This Week at Interior October 22, 2021

Transcript:

This Week, at Interior 

Interior and the Department of Agriculture teamed up this week to announce joint actions aimed at protecting the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and surrounding watershed in northeastern Minnesota. Boundary Waters is a unique natural wonder, the most visited wilderness area in the United States. Secretary Haaland called it a place that should be enjoyed by and protected for everyone, not only today but for future generations. 

Vice President Harris visited Lake Mead this week, where she was briefed on the climate change-fueled drought by Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Tanya Trujillo, and officials from both the Bureau of Reclamation and the National Park Service.  Western communities are living through the worst drought conditions of the last several decades. The Vice President said the Administration's Build Back Better Agenda, and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal, would make the biggest investment in climate resilience in U.S. history and help tackle the climate crisis. 

Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management, and Budget Rachael Taylor visited southern Oregon this week to highlight conservation efforts, survey wildland fire damage, and discuss Interior's support for rural and Tribal communities. In a visit to Crater Lake National Park, they highlighted ongoing and future projects to make the park more accessible supported by the Great American Outdoors Act's  Legacy Restoration Fund. 

Interior this week announced it will hold five listening sessions  -- and invite public comment -- on the barriers marginalized communities face when it comes to enjoying outdoor activities on public lands. Advancing equity in recreation is a key pillar of the Biden-Harris administration’s America the Beautiful initiative that seeks to address access to nature and its benefits for all Americans. 

It's an odd-looking fish, but it's got a great comeback story. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service this week reclassified the humpback chub from endangered to threatened under the Endangered Species Act, thanks to the hard work of state, regional, Tribal and federal agencies. The humpback chub was first documented in the Lower Colorado River Basin in the Grand Canyon in the 1940's, and the upper Colorado River Basin in the 1970's. 

Tens of millions of people around the world took part in the Great Shakeout this week. Founded by the U.S. Geological Survey in 2008, the annual event urges folks to "drop, cover and hold on" in the event of an earthquake. Nearly half of all Americans are exposed to potentially damaging quakes wherever they work or live. 

And our social media Picture of the Week, is *almost* out of this world, with the Moon rising over California's Mojave Trails National Monument, managed by the BLM. It's a stunning mosaic of rugged mountain ranges, ancient lava flows, and spectacular sand dunes. Mojave Trails also contains the longest remaining undeveloped stretch of Route 66. 

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That’s This Week, at Interior  

This Week: Interior teams up with USDA on next steps to protect Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness; Vice President Harris visits Lake Mead to highlight Administration efforts to address drought and combat climate change; Interior leaders visit Oregon to focus on conservation, support for rural and Tribal communities and survey wildland fire damage; the Department announces upcoming listening sessions to improve recreational access to the great outdoors for marginalized communities; an odd-looking fish has a great comeback story in the Colorado River; millions around the world take part in the Great ShakeOut of 2021; and a full Moon rises over the Mojave Trails National Monument in our social media Picture of the Week!

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    08/29/2025

    Inside Interior | August 29, 2025

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    This is Inside Interior.

    From minerals to monuments, from public safety to public lands, the Department of the Interior is focused on energy, security, and preserving what matters most to America.

    First up: the U.S. Geological Survey just released the draft 2025 List of Critical Minerals - designed to guide federal investments, permitting, and policy decisions. New additions to the list? Potash, silicon, copper, silver, rhenium, and lead. These additions strengthen domestic mining, streamline permitting, and boost U.S. mineral processing - ensuring America remains resource-secure and globally competitive.

    In more good news, Interior just announced 42 new hunting and sport fishing opportunities across 87,000 acres of public land - that's three times more than the last administration allowed. It's a win for conservation, the outdoor economy, and the American way of life.

    In Washington, D.C., crime is down, and our Park Police are stronger than ever. And now, thanks to President Donald Trump’s latest executive order, more park police officers are being hired to keep America’s capital safe and secure. To thank our law enforcement for their brave work and dedication, Secretary Doug Burgum and Interior employees hosted a cookout this week for our Park Police officers in D.C. 

    Additionally, Interior deputized Customs and Border Protection officers to work alongside our park police to end rampant crime in our nation's capital.

    Mark your calendars for July 23, 2026, which has been officially designated by Interior as the Day of the American West, honoring the people, values, and traditions that shaped this nation’s frontier.

    And this past Monday, we celebrated 109 years of the National Park Service. That’s over a century of protecting America’s most treasured landscapes, from Alaska to the monuments in D.C.

    At Interior, we are building a safer, stronger, and more self-reliant America.

    That's it for this edition of Inside Interior.

    Have a Happy Labor Day Weekend.

    News and headlines from around Interior August 29, 2025

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