WASHINGTON, D.C. – Showcasing a broad portfolio, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell will take to the road this week marking key milestones in priority issue areas, including the Department's youth initiative, President Obama's Climate Action Plan , renewable energy goals, water security, and Interior's pledge to improve Indian education and strengthen the government-to-government relationship with tribal nations.
Jewell will begin the week in Palm Springs, California, where she'll be joined by Interior's Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management Janice Schneider as well as California energy and environment officials to mark an important step forward for renewable energy and landscape-level conservation.
From there she'll travel to Los Angeles to join Coca-Cola North America President Sandy Douglas to announce a major public-private partnership with The Coca-Cola Foundation to support the Department's ambitious youth initiative.
Later in the week, the Secretary will travel to Lakeview, Oregon, where she'll accompany Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Deputy Director Steve Ellis, Deputy Assistant Secretary Jim Lyons and local stakeholders on a tour of innovative sage grouse conservation efforts spearheaded by the BLM's Lakeview District, U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service, private land owners, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and other conservation partners. This project is emblematic of collaborative efforts across the west to conserve the region's declining "sagebrush sea" which supports significant economic activity (such as ranching and recreation) as well as an abundance of wildlife.
On Friday, Jewell will visit Window Rock, Arizona, to participate in a signing ceremony announcing a major tribal trust settlement agreement with the Navajo Nation. Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Kevin Washburn will also be on hand, along with Acting U.S. Assistant Attorney General Sam Hirsch, Environment and Natural Resources Division and tribal leaders and members from the Navajo Nation community.
Also on Friday, the Secretary will tour the Crystal Boarding School on the Navajo Reservation in New Mexico to spend time with students and school officials, and hold a roundtable with tribal leaders. Jewell will discuss ongoing educational reform initiatives to ensure students attending schools funded by the Bureau of Indian Education receive a high quality education delivered by tribal nations.
The Secretary will remain in Arizona on Saturday to celebrate the 50th anniversary of power generation at Glen Canyon Dam, a key feature of the Colorado River Storage Project located in Page.
Additional event details are available below.
EVENT #1 – Palm Springs, CA
WHO:
Sally Jewell, U.S. Secretary of the Interior
Janice Schneider, Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management
Barbara Boxer, U.S. Senator, California
Grace Napolitano, U.S. Representative, CA-32
Raul Ruiz, U.S. Representative, CA-36
John Laird, Secretary, California Natural Resources
Jim Kenna, California State Director, Bureau of Land Management
Karen Douglas, California Energy Commissioner
WHAT:
Event to Celebrate an Important Renewable Energy and Conservation Milestone for Western States
WHEN:
Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2014, at 11:15 am PDT
WHERE:
AES Wind Energy Generation Facility
19435 Ruppert Street
North Palm Springs, CA 92262
MEDIA:
Media not able to attend in person can participate in listen-only mode by calling 1-888-989-7685 and using access code 4537940
RSVP:
Credentialed members of the media interested in covering the event are encouraged to RSVP HERE by Sept. 22, 2014, at 6:00 pm PDT
EVENT #2 – Los Angeles, CA
WHO:
Sally Jewell, U.S. Secretary of the Interior
Sandy Douglas, President, Coca-Cola North America
Wendy Butts, CEO, Los Angeles Conservation Corps
Coca-Cola employees and partners
WHAT:
Major Public-Private Partnership Announcement and Service Project
WHEN:
Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014, at 10:45 am PDT
WHERE:
Marsh Park
2999 Rosanna Street
Los Angeles, CA 90039
RSVP:
Credentialed members of the media interested in covering the announcement are encouraged to RSVP HERE by Sept. 23, 2014, at 6:00 pm PDT.
EVENT #3 – Lakeview, OR
WHO:
Sally Jewell, U.S. Secretary of the Interior
Jim Lyons, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Land & Minerals Management
Steve Ellis, Deputy Director, Bureau of Land Management
Jerry Perez, Oregon State Director, Bureau of Land Management
Todd Forbes, Field Manager, BLM Lakeview District
Zola Ryan, Natural Resources Conservation Service
Craig Foster, Supervising Wildlife Biologist, Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife
John O'Keffe, Private Land Owner
WHAT:
Tour and Brief Media Availability
WHEN:
Thursday, Sept. 25, 2014, at 9:30 am PDT
WHERE:
Lakeview Interagency Office
1301 South G Street
Lakeview, Oregon 97630
GPS Coordinates: 42.1706118, -120.3473695
RSVP:
Credentialed members of the media interested in covering the event are encouraged to RSVP HERE by Sept. 24, 2014, at 6:00 pm PDT.
EVENT #4 – Window Rock, AZ
WHO:
Sally Jewell, U.S. Secretary of the Interior
Kevin Washburn, Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior
Sam Hirsch, Acting Assistant Attorney General, Environment and Natural Resources Division, U.S. Department of Justice
Ben Shelly, President, Executive Branch, Navajo Nation
LoRenzo Bates, Speaker Pro Tempore, 22nd Navajo Nation Council
D Harrison Tsosie, Attorney General, Navajo Nation
Lorenzo Curley, Council Delegate, Trust Management Litigation Task Force Chair, 22nd Navajo Nation Council
WHAT:
Press Conference and Signing Ceremony to Announce Major Tribal Trust Accounting Settlement
WHEN:
Friday, Sept. 26, 2014, at 10:00 am MDT
WHERE:
Window Rock Tribal Park
100 Parkway
Window Rock, AZ, 86515
RSVP:
Credentialed members of the media interested in covering the announcement are encouraged to RSVP HERE by Sept. 25, 2014, at 6:00 pm MST.
EVENT #5 – Page, AZ
WHO:
Sally Jewell, U.S. Secretary of the Interior
Anne Castle, Assistant Secretary for Water and Science, U.S. Department of the Interior
Andy Tobin, Speaker, Arizona House of Representatives
Bill Diak, Mayor, City of Page
Leslie James, Executive Director, Colorado River Energy Distributors Association
David Modeer, President, Colorado River Water Users Association Boy Scouts of America
WHAT:
Event celebrating the 50th anniversary of power generation at Glen Canyon Dam
WHEN:
Saturday, Sept. 27, 2014, at 12:15 pm MST
WHERE:
Crest of Glen Canyon Dam
Page, Arizona
(15 miles upstream from Lees Ferry)
RSVP:
Glen Canyon Dam is a secure facility. For this reason, all media attending the event must be credentialed and cleared through security. Media equipment must be cleared for access to the dam crest. Media must RSVP to Matthew Allen at mrallen@usbr.gov prior to 5:00 p.m. on September 22 to allow adequate time to review credentials and clear security.
Source: Department of Interior
