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This week: The nation prepares to mark the 20th anniversary of the September 11th attacks; Secretary Deb Haaland celebrates Labor Day with a visit to the Pullman National Monument and salutes American workers in a video message; Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Shannon Estenoz visits North Dakota to talk about Interior’s commitment to protecting critical wetlands; Bryan Newland is ceremonially sworn-in as the new Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs; during National Preparedness Month Interior is raising awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies before they happen; the Bureau of Land Management opens a 30-day bidding period to lease more than 4,800 acres in Utah's Milford Flats South Solar Energy Zone; we'll tell you about the comeback story of a funny-looking fish in the Colorado River Basin; winners are announced for the 2019 and 2020 Natural Resource Conservation Achievement Awards; and the social media Picture of the Week gets the "seal" of approval!
America Observes 20th Anniversary of September 11th Attacks
 Saturday September 11th marks the 20th anniversary of the deadliest terror attacks in American history. President Biden will visit all three 9/11 sites Saturday: New York City, the Pentagon, and the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Secretary Haaland will join Vice President Harris and former President Bush at a separate event at Shanksville Saturday morning. The memorial will be closed to the public during that event, but park grounds will reopen to all following the conclusion of the ceremony. The National Park Service this week announced it has awarded the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York a $2.5 million 9/11 Memorial Act grant. The funding will provide critical support for the continued operation, maintenance and security of the site.
Secretary Haaland Salutes American Workers, Visits Pullman National Monument
 Secretary Haaland celebrated Labor Day this week at the grand opening of the Pullman National Monument visitor center. The monument recognizes the struggles of the Black workers who fought for fair wages, safe working conditions and limited working hours. The labor movement at Pullman is hailed as a marker in the American Civil Rights movement. In a video message, the Secretary wished all workers a happy Labor Day, calling them the backbone of our economy.
Assistant Secretary Estenoz Visits North Dakota to talk Voluntary Conservation
 Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Shannon Estenoz visited North Dakota this week. She met with landowners, and state and local leaders, to talk about Interior’s commitment to protecting critical wetlands and grasslands through voluntary conservation.
Bryan Newland Sworn-In as Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs
 Bryan Newland was ceremonially sworn in this week as the new Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs. He's a citizen and former Tribal President of the Bay Mills Indian Community (Ojibwe) in Michigan. Prior to that, Bryan served as Chief Judge of the Bay Mills Tribal Court and as a Counselor and Policy Advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs during the Obama Administration.
“Prepare to Protect” During National Preparedness Month
 September is National Preparedness Month, and Interior is raising awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that could happen at any time. This year’s theme is "Prepare to Protect." Now is the time that everyone should have a conversation with their family, neighbors or loved ones to discuss what you would do in the event of a disaster in your area.
 The Bureau of Land Management this week opened a 30-day bidding period to lease more than 4,800 acres in the Milford Flats South Solar Energy Zone, in Beaver County, Utah. That solar energy zone has the potential to generate power for 100,000 homes and create more than 200 jobs.
 Interior’s Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance announced the recipients of the 2019 and 2020 Natural Resource Conservation Achievement Awards. Those awards recognize eight different categories that emphasize environmental conservation. Among the winners were twelve individuals and teams from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and the Bureau of Reclamation.
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