This Week, at Interior

Secretary Bernhardt on hand this week as the President signed the United States-Mexico-Canada-Agreement into law. The USMCA marks a major promise fulfilled by the Trump Administration, spelling stronger economic growth, more jobs and increased trade. The environmental chapter addresses issues of environmental law enforcement, protecting marine life, improving air quality, and combating illegal wildlife, timber, and fish trafficking. The USMCA also enhances protections for the world’s endangered species.

Interior this week hosted the first meeting of President Trump’s Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives. Tara Sweeney, Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs co-chaired the meeting, working with the members to develop a strategy that enhances the federal government’s criminal justice response, tribal government consultation, and how we can empower native communities with better information and resources.

A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake rattled nerves from Miami to Mexico this week… the earthquake struck Tuesday afternoon in the Caribbean Sea between Jamaica and Cuba. Despite its magnitude, USGS says the quake’s remote location out at sea limited any major damage, and there were no reports of any injuries.

Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Rob Wallace took part this week in a site visit at the South Texas Wildlife Refuge Complex near McAllen, Texas. Wallace inspected refuge lands along the international border and discussed border-related topics with personnel from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S Border Patrol.

A new assessment from the USGS shows Alaska’s North Slope remains rich in recoverable energy resources. The USGS estimates on undiscovered resources shows 3.6 billion barrels of oil, and 8.9 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. The assessment does *not* include previous discoveries made between 2013 and 2017. Most of the lands in the Central North Slope are owned by the State of Alaska and Alaskan Native Corporations.

Secretary Bernhardt this week reaffirmed Interior’s existing policy on non-emergency drones… those drones will remain grounded while Interior reviews the possibility of potential threats to national security. Drone operations will continue to be allowed when it comes to such missions as fighting wildfires, search and rescue, and dealing with natural disasters that may threaten life or property.

Scientists say dinosaur fossils unearthed in northeastern Utah back in 1990, are officially the oldest Allosaurus remains ever found in the state, dating back 155 million years. The Allosaurus was a carnivore of the late Jurassic period… the study was funded by Dinosaur National Monument, the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service and other partners.

And our social media Picture of the Week, this spectacular view of the Northern Lights shimmering and dancing across the starry skies above White Mountains National Recreation Area in Alaska.

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That’s This Week at Interior.