WEBVTT Kind: captions Language: en 00:00:00.210 --> 00:00:04.960 Aloha, my name is Rhonda Loh and welcome to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. And I’m 00:00:04.960 --> 00:00:09.200 Ken Hon, scientist in charge of the U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, and you’re 00:00:09.200 --> 00:00:16.250 watching This Week at Interior! 00:00:16.250 --> 00:00:19.369 This Week at Interior 00:00:19.369 --> 00:00:24.119 Secretary Haaland and Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Shannon Estenoz 00:00:24.119 --> 00:00:28.920 were in Hawaiʻi this week to highlight how President Biden’s Investing in America agenda 00:00:28.920 --> 00:00:34.330 is helping to protect iconic Hawaiian bird species, strengthen the Native Hawaiian Community, 00:00:34.330 --> 00:00:39.020 and invest in the science and infrastructure that support our public lands and waters. 00:00:39.020 --> 00:00:40.020 Among her stops: 00:00:40.020 --> 00:00:44.610 *The Secretary visited with staff from Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge and toured 00:00:44.610 --> 00:00:48.810 Keauhou Bird Conservation Center following her announcement that Interior has committed 00:00:48.810 --> 00:00:53.890 nearly $16 million to prevent the imminent extinction of Hawaiian Forest Birds, part 00:00:53.890 --> 00:00:58.680 of $2 billion in investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction 00:00:58.680 --> 00:01:02.320 Act to restore lands and waters and advance climate resilience. 00:01:02.320 --> 00:01:07.090 *She met with members of the Native Hawaiian Community to discuss the intergenerational 00:01:07.090 --> 00:01:12.540 impacts of assimilationist policies, including federal Indian boarding schools, and highlighted 00:01:12.540 --> 00:01:16.950 Interior's commitment to working with Indigenous communities to protect our lands and waters 00:01:16.950 --> 00:01:18.939 and revitalize Native languages. 00:01:18.939 --> 00:01:23.740 *And Secretary Haaland, Senator Brian Schatz and U.S. Geological Survey Director David 00:01:23.740 --> 00:01:28.970 Applegate took part in a ground blessing ceremony in Hilo for a new facility that will house 00:01:28.970 --> 00:01:34.770 two USGS science centers: the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and the Pacific Island Ecosystems 00:01:34.770 --> 00:01:36.460 Research Center. 00:01:36.460 --> 00:01:41.259 The Bureau of Land Management held an auction for utility-scale solar energy development 00:01:41.259 --> 00:01:48.720 in Nevada this week, resulting in a record-breaking $105.15 million in high bids. The auction 00:01:48.720 --> 00:01:54.340 of four parcels across nearly 24,000 acres in the Amargosa Desert could support close 00:01:54.340 --> 00:01:59.390 to 3 gigawatts of renewable energy to the electrical grid. It's the highest-yielding 00:01:59.390 --> 00:02:03.969 onshore renewable energy auction in the bureau’s history. 00:02:03.969 --> 00:02:08.819 Interior is celebrating the groundbreaking of the TransWest Express Transmission Project. 00:02:08.819 --> 00:02:14.269 That's a new high-voltage interregional transmission line that will extend from south-central Wyoming 00:02:14.269 --> 00:02:19.560 through northwestern Colorado and central Utah, ending in southern Nevada. The transmission 00:02:19.560 --> 00:02:24.569 line will add more than 1,000 jobs during construction and, once complete, will provide 00:02:24.569 --> 00:02:28.370 3,000 megawatts of new transmission capacity. 00:02:28.370 --> 00:02:32.900 The Bureau of Indian Education has awarded an additional five-year contract to increase 00:02:32.900 --> 00:02:37.830 access for behavioral health and wellness support to all students and staff at Bureau-funded 00:02:37.830 --> 00:02:43.150 schools and programs. The program was initially designed to increase access to services during 00:02:43.150 --> 00:02:48.680 the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides virtual counseling and on-site crisis services at 00:02:48.680 --> 00:02:54.200 all Bureau-funded schools and programs with Indigenous focused, evidence-based and trauma-informed 00:02:54.200 --> 00:02:57.240 behavioral health and wellness support. 00:02:57.240 --> 00:03:01.070 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service this week announced it's expanding hunting opportunities 00:03:01.070 --> 00:03:07.129 on approximately 3,000 acres in three National Wildlife Refuges: Cahaba River National Wildlife 00:03:07.129 --> 00:03:13.220 Refuge in Alabama, Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge in Florida and Minnesota Valley 00:03:13.220 --> 00:03:18.020 National Wildlife Refuge in Minnesota. The Fish and Wildlife Service is also proposing 00:03:18.020 --> 00:03:23.090 a phase-out of lead ammunition and tackle at eight national wildlife refuges because 00:03:23.090 --> 00:03:26.560 of adverse effects on human and wildlife health. 00:03:26.560 --> 00:03:31.489 The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management this week proposed an update to 20-year-old regulations 00:03:31.489 --> 00:03:37.030 to protect American taxpayers from the costs of decommissioning offshore wells and infrastructure. 00:03:37.030 --> 00:03:41.019 If approved, they will ensure that energy companies are financially prepared to take 00:03:41.019 --> 00:03:45.270 on their responsibilities while protecting the taxpayer from incurring the associated 00:03:45.270 --> 00:03:46.739 costs. 00:03:46.739 --> 00:03:50.990 Interior welcomed more than 200 small businesses to the Denver Federal Center last week for 00:03:50.990 --> 00:03:56.510 an Industry Day. That's an event that supports Interior’s priorities by growing and diversifying 00:03:56.510 --> 00:04:01.150 the Department's small business vendor base. The Industry Day was designed to promote the 00:04:01.150 --> 00:04:05.680 Administration’s historic investments through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation 00:04:05.680 --> 00:04:07.129 Reduction Act. 00:04:07.129 --> 00:04:11.520 And our social media Picture of the Week, the dazzling synchronous fireflies of Great 00:04:11.520 --> 00:04:17.510 Smoky Mountains National Park. These fireflies are one of at least 19 firefly species that 00:04:17.510 --> 00:04:22.290 live in the park, and one of only a few species in the world known to synchronize their flash 00:04:22.290 --> 00:04:23.290 patterns. 00:04:23.290 --> 00:04:28.260 Make sure you follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. 00:04:28.260 --> 00:04:29.590 That's This Week at Interior.