WEBVTT Kind: captions Language: en 00:00:00.170 --> 00:00:07.760 Hi, I'm Roderick May, I'm the manager of Neosho National Fish Hatchery, in Neosho, Missouri, 00:00:07.760 --> 00:00:10.800 and you're watching This Week at Interior! 00:00:10.800 --> 00:00:14.940 This Week at Interior 00:00:14.940 --> 00:00:19.539 Secretary Haaland traveled to Fayetteville, Arkansas, this week to highlight how President 00:00:19.539 --> 00:00:24.789 Biden’s Investing in America agenda and America the Beautiful initiative are restoring 00:00:24.789 --> 00:00:30.930 our nation’s lands and waters and creating healthier outdoor spaces for people and wildlife. 00:00:30.930 --> 00:00:35.660 The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has been awarded a nearly $4 million grant through 00:00:35.660 --> 00:00:40.260 the America the Beautiful Challenge for the War Eagle Creek Collaborative Restoration 00:00:40.260 --> 00:00:45.040 Initiative, which will help reconnect the creek, restore watershed functions, and improve 00:00:45.040 --> 00:00:49.510 water quality for the surrounding habitats and communities. 00:00:49.510 --> 00:00:53.490 Secretary Haaland then traveled to Missouri, where she highlighted investments from the 00:00:53.490 --> 00:00:57.510 Investing in America agenda to address legacy pollution. 00:00:57.510 --> 00:01:01.220 Missouri has received more $16 million to address nearly all inventoried abandoned mine 00:01:01.220 --> 00:01:06.790 lands and to begin work assessing and inventorying thousands of orphaned oil and gas wells. 00:01:06.790 --> 00:01:13.070 During a visit to Gateway Arch National Park, Secretary Haaland announced a new $17 million 00:01:13.070 --> 00:01:17.780 investment from Great American Outdoors Act that will enable the park to continue restoration 00:01:17.780 --> 00:01:22.820 of the Old Courthouse, the site of the first two trials of the pivotal Dred Scott case 00:01:22.820 --> 00:01:25.750 in 1847 and 1850. 00:01:25.750 --> 00:01:30.180 Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Shannon Estenoz visited Puerto Rico 00:01:30.180 --> 00:01:35.560 last week to highlight how Interior is supporting conservation projects on the island with investments 00:01:35.560 --> 00:01:37.979 from the Investing in America agenda. 00:01:37.979 --> 00:01:42.540 The Assistant Secretary traveled to Cabo Rojo, where she joined island leaders to celebrate 00:01:42.540 --> 00:01:47.689 a $5 million grant from the America the Beautiful Challenge to restore coastal habitats and 00:01:47.689 --> 00:01:52.680 resilience of the Salt Flats at the Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge. 00:01:52.680 --> 00:01:56.670 She also joined leaders from The Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico to tour various sites 00:01:56.670 --> 00:02:01.399 in southwest Puerto Rico being protected and preserved for their ecological or historical 00:02:01.399 --> 00:02:02.939 significance. 00:02:02.939 --> 00:02:07.729 Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management Dr. Steve Feldgus, 00:02:07.729 --> 00:02:12.080 Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Director Elizabeth Klein, and Bureau of Safety and 00:02:12.080 --> 00:02:16.670 Environmental Enforcement Deputy Director Paul Huang were in Brownsville, Texas this 00:02:16.670 --> 00:02:22.590 week, touring the wind turbine installation vessel Charybdis, currently under construction. 00:02:22.590 --> 00:02:26.650 Once complete the vessel will be based out of Hampton Roads, Virginia, and will support 00:02:26.650 --> 00:02:32.370 the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind commercial project approved by Interior last fall. 00:02:32.370 --> 00:02:36.690 Interior this week announced its proposal for a second offshore wind energy auction 00:02:36.690 --> 00:02:38.370 in the Gulf of Mexico. 00:02:38.370 --> 00:02:43.580 The proposed lease sale includes four areas offshore Louisiana and Texas, totaling more 00:02:43.580 --> 00:02:49.060 than 400,000 acres, which have the potential to power 1.2 million homes. 00:02:49.060 --> 00:02:54.160 The announcement is part of the Administration’s commitment to expand offshore wind opportunities, 00:02:54.160 --> 00:02:58.890 building on investments made by the President’s Investing in America agenda to develop a clean 00:02:58.890 --> 00:03:03.870 energy economy, create good-paying jobs for American workers and make our communities 00:03:03.870 --> 00:03:04.909 more resilient. 00:03:04.909 --> 00:03:10.520 A signing ceremony was held this week at Redwood National Park in California, featuring the 00:03:10.520 --> 00:03:16.110 National Park Service, the Yurok Tribe, the California Department of Parks and Recreation, 00:03:16.110 --> 00:03:18.310 and the Save the Redwoods League. 00:03:18.310 --> 00:03:23.780 The Park Service is transferring a 125-acre ecologically and culturally important property 00:03:23.780 --> 00:03:27.159 back to the Yurok Tribe, its original steward. 00:03:27.159 --> 00:03:31.319 It's the first-ever cooperative arrangement for the National Park Service and California 00:03:31.319 --> 00:03:34.150 State Parks on Tribally owned land. 00:03:34.150 --> 00:03:38.100 While celebrating Women’s History Month, Secretary Haaland this week visited the Mary 00:03:38.100 --> 00:03:42.879 McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site in Washington, D.C. 00:03:42.879 --> 00:03:48.040 The first in her family born free, Bethune was an abolitionist and trailblazer for Black 00:03:48.040 --> 00:03:51.630 women’s education and influence in national politics. 00:03:51.630 --> 00:03:55.670 As the founding president of the National Council of Negro Women – stationed at the 00:03:55.670 --> 00:04:01.120 Council House – Bethune advised numerous presidents, including President Franklin Roosevelt, 00:04:01.120 --> 00:04:04.950 and helped lay the groundwork for the modern Civil Rights Movement. 00:04:04.950 --> 00:04:08.290 And our social media Picture of the Week, they're back! 00:04:08.290 --> 00:04:13.280 The world-famous cherry blossoms of Washington D.C. burst into bloom this week at the Tidal 00:04:13.280 --> 00:04:18.750 Basin and along the National Mall, about a week earlier than predicted after mild late-winter 00:04:18.750 --> 00:04:20.780 weather in the Nation's Capital. 00:04:20.780 --> 00:04:25.520 This year's National Cherry Blossom Festival runs through April 14th. 00:04:25.520 --> 00:04:30.400 Make sure you follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. 00:04:30.400 --> 00:04:31.560 That's This Week at Interior!