News

The White House Council on Native American Affairs (WHCNAA) convened an engagement session with Tribal leaders and Native Hawaiian Organizations today focused on implementing a new interagency initiative to improve the protection of and access to Indigenous sacred sites through enhanced and improved interdepartmental coordination, collaboration and action.

Martha Williams was sworn in as Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service by Secretary Deb Haaland today. Martha has been serving as Principal Deputy Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service since January 20, 2021, exercising the delegable authority of the Director.

The White House today announced the intent to nominate David Applegate as Director of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). David is currently the Associate Director for Natural Hazards, exercising the delegated authority of the Director. The nomination will now be considered by the U.S. Senate.

The Department of the Interior announced today that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is soliciting proposals for restoration activities that address high-priority Klamath Basin challenges in Southern Oregon and Northern California.

Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland was in Ohio for the second day today to meet with elected officials, community leaders, and Department employees to highlight infrastructure investments that are helping to preserve, protect and restore Ohio’s lands and waters.

During a visit to Ohio today, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and White House Senior Advisor and Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator Mitch Landrieu announced more than $144 million is available to states and Tribes for abandoned mine land (AML) reclamation efforts in fiscal year 2022.

The Department of the Interior today announced the newest members of agency leadership working to fulfill our mission to steward America’s public lands and waters, pursue environmental justice, and honor our nation-to-nation relationship with Tribes.

On the heels of the State of the Union, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland today visited Connecticut, where she highlighted the Department’s commitment to implement investments from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for Tribal communities and ecosystem restoration and resilience efforts.

The Department of the Interior today announced the results of the nation’s highest-grossing competitive offshore energy lease sale in history, including oil and gas lease sales, with the New York Bight offshore wind sale.

Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Tanya Trujillo traveled to Phoenix, Arizona this week to underscore the Department of the Interior’s commitment to Indian Country and the historic investments from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to address the Western water crisis.