Secretary Salazar Tours Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Spotlights Recovery Act Projects, Youth Recreation

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar toured Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge on Sunday, August 9, where he highlighted more than $286,000 in projects at funded under President Obama's economic recovery package that will create jobs and economic growth in Minnesota. Overall, the Department of the Interior is investing more than $11 million across Minnesota in projects in wildlife refuges, national park units, and on tribal lands.

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    Tom Melius, Midwest Regional Director (FWS) and Jeanne Holler, Assistant Refuge Manager, point out new energy retrofitting construction while touring the Minnesota Valley NWR Visitor Center. (Photo credit: Tami A. Heilemann, DOI)

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    Secretary Salazar inspects new geothermal plumbing construction in parking lot of Minnesota Valley. Left to Jeanne Holler, Tom Melius and Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks Tom Strickland look. (Photo credit: Tami A. Heilemann, DOI)

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    Secretary Salazar presents an award to Steve Sutter, President of MN Valley NWR Friends Group for support of Refuge activities targeting youth and education. (Photo credit: Tami A. Heilemann, DOI)

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    Secretary Salazar (center) poses with youth employees and staff at Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. Much of the labor performed on the recovery projects at the refuge is done by youth in the Minnesota Conservation Corps. (Photo credit: Tami A. Heilemann, DOI)

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    Assistant Refuge Manager Jeanne Holler gives Secretary Salazar a tour of Hillside Trail, the most highly used trail in the refuge. (Photo credit: Tami A. Heilemann, DOI)

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