2010: The Year In Photos

As we enter the new year, we thought it would be appropriate to take a look back at 2010, when we faced unprecedented challenges and reached even greater triumphs. Here, we've put together some of the best photos that highlight this work.

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    Interior remembers,our beloved, Sam Hamilton: Secretary of the Department of the Interior Ken Salazar and the late Sam Hamilton, former director of Fish and Wildlife Services, help Supervisory Wildlife Inspector Robert Onda handlea Boa Constrictor. Secretary Salazar announced that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will propose to list the Burmese python, and eight other large constrictor snakes that threaten the Everglades and other sensitive ecosystems, as “injurious wildlife” under the Lacey Act,on January 20, at the Port of New York. Photo by Tami A Heilemann-DOI

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    Secretary Salazar looks out at Nantucket Sound from the bridge of the Coast Guard Cutter Ida Lewis. Secretary Salazar met with members of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) to discuss the Cape Wind Project on Feb. 2. Photo by Tami A Heilemann-DOI

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    Secretary Salazar looks at a map of the Klamath River Basin. Secretary Salazar joined Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, PacificCorp Chief Executive Officer Greg Abel and the chairmen of the Klamath, Yurok and Karuk Tribes in the Oregon Capitol Rotunda to announce final agreements that could potentially lead to removal of four dams on the Klamath River and the largest river restoration project in our nation's history on Feb 18. Photo by Tami A Heilemann-DOI

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    Secretary Salazar participated in the D.C. Region's Teach for America Week 2010 by serving as a guest teacher at Bruce Monroe at Parkview Elementary School. Salazar joined Teach for America corps member Will Herman in his fourth grade classroom to discuss the importance of conservation and environmental stewardship on Feb. 26. Photo by Tami A Heilemann-DOI

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    Secretary Salazar reaches out to media through a teleconference after announcing the new State of the Birds Report at Zilker Botanical Gardens in Austin, Texas on March 11. Pictured around the table (left to right): Glenn Olson, Donal OBrien Bird Conservation Chair, National Audubon Society, Brad Bortner, Migratory Bird Chief, Pacific Northwest Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Matt Lee-Ashley, Deputy Director of Communications for DOI, John Hoskins, Chairman, U.S. North American Bird Conservation Initiative Committee, Secretary Salazar, Paul Schmidt, Assistant Director for Migratory Birds, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and in the doorway is Alicia King, Communications Coordinator, Division of Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Photo by Tami A Heilemann-DOI

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    Secretary Salazar meets with Robert Eggle, father of Kris Eggle, a park ranger who was killed in the line of duty, while pursuing drug smugglers at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument on August 9, 2002. Secretary Salazar met with Department of the Interior and Department of Homeland Security Border Patrol employees at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument on March 13, to discuss progress and cooperative efforts for homeland security projects in the area. Photo by Tami A Heilemann-DOI

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    Secretary Salazar, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, President and CEO of NextEra Energy Mitch Davidson, Counselor to the Secretary Steve Black and others tour the NextEra Harper Lake solar electric generating system on March 22. Photo by Tami A Heilemann-DOI

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    Secretary Salazar joined U.S. Treasurer Rosie Rios and U.S. Mint Director Ed Moy in unveiling the first five “America the Beautiful” quarters, featuring America's four oldest national parks – Hot Springs, Yellowstone, Yosemite and Grand Canyon – and Mount Hood National Forest. The five quarters unveiled today are the first of 56 that will be issued between 2010 and 2021. They will include 48 National Park sites, two U.S. Fish and Wildlife sites, and six U.S. Forest Service sites. Photo by Tami A Heilemann-DOI

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    Students at Milford High School in Utah show Secretary Salazar their wind energy research.Secretary Salazar visited Milford, Utah to announce an expanded partnership with local leaders and private industry to further the development of wind and geothermal resources on March 26. Photo by Tami A Heilemann-DOI

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    Secretary Salazar looks on as handlers begin cleaning up a Brown Pelican affected by the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill.Secretary Salazar visited Fort Jackson Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Buras, LA, in early May, to review efforts being undertaken by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and its partners to protect and rehabilitate wildlife affected by the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Photo by Tami A Heilemann-DOI

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    A National Park Service boat looks at the oil near Petit Bois Island. Secretary Salazar visited Petit Bois Island in Alabama, in early June, to observe response preparations on the Barrier Islands. Photo by Tami A Heilemann-DOI

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    Secretary Salazar visited the Development Driller II, which, along with the Development Driller III, was useful in making progress in drilling the dual relief wells that permanently stopped the flow of leaking oil from BP's deep underwater well. He was briefed by BP officials, as well as engineers directing and overseeing their work on June 12. Photo by Tami A Heilemann-DOI

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    Secretary Salazar swears in Michael Bromwich as the Director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy as DOI Director of Communications Betsy Hildebrandt helps to officiate on June 21. Photo by Tami A Heilemann-DOI

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    Rehabilitated pelicans are released by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Coast Guard employees at Brunswick Coast Guard Station, Ga.on July 1st. Photo by Tami A Heilemann-DOI

