David Bernhardt
FILE - In this April 9, 2014, file photo, oil rigs stand in the Loco Hills field on U.S. Highway 82 in Eddy County near Artesia, N.M., one of the most active regions of the Permian Basin. In the closing months of the Trump administration energy companies stockpiled enough drilling permits for western public lands to keep pumping oil for years. That stands to undercut President-elect Joe Biden's plans to block new drilling on public lands to address climate change. (AP Photo/Jeri Clausing, File)
Oil companies lock in drilling, challenging Biden on climate

By Matthew Brown And Cathy Bussewitz Jan. 10, 2021 11:04 AM EST

FILE - This Dec. 16, 2020, file photo shows a view of the White House in Washington. In the six weeks since his defeat by Biden, Trump has been increasingly disengaged from his job. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
As end approaches, Trump gets doses of flattery, finality

By Jonathan Lemire Dec. 20, 2020 08:01 AM EST

A man walks past the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and Washington Monument as sunrise approaches on Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 26, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Visit by COVID-infected official closes Washington Monument

By Ellen Knickmeyer Dec. 18, 2020 03:53 PM EST

Interior Secretary David Bernhardt takes reporters' questions overlooking the Minnesota River area after he announced the gray wolf's recovery "a milestone of success during a stop at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020, in Bloomington, Minn. The move stripped Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves in most of the U.S., ending longstanding federal safeguards and putting states and tribes in charge of overseeing the predators. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
Interior chief latest official to test positive for virus

Dec. 16, 2020 11:50 PM EST

More call for pause as US weighs New Mexico drilling plan

By Susan Montoya Bryan Sep. 18, 2020 12:02 AM EDT
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Environmentalists want federal land managers to suspend efforts to amend a plan that would guide oil and gas development and other...

FILE - In this June 22, 2018, file photo, construction crews bore beneath U.S. 221 in Roanoke County, Va., to make a tunnel through which the Mountain Valley Pipeline will pass under the highway. The Trump administration is seeking to fast track environmental reviews of the pipeline and dozens of other energy, highway and other infrastructure projects across the U.S. (Heather Rousseau/The Roanoke Times via AP, File)
Drilling, mines, other projects hastened by Trump order

By Matthew Brown Sep. 01, 2020 07:59 PM EDT

FILE - In this Nov. 21, 1996, file photo, tourists cast their shadows on the ancient Anasazi ruins of Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico. Lawmakers from the country's largest American Indian reservation may have thrown a wrinkle into efforts aimed at establishing a permanent buffer around the national park as New Mexico's congressional delegation, environmentalists and other tribes try to keep oil and gas development from getting closer to the World Heritage site. Navajo Nation delegates voted Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020, to support a buffer only half the size of the one proposed in legislation pending in Congress. (AP Photo/Eric Draper, File)
Pueblos, lawmakers ask for pause on New Mexico drilling plan

By Susan Montoya Bryan Aug. 28, 2020 01:36 PM EDT

FILE- In this May 25, 2020, file photo President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump depart after participating in a Memorial Day ceremony at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Baltimore. A forklift has damaged a brick walkway at the iconic national monument Fort McHenry, where Republicans were building a stage for Vice President Mike Pence’s appearance for the party’s national convention, a National Park Service spokeswoman said Monday, Aug. 24. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
Forklift damages Fort McHenry walkway ahead of Pence speech

By Ellen Knickmeyer Aug. 24, 2020 08:43 PM EDT

President Donald Trump gives a thumbs-up to members of the media as he walks across the South Lawn as he arrives at the White House in Washington, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2020, after returning from Morristown, N.J. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Trump: Convention speech locale is White House or Gettysburg

Aug. 10, 2020 03:30 PM EDT

Protesters stood outside in a prayer circle to highlight activist groups' lack of input into the day' event. Ivanka Trump spoke at the grand opening of the first Missing and Murdered Native American Cold Case Office. American Indians and Alaska Native are 2.5 times as likely to experience violent crimes. This is one of seven offices that is being established under Executive Order 13898 by President Donald J. Trump. (Richard Tsong-Taatarii/Star Tribune via AP)
Feds launch Minnesota office on missing Indigenous cases

