Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Chris Saeger
Chris Saeger: Daines undeserving of conservation recognition
Recently I canceled a trip to fish for steelhead in Washington because that state closed the Hoh river over historically low returns. This is nothing new to any angler who has followed the trajectory of sea-run fish throughout the Northwest. A deadly cocktail of irresponsible development, climate change, and dams have decimated salmon and steelhead in the lower 48. Fortunately, Montana anglers who dream of taking a trip to chase these species have a critical ally in a Republican member of congress.
Daines undeserving of conservation recognition
Recently I canceled a trip to fish for steelhead in Washington because that state closed the Hoh river over historically low returns. This is nothing new to any angler who has followed the trajectory of sea-run fish throughout the Northwest. A deadly cocktail of irresponsible development, climate change, and dams have decimated salmon and steelhead in the lower 48. Fortunately, Montana anglers who dream of taking a trip to chase these species have a critical ally in a Republican member of congress.
Daines is wolf in sheep’s clothing regarding Montana’s public lands
I think we both just about spit out our coffee when we each read a recent (April 6, 2022) guest column claiming Senator Steve Daines is “leading the charge to protect our natural resources.” A group called the Montana Citizens’ Climate Lobby drafted the piece. While their intentions may be well and good, they’re definitely misinformed about Senator Daines’ natural resources record in Montana.
Time for a Better Deal for Montanans
For far too long, American taxpayers have been shortchanged as our oil and gas resources have been doled out at bargain basement rates. The broken federal oil and gas program has resulted in an excess of public lands, stockpiled by the oil and gas industry. As Dan Bucks, former Montana Revenue Department Director recently wrote, “Montana’s economy is hurt more than most states by out-of-control federal leasing.
Guest view: Time for a better deal for Montanans on oil, gas resources
Saeger Provided photo For far too long, American taxpayers have been shortchanged as our oil and gas resources have been doled out at bargain basement rates. The broken federal oil and gas program has resulted in an excess of public lands stockpiled by the oil and gas industry. As Dan Bucks, former Montana Revenue Department director, recently wrote, “Montana’s economy is hurt more than most states by out-of-control federal leasing.
Reforming oil and gas leases better for taxpayers
by Chris Saeger | April 4, 2021 12:00 AM For far too long, American taxpayers have been short changed as our oil and gas resources have been doled out at bargain basement rates. The broken federal oil and gas program has resulted in an excess of public lands stockpiled by the oil and gas industry. As Dan Bucks, former Montana Revenue Department Director recently wrote, “Montana’s economy is hurt more than most states by out-of-control federal leasing.
Opinion: Time for a better deal for Montanans on oil, gas resources
Opinion: Time for a better deal for Montanans on oil, gas resources For far too long, American taxpayers have been shortchanged as our oil and gas resources have been doled out at bargain basement rates. The broken federal oil and gas program has resulted in an excess of public lands stockpiled by the oil and gas industry. As Dan Bucks, former Montana Revenue Department director, recently wrote, “Montana’s economy is hurt more than most states by out-of-control federal leasing.
Corrupt Trump Administration Continues to Axe Public Lands and Wildlife Protections for Special Interests
HELENA, MT, October 28, 2020 – A Guardian article published earlier this week reveals the full extent of the corrupt Trump administration’s assault on America’s cherished public lands and wild places. Trump’s efforts to undermine our pristine and sacred public lands began on day one when he assembled the ultimate swamp team lead by former mega-lobbyist David Bernhardt that continues to this day. “There is no doubt about it – Trump is the worst environmental and public lands president to date.
Trump, Exxon Have Teamed Up to Exploit Public Lands
HELENA, MT, October 20, 2020 – President Donald Trump’s suggestion that fossil fuel corporations like Exxon would be willing to give him large campaign contributions in exchange for federal government drilling permits follows a long love affair between the president and the company.
REPORT: As Wildfire Season Rages On, Trump Has Repeatedly Slashed Fire Management Budgets, Made the Problem Worse
HELENA, MT, October 1, 2020 – As wildfires have raged across Western states in recent weeks amidst another record-breaking wildfire season that is destroying lives and communities, new research released by Western Values Project finds President Trump has repeatedly cut federal funding dedicated to preventing and mitigating the spread of wildfires. He has often rebuked experts within his administration and withheld funding for political reasons.