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    Delta NWR, Refuge Manager Jack Bohannan, operates an air boat as administration officials observe restoration efforts at the refuge. Top federal officials met with the trustees overseeing the natural resource damage assessment for the Gulf of Mexico to discuss the on-going response efforts to the BP oil spill and to reiterate the Administration's commitment to long-term Gulf Coast restoration and recovery on Aug. 23. Left to right are Secretary Salazar, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Administrator Jane Lubchenco, and Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley. Photo by Tami A Heilemann-DOI

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    Secretary Salazar joined First Lady Mrs. Michelle Obama, Mrs. Laura W. Bush and Gov. Edward Rendell on September 11 to honor the 40 passengers and crew of United Flight 93 and all those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. A Park Service Ranger salutes during the memorial service. Photo by Tami A Heilemann-DOI

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    Jonah Udall and Sen. Tom Udall read the Stewart Lee Udall Interior Building Plague at the building's dedication ceremony on Sept. 21. Photo by Tami A Heilemann-DOI

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    Secretary of the Departmen of the Interior Ken Salazar and Secretary of Energy Steven Chu convened top U.S. government scientists, key industry and stakeholder leaders to discuss how to strengthen capabilities for responding to potential blowouts of oil and gas wells in deepwaters on the Outer Continental Shelf on Sept. 22. Pictured left to right: Retired Adm. Thad Allen, National Incident Commander; Secretary of the Department of the Interior, Ken Salazar; David Hayes, Deputy Secretary of the Interior; Secretary of Energy, Dr. Steven Chu and Dr. Thomas Hunter, former Director of Sandia National Laboratories. Photo by Tami A Heilemann-DOI

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    Secretary Salazar and Ken Litzenberger, Project Leader for the Southeast Louisiana National Wildlife Refuges, plant marsh grass for National Public Lands Day.Secretary Salazar participated in a marsh restoration project at Big Branch National Wildlife Refuge as part of the annual National Public Lands Day on September 25. Photo by Tami A Heilemann-DOI

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    Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs Larry Echo Hawk wears an honor quilt as he meets students from the St. Francis school. Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Larry Echo Hawk participated in the ceremonial groundbreaking for the 4,000th American Reinvestment and Recovery Act Project at St. Francis Indian School in South Dakota. The $7.2 million school improvement project will provide the school with a new gymnasium and kitchen facilities. Photo by: Mark Hopwood-BIA

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    Secretary Salazar spoke at the Solar Power International 2010 Conference and Exhibition in Los Angeles, Calif. on October 13th. Following his remarks, Secretary Salazar signed a Record of Decision, approving the construction of Nevada's first large-scale solar project on public lands.. Also pictured, Rhone Resch, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (left) and Julia Hamm, president and CEO of the Solar Electric Power Association (right). Photo by Tami A Heilemann-DOI

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    Secretary Salazar along with other federal, state and local officials led a groundbreaking ceremony for the Delta--Mendota Canal/California Aqueduct Intertie project in Tracy, Calif. The project, expected to be completed by 2012, will improve water supply reliability for locations south of the Delta. Photo by Tami A Heilemann-DOI

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    Secretary Salazar and Rep. George Miller enjoy a tour at the SunPower solar power research facility on Oct. 14th. in Richmond, Calif. Photo by Tami A Heilemann-DOI

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    Secretary Salazar joined fourth graders from New Traditions Elementary School in San Francisco at the Let's Move Outside Event in at the Crissy Field Center in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area on Oct.14. Photo by Tami A Heilemann-DOI

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    Secretary Salazar, along with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, representatives from BrightSource Energy, and the Department of Energy, celebrated the groundbreaking of the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System, an innovative "power tower" project in San Bernardino County, Calif. Photo by Tami A Heilemann-DOI

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    Deputy Secretary David Hayes learns about the carbon capture and storage demonstration project at the Huaneng Co-generation power plant near Beijing, China.

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    Secretary Salazar launched a "Smart from the Start" wind energy initiative for the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf. The launch event was held at Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Md. on Nov. 23rd. Secretary Salazar was joined by state government leaders and Jim Lanard, president of the Offshore Wind Development Coalition. Photo by Tami A Heilemann-DOI

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    Assistant Secretary of the Department of the Interior for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, Tom Strickland, unveils monument commemorating the inscription of Papahanaumokuakea on the World Heritage List. Representatives of the State of Hawaii, U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of the Interior, and U.S. State Department along with hundreds of conservation managers, marine scientists, conservation activists, political leaders and policy makers helped celebrate two globally significant milestones for Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument at the Hawaii Convention Center on Dec. 3. Photo courtesy of NOAA

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    Dan Wenk, Deputy Director of NPS, and Secretary Salazar walk beneath the memorials arch.Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar toured the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, along with Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and Senator Claire McCaskill. Photo by Colin Walsh-DOI

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    Secretary Salazar kicked off the Second White House Tribal Nations Conference on Dec. 16, calling the gathering a testament to President Obama's respect for the inherent sovereignty of Indian nations and determination to honor the Nation's commitments to American Indian and Alaska Native communities. President Obama hosted the conference and delivered keynote remarks to leaders of the 565 federally recognized tribes in the United States. Photo by Tami A Heilemann-DOI

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