Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne has administratively extended the authority of the Martin Luther King, Jr., National Memorial Project Foundation, which was about to expire, for three more years.Hi-Res
Secretary Kempthorne Ensures Future of
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Project
Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne has extended the
authority of the Martin Luther King, Jr., National Memorial Project Foundation,
the entity authorized to plan and construct a memorial to honor Dr. King on
the National Mall in Washington, DC. “The Department of the Interior
has strongly supported the efforts of the Foundation to memorialize Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr., whose accomplishments as a champion of America’s civil
rights movement benefited the entire nation,” Kempthorne wrote in a letter
to Harry E. Johnson, Sr., the Foundation’s president. “For this
reason, it gives me great pleasure to inform you of my decision to grant an
administrative extension to the Foundation’s authorization.” The
Foundation’s Congressional authority expires on November 12, 2008. more
Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne announced that more than $1.5 billion will be distributed to local governments that qualify for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes program.Hi-Res
$1.5 Billion to
State, County
Governments
in Full Funding
of Payments in
Lieu of Taxes
Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne announced
that more than $1.5 billion will be distributed through 2012 to local governments
that qualify for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program, which provides
compensation for taxes that could not be levied on federal lands in their jurisdictions.
Under new authorization for the PILT program, state and county jurisdictions
will receive their first full PILT entitlement payments since
1994. "I am extremely pleased that these communities, which provide important
assistance in supporting federal lands, will be receiving their full compensation,"
Kempthorne said. "We appreciate their help and recognize that these local governments
provide essential services to communities across the country, including education,
transportation, firefighting and emergency response. These payments will help
to fund these critical programs." more
CORRECTING THE RECORD
Myths and Realities About the
Proposed
ESA Regulations on Consultations
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 National Park Service
A much-needed makeover of Yosemite's historic Tunnel View Overlook is the first completed project of the National Park Service Centennial Initiative. more
 Bureau of Land Management
A plan to make more than 190 million acres of federal land in 12 western states available for development of geothermal energy resources could could increase electric generation capacity from geothermal resources tenfold. more
 U.S. Geological Survey
USGS research has found genetic evidence for the movement of Asian forms of avian influenza
to Alaska by northern pintail ducks, suggesting wild migratory birds may be more important carriers
of avian influenza viruses from continent to continent than previously thought. more
 Minerals Management Service
The sale of 76 billion cubic feet of natural gas
could generate $384 million in gross revenues
to be shared between U.S. and Wyoming.
more
 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Applying a newly developed, ecosystem-based approach to species conservation, the Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to add 48 species found only on the island of Kauai to the federal endangered species list and designate critical habitat. more
 Bureau of Reclamation
Reclamation has awarded a $14.8 million contract to the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe's Weeminuche Construction Authority of Towaoc, Colo., for re-alignment of County Road (CR) 211 around Lake Nighthors as part of the Animas-LaPlata Project. more
 Bureau of Indian Affairs
Bureau of Indian Affairs Director Jerold L. "Jerry" Gidner announced that he has named Michael S. Black as Regional Director of the BIA's Great Plains Regional Office in Aberdeen, S.D.
more
 Office of Surface Mining
Nearly 15,000 scientists, researchers, business leaders and government officials gathered for an international geographic information systems conference watched as OSM was recognized for its vision and leadership in using technology to make the Nation's coal mines safer for the public and to protect the environment. more
DOI Information on Avian Influenza
Visit Pandemic & Avian Flu.gov for all related federal information.
PandemicFlu.gov en Español
Readers of People, Land & Water, the U.S. Department of the Interior's news magazine, will now be able to access the publication on the Web. more
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