Trump-connected lobbyists are cashing in on COVID-19 relief
As millions of Americans continue to get sick and lose their jobs, and with more than 100,000 dead as a result of the novel coronavirus, President Donald Trump’s allies are exploiting the public health and financial crisis to cash in. Lobbying firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck (BHFS), the former employer of Trump’s Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, has reported taking over $10 million to lobby for COVID-19 bailouts amid an influx of new clients.
Like to hike and fish in Arizona? Without this fund, our way of life is at risk
Chris Saeger, opinion contributor Published 6:00 a.m. MT Aug. 27, 2019 Opinion: The Land and Water Conservation Fund is being drained needlessly, putting important conservation projects at risk. The Land and Water Conservation Fund has provided $17 billion for iconic sites such as the Grand Canyon. A House bill would rework the fund. (Photo: Michael Meister/The Republic) In the coming weeks, hunting season kicks off in Arizona and states across the West.
Montanans need Senator Daines to pull through on LWCF funding
In the coming weeks, bow hunting season kicks off in states across the West. Every year, thousands of Montanans and visitors hike deep into our public lands to camp, hunt and pass down the traditions that are the backbone to our way of life. But if our elected officials like U.S. Sen. Steve Daines continue to dither on commonsense funding for those outdoor activities, that way of life will be put at risk. That isn’t political hyperbole.
Montanans need Sen. Daines to pull through on LWCF funding
In the coming weeks, bow hunting season kicks off in states across the West. Every year, thousands of Montanans and visitors hike deep into our public lands to camp, hunt and pass down the traditions that are the backbone to our way of life. But if our elected officials like Sen. Steve Daines continue to dither on common sense funding for those outdoor activities, that way of life will be put at risk. That isn’t political hyperbole.
Western states need to hold Interior secretary Bernhardt accountable
As the keepers of most of our public lands and national monuments, Western states play a critical role in opposing any efforts to undermine protections for those lands, including and especially efforts pushed and requested by special interests and mega-lobbyists.
Who is protecting our public lands?
Trump nominates ex-lobbyist David Bernhardt to be Interior secretary. Much ado was made of former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, who rode a horse to his first day on the job. Though he had the veneer of a plan to emulate iconic conservationist Theodore Roosevelt, much like his backwards cowboy hat and his oversized persona, Zinke's plan didn't work. Less than two years into his tenure, Zinke tendered his resignation shrouded in scandal after President Donald Trump made it clear he would be fired.
Think Zinke was awful? Bernhardt could be worse
By Chris Saeger Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2019 | 2 a.m. Riding a horse to his first day on the job, former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke drew a lot of attention when he joined the Trump administration. Though he came with the veneer of a plan to emulate iconic conservationist Theodore Roosevelt, much like his backward cowboy hat and his oversized persona, Zinke’s plan didn’t work. Less than two years into his tenure, Zinke resigned in scandal after President Donald Trump made it clear he would be fired.
Ryan Zinke’s Time Is Up
Ryan Zinke, the most scandal-plagued Interior Secretary in modern history, has finally gone a bridge too far. It is, at long last, time for him to go.
Zinke threatens Russian oil - Russia threatens war
Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke Ryan Keith ZinkeOvernight Energy — Presented by Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance — Trump ends law enforcement program at wildlife refuges | Pruitt canceled trips he already had tickets for | Senate panel approves new parks fund Trump administration abruptly ends key law enforcement program at wildlife refuges Senate panel moves to renew expired park conservation fund MORE made an audacious claim at an energy conference last week in regards to Russia, claiming...
Celebrate National Public Lands Day by standing up to Secretary Zinke
This week, Americans celebrate National Public Lands Day, a day to encourage “use of open space for education, recreation, and general health.” According to the National Park Service, this day is meant to celebrate the “restoration and resilience of our public lands.”Unfortunately, every party has a pooper, and this year, it’s Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke.The so-called steward of America’s public lands, Zinke has worked to exploit, privatize and sell out America’s public lands and national...
Zinke’s Corrupt Actions Necessitate Public Lands Watchdog Group
Make no mistake: Our public lands are under an unprecedented assault by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and his allies. At no time in American history has one administration single-handedly – and so frequently without legal grounds – rolled back more public land protections or threatened our outdoor heritage and our future generations’ birthright to enjoy public lands than the current one. Here’s an abbreviated list of Secretary Zinke’s attacks on our public lands: The list could go on.
