This Week at Interior May 3, 2024

Hello, my name is Josh Boles, and I’m the Superintendent of First State National Historical Park. And I’m Senator Tom Carper from the State of Delaware. And you're watching This Week at Interior!

Secretary Haaland this week applauded President Biden’s expansion of the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument in northern California’s Inner Coast Range by nearly 14,000 acres. The new designation protects a striking 11-mile-long north-south ridgeline that is sacred to the Patwin people; the presidential proclamation also permanently renames the ridgeline "Molok Luyuk," which means Condor Ridge in the language of the Patwin people. The expansion of the monument advances the Biden-Harris administration’s work to support community-driven and Tribally led initiatives to conserve and restore our nation’s lands and waters through the America the Beautiful initiative.

Secretary Haaland, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland, and Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton joined Tribal, federal and state leaders at the Colorado River Indian Tribes community in Arizona to commemorate a historic water rights agreement. The agreement gives the Tribes the ability to lease, exchange or store a portion of their river water entitlement, for the first time ever. The visit underscored Interior's commitment to strengthening Indian Country with significant resources through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, which provides more than $13 billion directly to Tribes across the country.  
Secretary Haaland concluded the Department’s coast-to-coast celebration of National Park Week with a visit to Delaware's First State National Historical Park. She joined park staff, local, state and federal leaders for the grand opening of the park's new Welcome Center. Designated in 2015, First State is Delaware's only national park; it preserves, protects, and interprets the role of Delaware in the birth of the United States.

Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Shannon Estenoz wrapped up a weeklong tour of national parks throughout Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, where she highlighted how investments from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda are bolstering nature-based infrastructure to protect communities and habitats. At Biscayne National Park and the Mote Marine Lab at Key Largo, transformational investments through the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are restoring corals along the coast. And in South Carolina the Assistant Secretary toured a number of sites, including Reconstruction Era National Historical Park, which honors the significance of this era.

Interior this week announced the availability of $71 million in funding through the President’s Investing in America agenda to help Tribal communities electrify their homes. It's the second round of funding from the Office of Indian Affairs’ Tribal Electrification Program, part of an overall $150 million investment from the Inflation Reduction Act — the largest ever investment in climate — to support the electrification of homes in Tribal communities.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service this week announced the selection of four projects that will address early detection and rapid response for aquatic invasive species. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Matthew Strickler visited the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge Complex to announce the projects, which are funded through the Service’s Ecosystem Restoration Program. That program is receiving $4 million over four years through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to establish a pilot Rapid Response Fund for Aquatic Invasive Species.

And our social media Picture of the Week, things that make you go "Awww." From Yellowstone National Park we get this adorable image of a mama swallow returning to her nest, just in time to feed her three hungry babies, who aren't shy about letting Mom know it's time for lunch!

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That's This Week at Interior!