WEBVTT Kind: captions Language: en 00:00:00.350 --> 00:00:05.899 Hi, I’m Frank Torres, Acting Superintendent at Brown V. Board of Education, and you’re 00:00:05.899 --> 00:00:09.630 watching This Week, at Interior! 00:00:09.630 --> 00:00:12.900 This Week at Interior 00:00:12.900 --> 00:00:17.150 Secretary Haaland joined fellow Cabinet Secretaries at the White House this week, marking the 00:00:17.150 --> 00:00:23.050 six-month anniversary of the signing of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Since 00:00:23.050 --> 00:00:26.970 then, the Department has been hard at work delivering these critical investments to American 00:00:26.970 --> 00:00:32.839 communities as quick as we can, so that local, state, and Tribal communities have the resources 00:00:32.839 --> 00:00:38.699 they need to strengthen infrastructure, bolster climate resilience and protect natural areas. 00:00:38.699 --> 00:00:43.649 The President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is an historic down payment on ensuring 00:00:43.649 --> 00:00:49.769 that future generations, in particular rural and Indigenous communities, have clean air, 00:00:49.769 --> 00:00:55.149 drinkable water, balanced ecosystems, and an overall quality of life that is currently 00:00:55.149 --> 00:00:59.190 threatened by worsening climate crisis. 00:00:59.190 --> 00:01:02.920 Secretary Haaland joined President Biden as he signed the Brown v. Board of Education 00:01:02.920 --> 00:01:08.860 National Historical Park Expansion and Redesignation Act. The act will expand the Brown v. Board 00:01:08.860 --> 00:01:14.729 of Education National Historical Park to recognize additional historic sites in South Carolina, 00:01:14.729 --> 00:01:19.880 Delaware, Virginia and Washington, D.C., which will help to more fully tell the story of 00:01:19.880 --> 00:01:24.740 the struggle to end school segregation. During a visit to Kansas this week, the Secretary 00:01:24.740 --> 00:01:29.520 traveled to Topeka to visit the National Historic Park, a pivotal site in our nation’s civil 00:01:29.520 --> 00:01:31.330 rights struggle. 00:01:31.330 --> 00:01:35.630 In Kansas the Secretary also highlighted the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment 00:01:35.630 --> 00:01:40.280 to strengthening and empowering Indian Country. She delivered the commencement speech to the 00:01:40.280 --> 00:01:46.530 graduating class of 2022 at Haskell Indian Nations University, where she championed culturally 00:01:46.530 --> 00:01:52.299 relevant education, and called on students to carry forward the legacy of their ancestors. 00:01:52.299 --> 00:01:57.319 She also highlighted the recent designation of Haskell University as a voter registration 00:01:57.319 --> 00:02:02.180 agency under the National Voter Registration Act, which will facilitate voter registration 00:02:02.180 --> 00:02:07.020 opportunities for enrolled Indigenous students and members of the community. 00:02:07.020 --> 00:02:11.890 Deputy Secretary Tommy Beaudreau visited Texas this week to highlight investments through 00:02:11.890 --> 00:02:17.501 the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership. That 00:02:17.501 --> 00:02:23.250 program helps urban communities create new outdoor recreation spaces, reinvigorate existing 00:02:23.250 --> 00:02:28.890 parks, and form connections between people and the outdoors in economically underserved 00:02:28.890 --> 00:02:29.890 communities. 00:02:29.890 --> 00:02:34.860 Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Brian Newland visited South Dakota this week to 00:02:34.860 --> 00:02:39.390 highlight the Department’s announcement of $29 million in funding from the Bipartisan 00:02:39.390 --> 00:02:44.400 Infrastructure Law to invest in Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Irrigation, Power, and Safety 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:49.430 of Dams programs. These projects will fund design and construction projects to address 00:02:49.430 --> 00:02:54.970 known dam safety deficiencies, while also safeguarding Tribal water supplies and supporting 00:02:54.970 --> 00:02:57.030 families and communities. 00:02:57.030 --> 00:03:02.330 The Bureau of Reclamation has selected 22 projects to share more than $17 million in 00:03:02.330 --> 00:03:08.010 WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grants. These competitive projects improve water use 00:03:08.010 --> 00:03:14.150 efficiency, increase renewable energy production, reduce the risk of water conflicts, and provide 00:03:14.150 --> 00:03:19.540 other benefits that will enhance water supply sustainability in the Western United States. 00:03:19.540 --> 00:03:24.180 The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement this week announced more than 00:03:24.180 --> 00:03:30.180 $120 million in Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization Grants. The program offers 00:03:30.180 --> 00:03:35.260 opportunities for economic revitalization, community development and the creation of 00:03:35.260 --> 00:03:40.530 good-paying jobs to some of the hardest hit communities across America, while also addressing 00:03:40.530 --> 00:03:46.010 long-standing hazards and environmental degradation in coal communities to provide clean, livable 00:03:46.010 --> 00:03:49.430 surroundings to the families who have helped power our nation. 00:03:49.430 --> 00:03:54.780 The National Park Service is celebrating the 60th anniversary of the National Natural Landmarks 00:03:54.780 --> 00:03:59.840 program this week. There are more than 600 natural landmarks in the program, under both 00:03:59.840 --> 00:04:04.840 public and private ownership. All of them contain outstanding features which illustrate 00:04:04.840 --> 00:04:08.440 the geological and ecological story of America. 00:04:08.440 --> 00:04:14.450 And with our social media Picture of the Week, we're wishing you a happy World Turtle Day! 00:04:14.450 --> 00:04:18.820 Turtles are vital to healthy ecosystems, and these green sea turtles are the largest of 00:04:18.820 --> 00:04:23.310 all the hard-shelled sea turtles. You can find them at Virgin Islands National Park, 00:04:23.310 --> 00:04:29.160 Dry Tortugas National Park, and here at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in Hawai‘i. 00:04:29.160 --> 00:04:33.380 Make sure you follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and You Tube. 00:04:33.380 --> 00:04:34.560 That's This Week, at Interior.