good
of worries that they Heather Swift declined in a 2000 agreement or punishment for their work choice to replace Wenk.
could spread the disease to comment directly on between Montana and on climate change, energy But Jarvis said Zinke and
brucellosis to cattle and Wenk's assertions or the the federal government. or conservation. However, his team would have an
compete with livestock for issue of bison management. Montana Stockgrowers the Interior Department expectation of loyalty from
grazing space outside the She referred the AP to a Association interim vice inspector general was Sholly that they could not
park. Brucellosis causes previously issued statement president Jay Bodner said not able to determine if get from someone such as
animals to prematurely saying President Donald Zinke "understands the anything illegal occurred Wenk, who already had
abort their young and can Trump had ordered a issues around bison, not because agency leaders the post when Trump took
be transmitted through reorganization of the only in the park but how did not document their office.q

Boston, other cities, to work

to curb renewable energy costs

by asking developers for Kerry and former U.S. include creating
price estimates to meet Environmental Protection deployable flood walls
their collective energy Agency Administrator Gina to protect waterfront
demand. McCarthy are scheduled neighborhoods and
Walsh said the first cities to to speak at the event. Both elevating certain streets
join the initiative include served under President and parks to ease flooding
Chicago, Los Angeles, Barack Obama. concerns, Walsh said.
Mayor James Palmer, of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Houston, Orlando, and About two dozen mayors Another goal is for the city
England, raises his hand as he describes the landscape of his Portland, Oregon. and city leaders were to be carbon neutral by
city as he is joined by Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski Walsh, a Democrat, attending the event, billed 2050 — which will require
during a clean energy panel discussion during the Boston
Climate Summit in Boston, Thursday, June 7, 2018. announced the project as a chance to explore increased reliance on
Associated Press Thursday in Boston at the ways to reduce greenhouse renewable energy.
start of an international gas emissions and prepare Walsh said the proposal
By STEVE LeBLANC hoping to work with other summit on climate for the challenges posed to seek lower renewable
BOSTON (AP) — Boston cities to drive down the change. Former U.S. by climate change. energy costs is one way to
Mayor Martin Walsh is cost of renewable energy Secretary of State John In Boston those strategies reach that goal.q