WEBVTT Kind: captions Language: en 00:00:00.789 --> 00:00:01.789 This is Kristin Gibbs, Superintendent of Albright Training Center, situated in Grand Canyon 00:00:01.789 --> 00:00:12.139 National Park and you’re watching This Week at Interior 00:00:12.139 --> 00:00:15.259 This Week at Interior 00:00:15.259 --> 00:00:21.440 In Kansas this week Secretary Haaland announced the availability of nearly $660 million in 00:00:21.440 --> 00:00:26.099 grant funding to clean up legacy pollution through President Biden’s Investing in America 00:00:26.099 --> 00:00:31.330 agenda. Millions of Americans live within a mile of an orphaned oil or gas well, which 00:00:31.330 --> 00:00:36.840 pollute backyards, recreation areas, farmland, and public spaces in urban, rural and suburban 00:00:36.840 --> 00:00:41.630 areas. Methane leaking from many of these unplugged wells isn't just a serious safety 00:00:41.630 --> 00:00:46.469 hazard -- it's a significant cause of climate change. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law 00:00:46.469 --> 00:00:51.430 is delivering the largest investment in tackling legacy pollution in American history, 00:00:51.430 --> 00:00:56.920 which also creates good-paying jobs and catalyzes economic growth while revitalizing communities 00:00:56.920 --> 00:00:58.800 and ecosystems. 00:00:58.800 --> 00:01:04.470 In Montana this week Deputy Secretary Beaudreau announced a $185 million investment from the 00:01:04.470 --> 00:01:09.869 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support wildland fire management nationwide in fiscal year 00:01:09.869 --> 00:01:15.490 2023 and to assist land managers in planning for wildfire management activities in fiscal 00:01:15.490 --> 00:01:20.619 year 2024. The funding will support special pay supplements and training opportunities 00:01:20.619 --> 00:01:25.079 for federal wildland firefighters and will advance collaborative fuels management and 00:01:25.079 --> 00:01:31.020 burned area rehabilitation activities. The investments build on $278 million already 00:01:31.020 --> 00:01:34.420 allocated for wildland fire management this year. 00:01:34.420 --> 00:01:39.299 The Deputy Secretary also visited Yellowstone National Park, where he joined Tribal leaders, 00:01:39.299 --> 00:01:45.920 local partners and community members to commemorate an expanded bison conservation transfer facility. 00:01:45.920 --> 00:01:50.670 Earlier this year, Interior announced several new steps to restore wild and healthy populations 00:01:50.670 --> 00:01:56.149 of American bison and the prairie grassland ecosystem. Through a new Secretary’s Order 00:01:56.149 --> 00:02:01.390 and over $25 million from the Investing in America agenda, Interior is helping empower 00:02:01.390 --> 00:02:06.490 its bureaus and partners to use the best available science and Indigenous Knowledge to help restore 00:02:06.490 --> 00:02:09.030 bison across the country. 00:02:09.030 --> 00:02:13.390 Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Shannon Estenoz visited St. Louis, 00:02:13.390 --> 00:02:18.129 Missouri, this week to highlight the Investing in America agenda, and new and increased funding 00:02:18.129 --> 00:02:22.791 through the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program that's restoring America’s lands 00:02:22.791 --> 00:02:28.000 and waters and expanding access to the outdoors. At the St. Louis Zoo, she highlighted the 00:02:28.000 --> 00:02:32.560 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act, and saluted the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 00:02:32.560 --> 00:02:37.269 Service and its partners' efforts to aid the recovery of both the hellbender and American 00:02:37.269 --> 00:02:39.040 burying beetle. 00:02:39.040 --> 00:02:43.400 Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Matt Strickler traveled to Grand 00:02:43.400 --> 00:02:47.990 Canyon National Park this week, joining the Federal Highway Administrator to announce 00:02:47.990 --> 00:02:54.000 the fiscal year 2022 Nationally Significant Federal Lands Transportation Grant awards. 00:02:54.000 --> 00:02:59.290 Grand Canyon National Park will receive nearly $30 million for a Shuttle Bus Fleet Replacement 00:02:59.290 --> 00:03:03.690 and Charging Infrastructure project, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will receive 00:03:03.690 --> 00:03:09.170 $17.7 million to begin improvements of the public-use beach access at Chincoteague National 00:03:09.170 --> 00:03:11.690 Wildlife Refuge in Virginia. 00:03:11.690 --> 00:03:17.040 Interior and the University of Alaska Anchorage’s Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program 00:03:17.040 --> 00:03:21.660 – or ANSEP -- teamed up this week to sign a new partnership that will increase employment 00:03:21.660 --> 00:03:26.431 opportunities for Alaska Native youth across the Department’s offices and bureaus. The 00:03:26.431 --> 00:03:31.480 announcement is part of the administration’s continued work to build a more diverse, equitable 00:03:31.480 --> 00:03:33.850 and inclusive federal workforce. 00:03:33.850 --> 00:03:38.250 The Bureau of Land Management announced a $3.5 million partnership with the Department 00:03:38.250 --> 00:03:43.730 of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory this week. The partnership will advance renewable 00:03:43.730 --> 00:03:48.690 energy research and new technologies on public lands, using funding from the Investing in 00:03:48.690 --> 00:03:52.120 America agenda through the Inflation Reduction Act. 00:03:52.120 --> 00:03:58.629 And the Bureau of Land Management turns 77 years old this week. On July 16th, 1946, President 00:03:58.629 --> 00:04:03.790 Harry Truman merged the General Land Office and the Grazing Service to create BLM, which 00:04:03.790 --> 00:04:10.150 now proudly manages about 245 million acres of public landscapes for all Americans. 00:04:10.150 --> 00:04:14.159 And our social media Picture of the Week, the magnificent waters of Diablo Lake in Washington's 00:04:14.159 --> 00:04:25.430 North Cascades National Park. During the summer, ice melt and erosion of the mountains bring 00:04:25.430 --> 00:04:26.760 glacial flour into the lake, refracting the sunlight, and turning the waters a bright 00:04:26.760 --> 00:04:28.520 shade of turquoise. 00:04:28.520 --> 00:04:33.120 Make sure you follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. 00:04:33.120 --> 00:04:34.139 That's This Week at Interior.