Late last week, Congressman Ryan Zinke of Montana took the job of Secretary of the Department of the Interior. As the administrator of roughly a fifth of America’s land, his influence will be widely felt, especially in the West. But who is he? And where does he stand on important issues like state control of public lands, or on the contentious designation of national monuments? Utah Congressman Rob Bishop will be among our guests Wednesday as we examine Zinke’s appointment and what it means for Utah.

Congressman Rob Bishop is the U.S. Representative for Utah's 1st congressional district, serving since 2003. He's also the chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Esther Whieldon is a reporter for Politico.com, where she covers alternative energy with a focus on renewables at both the state and federal level.

CORRECTION: This post previously misstated Ryan Zinke's former position in the Legislative branch. He served as a U.S. Representative from Montana, not as a Senator.