Interior Secretary Gale Norton to Announce Grants
to Conserve and Restore Wildlife Habitat Nationwide

DENVER, Colo. - Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton, joining leaders in wildlife and habitat conservation, will hold a news conference here at 11:00 a.m. (Mountain Time) Thursday, August 26, to announce a series of cooperative conservation grants benefiting state, tribal, local and private partners in Colorado and across the nation.

The grants are being awarded to private citizens, conservation groups, and Native American tribes under three programs initiated by President Bush - the Private Stewardship Grant Program, the Tribal Landowner Incentive Program, and the Tribal Wildlife Grant Program. The programs are part of the Cooperative Conservation Initiative, which is building partnerships to preserve open space, restore habitat, conserve species and maintain hunting and fishing opportunities for citizens on public lands.

"President Bush has shown tremendous leadership in the creation of this innovative program," Secretary Norton said today. "The Interior Department alone has awarded more than $1.3 billion in cooperative conservation grants over the past three years. This new round of grants will help reinforce Interior's work to build partnerships for the conservation and restoration of wildlife and habitat across the nation."

Who: Gale A. Norton, Secretary of the Interior
Russell George, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Natural Resources
J. Dart - President, CEO Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
James Earl Kennamer, Senior VP for Conservation Programs, National Wild Turkey Federation
Bob Model - President, Boone and Crockett Club
Steve Mealey - Founding member of American Wildlife Conservation Partners
Terry Riley - Policy Director, Teddy Roosevelt Conservation Partnership

What: Cooperative Conservation Grants Announcement to Benefit State, Tribal, Local and Private Partners in Colorado

When: Thursday, August 26, 2004 - 11:00 a.m., MDT

Where: State of Colorado's Legislative Services Building - 200 East 14th Street, Room A
(across the street from the State Capitol on the southeast corner of 14th and Sherman Streets)