Americans want to protect public lands, Congress should listen
Political doublespeak is often the name of the game in Congress. So when a politician slips up and says something they otherwise typically obfuscate about , it provides a rare window into what really goes on behind closed doors. Rep. John Curtis (R-Utah) is learning this the hard way.
Letter: Public lands pay off
So it was a little rich to see David Bernhardt, Zinke’s right-hand man, recently write in defense of the outdoor economy in this newspaper. It was unsurprising, however, that Zinke himself didn’t want to be the public owner of such rank hypocrisy. His review of national monuments has been secretive from the beginning and was only made public through a leak to the press.
Op-ed: Non-producing oil and gas leases tie up 1.7 million acres of land in Utah
Despite strong public support for protecting our outdoor heritage, since the start of the Trump administration the scale has been steadily tipping in favor of the special interests that threaten access to public lands. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke and the Department of the Interior (DOI) are short-changing families, using loopholes to capitalize off of our public lands and unfairly diverting taxpayer money to a handful of elites.
Zinke's monuments review unpopular, unnecessary, lacks transparency
Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke recently concluded his recommendations to the president for removing protections from oil, gas and other kinds of development in national monuments such as Grand Staircase Escalante in Utah and elsewhere throughout the American West.This recommendation, issued in secret, follows a tumultuous review that was characterized by missteps and poor communication by the Department of the Interior about the nature of the review.
Interior Secretary Zinke has turned his back on the American West
Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke Ryan Keith ZinkeLawmakers push Interior to expand offshore drilling What veterans have to lose in Trump’s national monument review Trump, don't take our national parks away from veterans MORE is silencing the voices of Westerners by attempting to roll back more than a decade of collaborative work with his recent recommended changes to protecting a native bird called the sage-grouse and its sagebrush habitat, which is vitally important to the West.
Guest opinion: Zinke’s challenge: Ensuring multiple use
Amid a storm of partisanship and controversy surrounding many of his cabinet appointments, President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of Ryan Zinke to become the secretary of the Interior has been met with applause in some unlikely corners of the conservation community.There are good reasons for this: Zinke comes from a community in Montana, where I live, whose economy depends to a large extent on public lands, thanks to its proximity to Glacier National Park.
Zinke’s challenge bigger than protecting already-protected places
Amidst a storm of partisanship and controversy surrounding many of his cabinet appointments, President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke to become secretary of Interior has been met with applause in some unlikely corners of the conservation community.There are good reasons for this: Zinke comes from a community in Montana, where I live, whose economy depends to a large extent on public lands, thanks to its proximity to Glacier National Park.
Land transfer agenda threatens public lands, state budgets
Folks in the West love our public lands, and for many reasons; the ample places to hunt, fish, camp, hike, ride and otherwise enjoy the great outdoors are a significant reason they choose to live, work and raise our families where we do.That’s just one segment of our cherished way of life that was on the line during the recent election. To folks on the coasts, it may seem insignificant, but to most people in the Rocky Mountain West these are integral parts of our heritage.
Land transfer agenda threatens public lands, state budgets
Folks in the West love our public lands, and for many reasons; the ample places to hunt, fish, camp, hike, ride and otherwise enjoy the great outdoors are a significant reason they choose to live, work and raise our families where we do.That’s just one segment of our cherished way of life that was on the line during the recent election. To folks on the coasts, it may seem insignificant, but to most people in the Rocky Mountain West these are integral parts of our heritage.
Land transfers a threat to state budgets - Jackson Hole News&Guide: Guest Shot
Folks in the West love our public lands, and for many reasons: The ample places to hunt, fish, camp, hike, ride and otherwise enjoy the great outdoors are a significant reason we choose to live, work and raise our families where we do. That’s just one segment of our cherished way of life that was on the line during the recent election. To folks on the coasts it may seem insignificant, but to most people in the Rocky Mountain West these are integral parts of our heritage.
Guest opinion: Tipton is out of sync on Thompson Divide
When it comes to the plan to exchange oil and gas leases in Colorado’s Thompson Divide region, nearly all the players — industry, communities, and officials — are in sharp agreement: It’s time to set some parts of the area aside to protect the outdoor economy. Everyone, that is except for Rep. Scott Tipton and his backers in the fossil energy industry, who have long expressed a desire to develop the area. Rep.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Chris
Contact Chris, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack