AT THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, WE HAVE A DIVERSE AND IMPORTANT PORTFOLIO…
ONE THAT INCLUDES PROTECTING AND SHARING AMERICA’S NATURAL RESOURCES, WILDLIFE AND HERITAGE,
HONORING OUR TRUST RESPONSIBILITIES TO TRIBAL COMMUNITIES AND INSULAR AREAS, SUPPLYING WATER
TO 17 WESTERN STATES, DEVELOPING CUTTING EDGE SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION AND HELPING POWER OUR
FUTURE.
HOW WE FULFILL OUR MISSIONS HAS A HUGE IMPACT ON THE HEALTH OF OUR ECONOMY AND COMMUNITIES
ACROSS THE NATION -- BOTH FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.
AS SECRETARY JEWELL PUT IT, “WE’RE IN THE FOREVER BUSINESS.”
OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS OF THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION, WE ADVANCED THOSE CORE INTERIOR MISSIONS ON
SEVERAL FRONTS …
THE PRESIDENT'S COMPREHENSIVE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN HAD INTERIOR PLAYING AN IMPORTANT ROLE
IN TAKING STEADY AND RESPONSIBLE STEPS TO CUT CARBON POLLUTION AND EXPAND HOMEGROWN
ENERGY.
PRESIDENT OBAMA CALLED IT OUR MORAL OBLIGATION TO THE NEXT GENERATION TO LEAVE A CLEANER,
MORE STABLE ENVIRONMENT.
AT THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT, WE USED SCIENCE TO IMPROVE OUR RESILIENCE TO FUTURE STORMS
LIKE SUPERSTORM SANDY AND OTHER IMPACTS ASSOCIATED WITH A WARMING PLANET...THROUGH THE CLEAN
POWER PLAN THE PRESIDENT LAID OUT GOALS TO PUT THE NATION ON THE PATH TOWARD A 30 PERCENT
REDUCTION IN GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM THE POWER SECTOR BY 2030.
A KEY PART OF THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN INCLUDES RENEWABLE ENERGY WHERE WE’RE ON TRACK TO
PERMIT 20 GIGAWATTS OF RENEWABLE ENERGY BY 2020...IN A SPAN OF EIGHT YEARS, WE APPROVED
60 COMMERCIAL-SCALE RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS ON PUBLIC LANDS THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO
PRODUCE 15 AND A HALF THOUSAND MEGAWATTS, ENOUGH TO POWER APPROXIMATELY FIVE MILLION
AMERICAN HOMES.
THE PRESIDENT’S CLEAN ENERGY STRATEGY ALSO FOCUSED ON GETTING THE MOST OUT OF OUR DOMESTIC
SOURCES OF OIL, GAS, AND COAL WITH RENEWED STANDARDS TO SUPPORT SAFE AND RESPONSIBLE
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING AND PREVENT OR MINIMIZE IMPACTS TO SURFACE WATER AND GROUNDWATER FROM
COAL MINING WITH OUR STREAM PROTECTION RULE.
IN RESPONSE TO THE TRAGIC DEEPWATER HORIZON INCIDENT IN THE GULF OF MEXICO IN 2010, INTERIOR
LAUNCHED THE MOST AGGRESSIVE AND COMPREHENSIVE REFORMS TO OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS REGULATION
AND OVERSIGHT IN U.S. HISTORY.
THIS INCLUDED RESTRUCTURING TO PROVIDE INDEPENDENT REGULATORY AGENCIES THAT HAVE CLEAR MISSIONS
TO ENSURE SAFE AND RESPONSIBLE DOMESTIC ENERGY DEVELOPMENT, WHILE KEEPING PACE WITH A RAPIDLY
EVOLVING INDUSTRY.
THESE EFFORTS HELP ENSURE THAT THE UNITED STATES CAN SAFELY AND RESPONSIBLY EXPAND DEVELOPMENT
OF ITS DOMESTIC ENERGY RESOURCES.
DURING HIS ADMINISTRATION PRESIDENT OBAMA USED THE ANTIQUITIES ACT TO ESTABLISH OR PROTECT
29 NATIONAL MONUMENTS…
ALTOGETHER HE PROTECTED MORE THAN 550 MILLION ACRES OF PUBLIC LANDS AND WATERS, MORE THAN
*ANY* OTHER PRESIDENT.
ALONG THE WAY HE PRESERVED SITES THAT HELP TELL THE STORY OF BOTH SIGNIFICANT PEOPLE,
AND EXTRAORDINARY EVENTS IN AMERICAN HISTORY...EVERYTHING FROM THE CESAR CHAVEZ NATIONAL MONUMENT IN
CALIFORNIA TO THE HARRIET TUBMAN NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK IN MARYLAND AND NEW YORK…
AND HE PRESERVED MAGNIFICENT LANDSCAPES FROM THE ORGAN MOUNTAINS - DESERT PEAKS NATIONAL
MONUMENT IN NEW MEXICO, TO CALIFORNIA’S BERRYESSA SNOW MOUNTAIN NATIONAL MONUMENT.
WE SET ASIDE LANDS THAT ARE JUST TOO SPECIAL TO DEVELOP.
NOT ONLY THE USE OF THE ANTIQUITIES ACT BUT IN THE WILDERNESS DESIGNATION FOR POINT REYES
NATIONAL SEASHORE AND THE PRESIDENT’S ACTIONS TO PRESERVE BOTH BRISTOL BAY AND THE ARCTIC
NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE.
IN 2016, WE CELEBRATED THE CENTENNIAL OF AMERICA'S BEST IDEA -- THE NATIONAL PARKS -- COMMEMORATING
THE PAST WHILE CHARTING A PATH FORWARD FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF STEWARDS OF OUR PUBLIC
LANDS AND WATERS.
ONE OF THE TOP PRIORITIES OF THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN TO INCREASE THE SELF-GOVERNANCE AND
SELF-DETERMINATION OF THE FIRST AMERICANS: INDIAN TRIBES AND ALASKA NATIVES.
WE’VE SOUGHT TO ENHANCE OUR GOVERNMENT TO GOVERNMENT RELATIONSHIP WITH TRIBES, AND TO
RIGHT THE WRONGS OF CENTURIES PAST…
THE WHITE HOUSE HELD A TRIBAL NATIONS CONFERENCE EVERY YEAR OF THIS ADMINISTRATION, BRINGING
TOGETHER REPRESENTATIVES OF MORE THAN 500 FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBES.
UNDER THE HISTORIC COBELL SETTLEMENT AND LAND BUYBACK PROGRAM, TRIBAL LAND WITH MULTIPLE
OWNERS IS PURCHASED BY THE GOVERNMENT, THEN HELD IN TRUST FOR THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF
THE TRIBE…
TO DATE, MORE THAN ONE BILLION DOLLARS PAID OUT TO LANDOWNERS, AND NEARLY TWO MILLION
ACRES OF TRIBAL LAND RESTORED.
INTERIOR HAS COMMITTED TO TRANSFORM AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION STUDENTS RECEIVE
AT TRIBAL SCHOOLS FUNDED BY THE BUREAU OF INDIAN EDUCATION.
AND THE PRESIDENT HAS LAUNCHED *GENERATION INDIGENOUS,* OR *GEN I*, TO STRIP AWAY THE
BARRIERS BETWEEN NATIVE YOUTH AND THE CHANCE TO SUCCEED.
THE FIRST LADY ADDRESSED THE FIRST EVER NATIVE AMERICAN YOUTH SUMMIT, AN INSPIRING DAY FOR
THE YOUTH THAT ATTENDED.
THE ADMINISTRATION AND INTERIOR LAUNCHED A MAJOR INITIATIVE TO ENCOURAGE ALL YOUNG PEOPLE
TO PLAY, LEARN, SERVE AND WORK OUTDOORS, AND HELP FORM THE BACKBONE OF THE NEXT GENERATION
OF OUTDOOR STEWARDS…
PART OF THAT INITIATIVE…
A GROUND-BREAKING PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WITH A RANGE OF COMPANIES FROM AMERICAN EAGLE
OUTFITTERS, TO COCA COLA, THE NORTH FACE, AND AMERICAN EXPRESS…
SECRETARY JEWELL SET A FUNDRAISING GOAL OF 20 MILLION DOLLARS TO SUPPORT THE 21ST CENTURY
CONSERVATION SERVICE CORPS, A NATIONAL COLLABORATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND VETERANS, WORKING ON THE
RESTORATION, PROTECTION AND ENHANCEMENT OF THE NATION’S PUBLIC LANDS AND RESOURCES.
ANOTHER PART OF THE EFFORT TO ENGAGE YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE OUTDOORS…
THE 50 CITIES INITIATIVE, WHERE INTERIOR BREATHED LIFE INTO THE FIRST LADY’S LET’S MOVE
OUTSIDE PROGRAM, DEVELOPING OR ENHANCING OUTDOOR RECREATION PARTNERSHIPS COAST TO COAST…
THAT WILL CREATE NEW OUTDOOR RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEN MILLION YOUNG PEOPLE.
AND INTERIOR PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN THE ADMINISTRATION’S EFFORT TO GET EVERY KID IN A PARK, A PROGRAM
THAT ALLOWS ALL FOURTH GRADERS AND THEIR FAMILIES FREE ACCESS TO PUBLIC LANDS NATIONWIDE FOR
THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR AND BEYOND.
OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS INTERIOR HAS BEEN HELPING TO LEAD THE CHARGE ON ANY ONE OF A
DOZEN IMPORTANT FRONTS…
THE FEDERAL RESPONSE TO SUPERSTORM SANDY, AND THE PREPARATIONS TO WITHSTAND THE *NEXT*
STORM…
WE’RE DEEPLY INVOLVED IN MAINTAINING AND ENHANCING THE RELIABLE SUPPLY OF WATER, ESPECIALLY
AS WESTERN STATES AND TRIBAL LANDS REMAIN LOCKED IN AN EPIC DROUGHT.
WATER IS OUR MOST PRECIOUS RESOURCE AND OUR WaterSMART PROGRAM HELPS US PLAN FOR THE FUTURE
AND STRETCH EVERY DROP...WE CHARTED STRATEGIES TO DEVELOP A COHESIVE WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT
PLAN, AND REDUCE THE INCREASING RISK TO MANY COMMUNITIES…
LANDSAT 8 WAS LAUNCHED IN CONJUNCTION WITH NASA IN FEBRUARY 2013 TO MAINTAIN SCIENTIFIC
OBSERVATIONS OF OUR CHANGING EARTH...WE’RE ALSO IN THE FIGHT AGAINST THE ILLEGAL WILDLIFE
TRAFFICKING THAT THREATENS SO MANY SPECIES…
WE ARE CELEBRATING, WHEN ONCE-ENDANGERED SPECIES BATTLE BACK TO HEALTH…
WE’RE WORKING AT A LANDSCAPE LEVEL TO PRESERVE ECOSYSTEMS INCLUDING THE SAGEBRUSH LANDSCAPES
AND RANGELANDS THAT PROVIDE HABITAT FOR THE GREATER SAGE-GROUSE AND OTHER IMPORTANT SPECIES
… AND WE’VE MARKED THE 50TH ANNIVERSARIES OF BOTH THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND
*AND* THE WILDERNESS ACT, AS WE LOOK AHEAD TO THE NEXT 50 YEARS.