U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves visited Santa Barbara, Calif., to discuss safeguarding the nation’s National Parks and strengthening the American semiconductor industry.
Graves said the commitment is being exercised by enhancing workforce development opportunities and building a diverse and inclusive workforce during his Nov. 16 visit, according to a Nov. 22 news release.
“At the Commerce Department, we’re especially focused on building workforce development opportunities to ensure jobs are created in communities around the country, and that women, people of color and rural Americans all have the opportunity to participate,” Graves said in the release. “Based on what I’ve seen here at UCSB, the future of American innovation is in capable hands.”
He said America’s most iconic natural and cultural marine resources are a priority for the Biden administration, the release reported. On board R/V Shearwater, one of many NOAA research vessels that contribute to the preservation of the resources and habitats in the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, Graves met with representatives of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and local authorities to begin the day.
NOAA designated the Channel Islands NMS in 1980 to safeguard the 1,470 square miles of ocean waters surrounding the populated coastline of Southern California, the release reported. The sanctuary serves as a special place for endangered species, delicate habitats, ancient shipwrecks and cultural resources and offers protection through research, stewardship, education and conservation.
