Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
THIS WEEK, AT INTERIOR...
THE MONUMENTAL REOPENING IS SET FOR MAY 12TH... THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE THIS WEEK ANNOUNCED
THAT THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT REPAIR PROJECT IS NEARING COMPLETION, AND THAT VISITORS WILL
BE WELCOMED BACK TO THE ICONIC STRUCTURE IN A LITTLE MORE THAN SIX WEEKS. THE MONUMENT
SUSTAINED HEAVY DAMAGE DURING A FIVE POINT EIGHT MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE IN 2011 THAT RATTLED
THE EAST COAST FROM THE CAROLINAS TO CANADA... AND IT TOOK 32 MONTHS, 15 MILLION DOLLARS
FROM PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SOURCES, AND A GIANT SCAFFOLDING STRUCTURE TO FIX. THE PARK SERVICE
SAYS TICKETS FOR THE FIRST PUBLIC TOUR SINCE THE EARTHQUAKE WILL BE AVAILABLE AT 8:30AM
ON THE MORNING OF MAY 12TH, ON A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED BASIS, AT THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT
LODGE. THE TOUR GETS UNDERWAY THAT DAY AT 1PM. TICKETS FOR THE REST OF THE SPRING AND
SUMMER CAN BE FOUND ONLINE AT RECREATION DOT GOV STARTING APRIL 16TH. THE MONUMENT WILL
BE OPEN DAILY FROM 9AM TO 10PM ALL SUMMER LONG.
IT'S A SPECIAL EXHIBIT, 81-MILLION YEARS IN THE MAKING, UNVEILED THIS WEEK BY THE BUREAU
OF LAND MANAGEMENT. MEET DIABLOCERATOPS... A HORNED DINOSAUR THAT WAS SOME TEN FEET LONG
AND WEIGHED ABOUT TWO TONS, ONE OF SEVERAL REMARKABLE DINOSAUR DISCOVERIES ON BLM-MANAGED
LANDS. THIS DIABLOCERATOPS, AN ANCESTOR OF THE MUCH LARGER AND BETTER KNOWN TRICERATOPS,
IS A REPLICA OF THE ONE UNEARTHED AT THE GRAND STAIRCASE-ESCALANTE NATIONAL MONUMENT IN UTAH
IN 2010. ONLY ONE SUCH SKULL HAS EVER BEEN RECOVERED. THIS REPLICA PROUDLY ON DISPLAY
OUTSIDE BLM'S OFFICES IN THE MAIN INTERIOR BUILDING.
ENCOURAGING NEWS THIS WEEK OUT OF HAWAII, WHERE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN CENTURIES, ENDANGERED
HAWAIIAN GEESE HAVE BEEN SPOTTED IN THE WILDS OF OAHU. THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE SAYS
A PAIR OF NENE NESTED AND SUCCESSFULLY HATCHED THREE GOSLINGS AT THE JAMES CAMPBELL NATIONAL
WILDLIFE REFUGE NEAR KAHUKU ON THE NORTH SHORE. THE NENE WEREN'T TRANSPORTED BY HUMANS, AND
MADE IT TO THE REFUGE ON THEIR OWN. THE NENE IS HAWAII'S STATE BIRD, ONLY AN ESTIMATED
TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED REMAIN IN THE WILD. BUT POPULATIONS ARE INCREASING DUE TO COOPERATIVE
MANAGEMENT BY FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES.
THE U-S FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE WILL DISTRIBUTE NEARLY ONE-POINT-ONE BILLION DOLLARS TO STATE
AND TERRITORIAL FISH AND WILDLIFE AGENCIES, TO HELP FUND CONSERVATION AND RECREATION PROJECTS
ACROSS THE NATION... THOSE FUNDS ARE COMING FROM THE EXCISE TAX PAID TO THE GOVERNMENT
BY SPORTSMEN AND WOMEN ON EVERYTHING FROM HUNTING EQUIPMENT AND FISHING TACKLE TO BOATING
FUEL AND TARGET SHOOTING AMMUNITION. FOR A STATE BY STATE BREAKDOWN OF FUND ALLOCATION.
CHECK OUT FWS DOT GOV.
AND FISH AND WILDLIFE, THROUGH THE NATURAL RESOURCE DAMAGE ASSESSMENT AND RESTORATION
PROGRAM, WAS PART OF A FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL TEAM THAT HELPED BRING A RIVER IN COLORADO
BACK TO LIFE. JUST 20 YEARS AGO THE TROUT POPULATION IN THE *ARKANSAS RIVER* HAD BEEN
DEVASTATED BY MINING POLLUTION... BUT NOW THANKS TO HABITAT RESTORATION, IMPROVED WATER
QUALITY AND CREATIVE FISHERY MANAGEMENT, THE RIVER HAS ACHIEVED *GOLD MEDAL TROUT WATERS*
STATUS, AND IS NOW RANKED AS THE FAVORITE FISHING DESTINATION FOR COLORADO RESIDENTS.
SECRETARY JEWELL ON CAPITOL HILL THIS WEEK, TESTIFYING BEFORE BOTH THE HOUSE AND SENATE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEES ON PRESIDENT OBAMA'S PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2015 BUDGET FOR THE DEPARTMENT
OF THE INTERIOR. THE ADMINISTRATION REQUESTS 11-POINT-NINE BILLION DOLLARS FOR THE DEPARTMENT...
THE SECRETARY APPLAUDS THE BUDGET REQUEST, SAYING IT MAKES KEY INVESTMENTS TO MAINTAIN
VITAL FUNDING FOR INTERIOR'S CRITICAL MISSIONS.
THAT'S THIS WEEK, AT INTERIOR.