Press Releases

In 2016, the 26 tribes associated with Mesa Verde National Park worked with the Museum to identify the remains and funerary items they hoped to have repatriated. The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) has worked closely with the U.S. Department of State to support these Pueblos’ and tribes’ efforts to repatriate the items.

Today, President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to nominate Katharine MacGregor to be the Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior. U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt applauded the action.

The Order is intended to ensure uninterrupted management and execution of the duties of these positions, providing necessary decision making authority to Presidentially appointed and Senate-confirmed positions across the Department of the Interior. 

Last year’s wildfire season was one of the worst on record as more than 58,000 wildfires burned more than 8.8 million acres across the United States. Nearly 26,000 structures were destroyed — more than double the previous annual record — and 19 valiant members of America’s firefighting community lost their lives.

Expanding Opportunity, Access, and Connectivity to Indian Country

Today, the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Daniel Jorjani to be the Solicitor of the U.S. Department of the Interior with a 51-43 vote. Jorjani has been serving as the Principal Deputy Solicitor for Interior since May of 2017.

U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt inspected a key piece of national water infrastructure at Morrow Point Dam, located on the Gunnison River, a major Colorado River tributary in western Colorado.

"The BLM relocation is moving full speed ahead. The M Street lease expires at the end of 2020, and approximately 60 of these employees will remain stationed in DC. As previously approved by Congress, we have the means to complete this relocation and establish the new headquarters in Grand Junction, Colorado. 

This week, U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt traveled to Colorado and touted the imminent benefits of moving the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) employees to western states and establishing a new headquarters in Grand Junction. Recent coverage highlights the bipartisan support for the decision.

U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt announced today the transfer of administrative jurisdiction of approximately 560 acres of Federal lands to the U.S. Department of the Army (Army) to build roughly 70 miles of border barriers. This action comes in response to a series of applications for Emergency Withdrawal as submitted by the Army for construction or augmentation of barriers along the southern border.