Interior - Harassment targeted; more disciplinary actions could follow

The Interior Department is stepping up its anti-harassment efforts, with an expansive new policy spurred by some harsh employee assessments of their workplace. The intensified crackdown could mean more disciplinary actions, as it entails holding employees "accountable at the earliest possible stage, before the conduct rises to the level of illegal harassment," Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke advised workers in a memo yesterday. "The policy enshrines our commitment to providing a work environment free from harassment by ensuring that appropriate officials are notified of, and can properly stop, harassing conduct," Zinke stated. An 18-page personnel bulletin spells out the new policy, which took effect yesterday. The policy bans "harassing conduct," which it defines as "unwelcome conduct, verbal or physical, including intimidation, ridicule, insult, comments, or physical conduct, that is based on an individual's protected status or protected activities." The policy further specifies that the conduct is banned if it "can reasonably be considered to adversely affect the work environment" and if it targets an individual's race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, family medical history, status as a parent, marital status or political affiliation. "Although not every instance of inappropriate behavior may meet the legal definition of harassment, such behavior undermines morale and the Department's mission," the memo states. Interior's definition goes beyond the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's, which does not include family medical history, status as a parent, marital status or political affiliation among protected classes. Interior's "adversely affect the work environment" standard also appears to be broader than EEOC's coverage of behavior that is "intimidating, hostile, or offensive to reasonable people." The EEOC's definition also does not include the unadorned word "comments."...MORE

Interior deputy pitches agency overhaul to Utah's rural leaders

Daggett County Commissioner Jack Lytle looked at a map of a proposed reorganization of Interior Department agencies by regions and not on state lines and was stricken. "That was scary," he told the Interior's Associate Deputy Secretary James Cason during a Friday panel discussion in Salt Lake City hosted by Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah and his House Committee on Natural Resources. The meeting at the Governor's Office of Economic Development put multiple rural county commissioners from several Western states in the same room with Cason, as well as Utah's Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox and James Ogsbury, executive director of the Western Governors Association. In theory, everyone likes the idea of a more locally driven, reorganized Interior Department that eliminates duplication and paperwork, has individual agencies working together — not as silos — and merges broad functions like environmental reviews or compliance. "When I look at the structure of some of our federal agencies, it really is the best the 1940s can buy. It's time," Cox said, acknowledging the need for an overhaul. "Our land is out here and we are managing it from 3,000 miles away," Cason said. During this fiscal year, Zinke has already turned a "fanciful" nod to upending the agency's structure by breaking all its smaller parts into 13 distinct regions delineated by major watersheds with unique flora and fauna. "We've basically been organized in bureau stovepipes," Cason said, unveiling a map that would section off part of Utah into the Great Basin region and another part in the Colorado River region. Nevada, noted a Nevada Farm Bureau representative, would be in three regions. Cason said the idea is to merge the functions of these bureaus into regions and get decision-making closer to the ground where it impacts people and livelihoods. "What we are trying to do is to create common boundaries that delineate specific geographic areas and get all of our employees to work together," Cason said. "You can't get timely decisions, so the decisions go all the way up to the secretary level, instead of down at the field (level). People can't play nicely together in the sandbox."...more

Interior survey: Harassment, discrimination common among workers (and my solutions)

A survey conducted for the Interior Department found that 35 percent of its employees say they were harassed or discriminated against in the last year. The department-wide findings come on the heels of a National Park Service-specific report released in October, which found that 38 percent of that agency’s employees have been harassed or discriminated against. The most common form of harassment was age-related, with 20.5 percent of employees reporting it. Another 16.5 percent said they experienced gender-based harassment, 9.3 percent were harassed because of their race or ethnicity and 8 percent suffered from sexual harassment. Employee relations issues are often amplified at Interior’s agencies due to longstanding cultural structures, remote workplaces and similar unique circumstances...more

35 percent were harassed or discriminated against, yet they just moved into the top 10 best places to work?  And thanks to Zinke they can bring fido to work and practice shooting a big buck while eating lunch. It would appear that 35 percent need to switch to guard dogs and practice shooting human predators. That should lower the percentage drastically, plus you get to have great fun siccing your dog on the bastards or blowing them all to hell. Guard Dogs & Guns...that's the ticket.

