Interior Department tells national park advisers: Good riddance

By John Siciliano

Published January 17, 2018 6:49pm ET

Interior Department tells national park advisers: Good riddance — Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and a National Park superintendent address National Park Service employees. A survey of Park Service employees found nearly two in five have experienced some sort of harassment or discrimination in the workplace. (AP Photo/Felicia Fonseca) | Felicia Fonseca

The Interior Department said Wednesday it welcomes the mass resignation of nearly all members of a key National Park Service advisory panel, saying it soon will appoint new members and hold a meeting with Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke.

Interior spokeswoman Heather Swift accused some of the panel members of choosing to ignore sexual harassment while praising a repeat offender of ethics violations in expressing the agency’s praise for the departures.