Coloradans should be disappointed with Zinke’s record

Re: “Zinke’s real scandals aren’t his conflicts of interest,” Aug. 8 commentary

I’m a supporter of Colorado’s open spaces and rivers and an outdoorsman, and I am frequently disappointed by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s record on public lands and efforts to put a gag on climate science. Let alone the fact that he has sought to shrink the size of national monuments, and pushed policies that are out-of line with Coloradans but tilt toward special interests.

Our community is still recovering from the wildfires that raged through our forests and endangered homes and families. There’s no denying the link between drought, wildfires and climate change. But Zinke believes climate change is “not proven science.”

While Zinke is in my district to attend a cabal of the far-right who offer their unyielding support for special interests over hard-working Coloradans, I’d be happy to take him on a hike through the Zirkels or fly fishing on the Yampa so he can see firsthand how much we cherish our public lands and what they mean to our Colorado way of life. Dylan Roberts, State Representative for House District 26 in Eagle and Routt counties