RV industry tracking Trump's budget cuts

Recreational vehicle industry officials are monitoring President Trump’s proposed budget cuts and their impact on federal camping facilities. “The RV Industry Association expresses some concern about the ability to address the $12 billion maintenance backlog while absorbing a 12 percent decrease in DOI’s (Department of Interior’s) budget,” the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association said in a news release Tuesday. The RVIA said the budget would cut $1.5 billion from the Department of the Interior. That department oversees the National Parks Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Land Management, three federal agencies at the center of outdoor recreation in the nation. Trump’s proposal states that funds will be provided to protect, conserve and provide access to public lands while increasing investment in deferred maintenance projects, according to the RVIA, the organization intends to be active in advocating that such maintenance continues. “Investing in America’s great outdoors is imperative to safeguard the health of the $50 billion RV economy,” said RVIA President Frank Hugelmeyer. “At a time with a record number of RVs headed into the outdoors, steps should be taken to ensure adequate and safe infrastructure exists for this revenue driving segment of the federal government. RVIA applauds proposals in the budget blueprint to increase investment in deferred maintenance projects and to leverage taxpayer investments with public and private partnerships. RVIA looks forward to working with Congress and the administration on the final budget to prioritize outdoor recreation, address the maintenance backlog and expand access to federal lands for RVers.” The RVIA represents approximately 400 manufacturers and component suppliers producing 98 percent of all RVs made in the United States, according to the organization...more

They seem to forget about state parks and recreation areas. There are 6,600 state parks encompassing 14 million acres. Seems to me you could do a helluva lot of recreating on state lands alone. Moreover, the total acreage in state parks has grown by 37 percent since 1978. See this Resources For The Future Backgrounder.

Feds See No ‘Loss Of Confidence’ In Closing Lab That Manipulated Data For Decades

by  Ethan Barton

An order closing a government lab that manipulated energy data for nearly two decades didn’t represent a “loss of confidence” in federal scientists, according to the issuing official, even though a subsequent memo by another agency executive described in gruesome detail an irretrievably mismanaged and dysfunctional operation. The stop-work order and a subsequent review was issued after a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) chemist was caught manipulating energy-related data at an agency lab from 2008 to 2014. Another chemist manipulated data at the Colorado facility from 1996 to 2008. (RELATED: Federal Lab’s ‘Extremely Troubling’ Data Manipulation Spurs Hill Probe) “Lastly, the [program office] would like to convey to the [lab] analysts that these actions are not [emphasis theirs] a reflection of a loss of confidence in them or in their abilities,” the March 2015 stop-work order said. A copy of the order was obtained by The Daily Caller News Foundation’s Investigative Group through a Freedom of Information Act request. (RELATED: Feds Give Congress Blank Documents To ‘Explain’ Lab Data Manipulation) It’s unclear why the order’s author – acting coordinator Vito Nuccio – was so confident in the scientists’ abilities, given that the lab’s data was manipulated for nearly its entire existence and that a subsequent memo obtained by TheDCNF revealed deep dysfunction, distrust and dubious work performance across the facility...more

Obama official urges researchers to raise the alarm if Trump skews science

Scientists must confront climate change deniers and speak up if U.S. President-elect Donald Trump tries to sideline climate research, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell is due to say on Wednesday. “If you see science being ignored or compromised, speak up,” Jewell will tell a meeting of earth and space scientists in San Francisco, according to a draft of the speech seen by Reuters. Trump has called climate change a hoax and sought to fill his cabinet with oil industry allies like Texas Governor Rick Perry, the Energy Department nominee. Last week, the Trump team asked the U.S. Department of Energy to supply names of officials who took part in international climate talks – a request that the agency has rejected. The scientific fact of climate change cannot be ignored no matter who is in the White House, Jewell will say. And she will urge climate experts to publicly defend their work. “Think about where to raise your voice and then do it,” Jewell will tell a meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) – a global association of researchers. “The American people must be able to trust science.” As President Barack Obama’s top steward for public lands, Jewell has helped manage terrain that holds vast reserves of oil, gas and coal. But over nearly four years in office, Jewell has also warned that burning fossil fuels will irreparably harm the planet. Jewell will say that national historic sites that she now manages – like the 17th century colonial outpost, Jamestown – could eventually be swallowed by rising seas. Policymakers must confront climate change realities, Jewell said...more

USGS Fails to Explain Decades of Data Manipulation, Management Failures and Culture of Harassment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 6, 2016
CONTACT: Parish Braden, Elise Daniel or Molly Block (202) 226-9019

