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March 4, 2019 09:53 pm PST

Zinke fingered in Bears Ears corruption probe over uranium mining interests

An energy firm linked to uranium mining interests around Bears Ears National Monument in Utah met with a senior Department of Interior official just one month President Donald Trump issued a surprise request to review the monument's boundaries. When the review concluded, Trump shrank the monument by 85%. Some 100 uranium claims that were previously *inside* the monument's protected boundary were suddenly on the outside.

Now, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Raul M. Grijalva (D-AZ) says Democrats plan hold a hearing on March 13, to look into that shady review.

They sent an invitation to Ryan Zinke, who led the Department of the Interior under Trump at that time and was forced to resign in disgrace over other corruption charges.

Zinke declined the invitation.

Roll Call reports that documents show that Energy Fuels Resources (USA) Inc., a United States subsidiary of a Canadian energy and mining firm, met with a top DOI official who knew he'd be personally involved with such a review, before Trump requested it.

The House Natural Resources Committee wants know if the 2017 reassessment had a predetermined outcome of shrinking Bears Ears to benefit the uranium sector generally and Energy Fuels Resources specifically.

From Roll Call:

When President Barack Obama designated the monument in December 2016, its boundaries encompassed or abutted over 350 uranium claims tied to the company. Its uranium processing mill, the only such facility in the United States, was located mere miles from the monument. Proximity to a national monument can lead to additional regulatory scrutiny.

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