Interior Dept. scientist resigned over alleged ethics breach: report

A head scientist at the Interior Department's U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reportedly resigned in December following concerns about the department's alleged breach of policy regarding the results of an energy study. In a letter obtained and released by Mother Jones on Wednesday, Murray Hitzman, the associate director of USGS's energy and minerals program, resigned from his role in "protest" after the department provided the results of a study he had been working on to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke days before it was made public. Hitzman in his letter called the action a "contradiction of my interpretation of U.S.G.S. fundamental science policy." The study in question was a resource assessment of the nation's petroleum reserve in Alaska. USGS led the on-shore efforts of the joint interagency assessment...Werkheiser, who has worked at the agency for more than 20 years, said that he disagreed with Hitzman's reasoning in regards to the study. "As the Department's Scientific Integrity Officer, I do not believe that current or proposed practices for the notification of [Interior] leadership constitutes a loss of scientific integrity. I do not see the issue outlined as one of Scientific Integrity," he said in a statement. "In fact, at no time was USGS asked to change or alter any of the findings for the assessment...more