Washington, D.C. – Today, the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held an oversight hearing to examine decades of data manipulation at the United States Geological Survey (USGS), generally recognized as a preeminent scientific organization of the federal government. The Department of the Interior Inspector General and a Scientific Integrity Review Panel both found a chronic pattern of scientific misconduct dating back to 1996 at the Inorganic Section of the USGS Energy Resources Program Geochemistry Laboratory in Lakewood, Colorado. These pervasive problems damaged the lab’s credibility and resulted in its permanent closure in 2016.   “More than the millions of dollars in lost projects, the USGS has sustained a black eye that may not quickly heal. As much as I’d like to dismiss this issue, I simply cannot. As the facts come out, it seems to just open up more questions,” Subcommittee Chairman Louie Gohmert (R-TX) said. Despite audits and internal investigations, the overall impact and the rationale behind the data manipulation are not known and USGS Deputy Director William Werkheiser could not provide any further insight. “When you’ve got decades of falsified, manipulated data, we all recognize it’s inexcusable. It’s phenomenal that something like that can take place for so long and not be checked,” Rep. Jody Hice (R-GA) stated. One of the chemists who intentionally manipulated data was recognized for their 30 years of service this year. Performance reviews, information on any disciplinary action and other records requested in September by the Committee have not yet been shared, but Mr. Werkheiser committed to a two week timeline to finally provide these documents to the Committee. Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR) was left “at a loss for words” when he asked if “any data derived from the lab during this period affect[ed] any federal or state regulations? If you don’t know what projects were done, obviously there’s no way to determine if the research affected any state or federal regulations.” “I cannot address that with any certainty. That is true,” Werkheiser responded. In addition to intentional data manipulation, an investigation of the lab found “overall toxic work conditions” and reports of harassment provided by “junior female staff.” Mr. Werkheiser admitted to management failures within USGS.  “It sounds like there is a lot more work that needs to be done,” Gohmert said. “I would certainly agree,” Werkheiser answered. Click here to view full witness testimony.

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For more background I've embedded the Committee Memo below:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8Yd5M8kgeNtNFBvTFBETHhtMHM/view?usp=sharing

Interior's'rock star' budget chief has left the building

When word began to spread that the Interior Department's top career budget chief was calling it quits after nearly four decades of government service, congressional aides of both parties began fretting. Pam Haze is one of Interior's most experienced ambassadors to Congress and a vital resource for appropriators who decide how to fund the $12 billion department. "All of us are nervous," said a Senate Appropriations Committee aide, who was distraught enough to call a meeting earlier this month with his counterpart across the aisle to discuss Haze's departure. Haze -- Interior's deputy assistant secretary for budget, finance, performance and acquisition -- retired Friday after nearly a decade shaping the department's fiscal programs. Her departure leaves a gaping hole in Interior's budget and policy shop, say current and former agency officials and congressional staff. "She is one of the best, or maybe the best, public servant I have worked with," said Chris Topik, who worked with Haze as an aide to former Rep. Norm Dicks of Washington. Dicks left Congress in early 2013 as the Appropriations Committee's top Democrat. "Her reliability is legendary." Her knowledge of the agency and its 70,000 employees is unparalleled, according to those who have worked with her. Described as a "rock star" by two Interior colleagues, Haze is credited with helping keep the department afloat during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the federal sequester and the government shutdown of October 2013. Her Interior career began in 1975 as a clerk for the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, an agency that was later folded into Interior's Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service before being abolished by former Interior Secretary James Watt during the Reagan administration...more

Oh yeah, Watt shut that Bureau down.  He came to DC first to work for Wyo. Senator Simpson, then did a stint at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.  When Nixon was elected he held several positions at Interior, including heading up the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, so he had more than a little familiarity with the Bureau.

On exactly how this happened we turn to Perry Pendley's Sagebrush Rebel: Reagan's Battle With Environmental Extremists....  Pendley tells us that early on Secretary Watt and Under Secretary Hodel met with career employees and bureau chiefs. At one of those meetings "a career official from the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service (HCRS) - the organization once headed by Watt when it was the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation - asked, 'Mr. Secretary, do you plan to abolish the HCRS?'  Without hesitating, Watt replied, 'Yes.'  Afterward, as Watt and Hodel strode down the hallway, Hodel asked, 'Jim, when did you decide to abolish the HCRS?' 'I decided to do it as soon as he asked the question,' said Watt. 'If an official asks if his agency is going to be abolished, then he knows the answer already.' "

Pendley also advises Interior requested a 15.3 percent cut in funding for the '82 budget.  Congress didn't go along, in fact over the entire Reagan administration Congress appropriated $4 billion more than Interior requested.  However, over that same period employees were reduced by 11 percent. Not exactly how things are done today.

My review of Pendley's book is here.  Better get yourself a copy, before Obama bans it by Executive Order.