By Mohamed Ibrahim Jul. 27, 2020 06:23 PM EDT

U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., chats with attendees after a roundtable discussion about the future of child care at the Bright Beginnings Learning Center early Friday, July 24, 2020, in Greenwood Village, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
White House sends reinforcements to aid Colorado senator

By Nicholas Riccardi Jul. 24, 2020 04:24 PM EDT

FILE - In this Jan. 23, 2020, file photo, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, left, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis pose for a photo before participating in a roundtable discussion with Venezuelan exiles, in Miami. While President Donald Trump deals with his high-profile political difficulties in his high-profile ways, his Cabinet heads are fanning out to battleground states in November's presidential vote, trying to assure essential support blocs on all that the Trump administration is doing for them. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)
Trump Cabinet members look to reassure battleground voters

By Bobby Caina Calvan, Ellen Knickmeyer And John Flesher Jul. 05, 2020 08:34 AM EDT

FILE - In this July 4, 2019 file photo, fireworks go off over the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, Thursday, July 4, 2019. The Trump administration is promising one of the largest fireworks displays in recent memory for Washington on July 4. It also plans to give away as many as 300,000 face masks to those who come down to the National Mall, although they won't be required to wear them. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Trump plans huge July 4 fireworks show despite DC's concerns

By Ellen Knickmeyer And Ashraf Khalil Jul. 01, 2020 12:35 PM EDT

AM Prep-Cooler Copy

By The Associated Press Jun. 23, 2020 03:05 AM EDT
PROTESTERS THWARTED AS THEY TRY TO PULL DOWN ANDREW JACKSON STATUE WASHINGTON (AP) — Protesters tried to pull down a statue of President...

FILE - In this July 4, 2019, file photo, fireworks seen from the Lincoln Memorial explode over the Potomac River in Washington. President Donald Trump is moving ahead with a lower-key “Salute to America" celebration this year on July Fourth, despite concerns from some lawmakers about the crowds the event could generate during the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)
White House announces plans for July 4th celebration

By Kevin Freking Jun. 19, 2020 07:00 PM EDT

In this June 2019, photo, artwork is displayed at a community center in Arctic Village, Alaska. A decades-long fight to keep oil drilling out of their northeastern Alaskan homeland has emphasized the Gwich’in Athabascan people profound spiritual connection to their homeland and the environment that sustains the caribou and other wildlife on which they depend for food. (Brian Adams/Religion News Service via AP)
Shunning virus and Big Oil, Alaska tribe revives traditions

By Daysha Eaton Jun. 02, 2020 04:15 PM EDT

District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser arrives for a news conference, Wednesday, May 27, 2020, in Washington. Bowser announced the start of the Phase 1 response to the coronavirus in Washington is to begin Friday, May 29. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Nation's capital set to begin a gradual reopening on Friday

By Ashraf Khalil May. 27, 2020 03:22 PM EDT

President Donald Trump listens as Vice President Mike Pence speaks during an event on protecting seniors with diabetes in the Rose Garden White House, Tuesday, May 26, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Trump committed to July 4 celebration despite lawmaker alarm

By Aamer Madhani And Ashraf Khalil May. 26, 2020 08:41 PM EDT

In this Monday, May 18, 2020 photo, visitors watch as Old Faithful erupts on the day the park partially reopened after a two-month shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, at Yellowstone National Park, Wyo. Officials at Yellowstone and other national parks plan to let tourists mostly police themselves and not intervene much to enforce social distancing. (Ryan Dorgan/Jackson Hole News & Guide via AP)
National parks hope visitors comply with virus measures

By Mead Gruver May. 24, 2020 12:15 PM EDT

Interior Secretary plans Grand Canyon visit for reopening

Associated Press May. 22, 2020 08:20 PM EDT
GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. (AP) — Interior Secretary David Bernhardt is scheduled to be at the Grand Canyon this weekend to highlight the park's partial...