Press Releases

The formation of the U.S. Wildlife Trafficking Alliance builds on President Obama’s National Strategy to Combat Wildlife Trafficking, put in place in 2014, following his Executive Order on combating wildlife trafficking. A number of companies have already adopted policies and procedures that align with the goals of the Alliance. Companies such as eBay, Facebook and Google have been helping with initial Alliance activities. 

U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell issued a statement on the release of the final Clean Power Plan, a key step in the Obama Administration’s fight against climate change, calling the plan "historic progress."

Interior authorized the conversion of the school from federally operated to tribally controlled on March 23, 2015, after thoroughly evaluating the Pueblo’s application. On July 1, 2015, the Pueblo officially assumed control of Isleta Elementary School, which has about 150 students, 11 teachers and about 10 support staffers. Principal Frank Fast Wolf and education program administrator is Eileen Montoya will oversee a new school year beginning on August 10, 2015.

Deputy Secretary Connor joined Mayor Michael A. Nutter, Philadelphia Freedom Valley YMCA COO Jon Agnew, and local partners announced the selection of Philadelphia as one of the first 50 cities to participate in First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Outside initiative to engage the next generation of outdoor stewards and inspire millions of young adults to experience the great outdoors.

The initiative, funded through a $5 million national commitment by the American Express Foundation, will provide two years of funding for the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago to create a community coordinator position to help coordinate efforts, facilitate collaboration, grow resources, and increase participation in outdoor programs on all public lands in Chicago, from local parks to federal lands and waters.

Deepwater Wind is constructing a five-turbine, 30-megawatt wind farm in state waters about three nautical miles southeast of Block Island. At 589 feet above sea level, the turbines will be among the tallest in the world. The project, scheduled to be online in 2016, is expected to power about 17,000 homes.

President Obama today announced that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is proposing new regulations that would prohibit most interstate commerce in African elephant ivory and further restrict commercial exports. This action, combined with others FWS has already taken, will result in a near total ban on the domestic commercial trade of African elephant ivory. The proposed rule builds upon restrictions put in place last year following President Obama’s Executive Order on combating wildlife trafficking. 

Deputy Secretary Connor today approved the Four Corners Power Plant (FCPP) and Navajo Mine Energy Project in northwestern New Mexico, under a plan that would minimize and mitigate the project’s projected environmental impacts while maintaining the substantial economic benefits of coal mining and energy production for the Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribe and local communities.

The proposed Stream Protection Rule released today would include reasonable and straightforward reforms to revise three-decades-old regulations for coal mining in order to avoid or minimize impacts on surface water, groundwater, fish, wildlife, and other natural resources. The proposed rule, which reflects updated science, would replace the 1983 regulations and would better protect the resources.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Interior Secretary Sally Jewell joined members of Congress, California State and local elected officials, and community members in praising the President’s designation of the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument.