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This Week: Highlighting conservation in Georgia, Secretary Haaland visits the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park; the Secretary travels to New Mexico to celebrate 50 years of Indigenous education at the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute; more than $36 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will go toward woodland fire prevention, mitigation and restoration in eight states; Interior leaders outline new and urgent actions to improve and protect the long-term sustainability of the Colorado River system; Interior announces over $90 million in federal and matching funds to conserve and restore the nation's wetlands; the Blythe Solar Power Project is now fully operational in California; Interior leaders tour the nation's premiere oil spill response facility; there's a new set of tools designed to help restore and conserve the 165 million acres of the sagebrush ecosystem; new projects study how to retrieve rare elements from coal waste; Interior celebrates National Public Lands Day by waiving admission fees; and if it's not one thing it's an otter in our social media Picture of the Week!
Secretary Haaland Highlights Conservation in Georgia
 Secretary Haaland traveled to Georgia this week, visiting the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge to highlight the Biden-Harris administration’s ongoing efforts to conserve and invest in the nation’s public lands and waters. She also traveled to Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park to participate in the annual Indigenous Celebration.
Secretary Haaland Celebrates 50 Years at Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute
 Secretary Haaland then traveled to New Mexico, where she and Bureau of Indian Education Director Tony Dearman commemorated the 50th anniversary of Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute.
Interior Announces $36 Million for Wildland Fire Prevention, Mitigation, Restoration
 Deputy Secretary Tommy Beaudreau traveled to Arizona and Nevada this week to highlight the Biden-Harris administration's commitment to address the impacts of wildland fire across the west.
 As the worsening drought crisis continues to impact communities across the West, Interior leaders this week outlined new and urgent actions to improve and protect the long-term sustainability of the Colorado River system.
 Interior this week announced more than $31 million in grants has been approved by the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission. Matched with more than $60 million in partner contributions, the funding will go toward conservation and restorations efforts on more than 116,000 acres of wetlands and upland habitat in 18 states.
 Interior and the Bureau of Land Management this week announced the Blythe Solar Power Project is now fully operational in California. The Riverside County project will produce enough energy to power approximately 145,500 homes.
 Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement Director Kevin Sligh hosted Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management Laura Daniel-Davis in New Jersey for a tour of Ohmsett. That's the National Oil Spill Response Research and Renewable Energy Test Facility, the nation’s premier research and training site for offshore oil spill response.
 A new joint report this week from the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provides a new set of tools designed to boost efforts to restore and conserve the sagebrush ecosystem across the full extent of its range.
 The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement this week announced eight projects that will share $1.6 million through its Applied Science Program. Four of those projects will study methods to improve the recovery of rare earth elements from coal mining waste.
 This Saturday, September 24, is National Public Lands Day, celebrating the connection between people and green space in their community with a coast-to-coast volunteer effort.
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