One of the highlights of this year's White House holiday decorations is the 18-foot Fraser fir in the Blue Room decorated with 347 ornaments honoring the nation's national parks.Hi-Res
"Holiday in the National Parks"
Celebrated at the White House
Secretary Kempthorne Thanks President Bush
for Emphasizing Role of National Parks
in American Society
America's national parks are the focus of this year's White House holiday decorations. The remarkable displays of "Holiday in the National Parks" highlight the majesty, history, and diversity of the country's 391 National Park Service sites.
the American experience,” said Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne. “I am so appreciative of President Bush’s efforts to recognize the important role of national parks in American society. Our country will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service in 2016 and the President has been instrumental in establishing a Centennial Initiative to prepare the parks for the next century.”
The holiday displays incorporate the wide variety of natural, cultural, and recreational features preserved by the National Park Service. Models of icons such as the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and the Statue of Liberty share space with paintings of scenic vistas from Grand Canyon, Zion, and Rocky Mountain National Parks.
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Secretary Kempthorne Meets
with Governors of Florida,
Alabama
and Georgia
Agreement Reached to Develop Tri-State
Drought Plan by February 15
 On Monday, Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne met
with Florida Governor Charlie Crist, Alabama Governor Bob Riley, and Georgia
Governor Sonny Perdue at the Florida Governor's Mansion in Tallahassee, Florida,
to discuss water issues associated with the drought affecting the three states.
At the meeting, led by Secretary Kempthorne, the governors agreed to send delegations
to Washington in mid-January to work with representatives from federal agencies
to develop a Tri-State Drought Plan by February 15. Upon completion, the Tri-State
Drought Plan will be forwarded to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which manages
two key river systems in Alabama, Florida and Georgia. The Corps of Engineers
will submit its operations plan to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which
has agreed to issue an amended biological opinion on the plan by March 15.
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 Minerals Management Service
Thirty-four states earned more than $1.9 billion during Fiscal Year 2007 as part of their share of federal revenues collected by Interior's Minerals Management Service.
more
 National Park Service
America's national parks are the focus of this year's White House holiday decorations. The remarkable displays of "Holiday in the National Parks" highlight the majesty, history, and diversity of the country's 391 National Park Service sites.
more
 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Recreational use on national wildlife refuges generated almost $1.7 billion in total economic activity during fiscal year 2006, according to a new report released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. more
 Bureau of Indian Affairs
Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs Carl J. Artman issued a proposed finding not to acknowledge the petitioner known as the Juaneño Band of Mission Indians as an Indian tribe.
more
 U.S. Geological Survey
A new USGS Circular illustrates the importance of water budgets as an essential tool in addressing concerns about water availability in the 21st Century.
more
 Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management recently released a new version of its National Integrated Land System's GeoCommunicator Website, which is accessible at www.geocommunicator.gov.
more
 Office of Surface Mining
OSM announced expanded efforts to allow public comment on proposed rule changes that will reduce the environmental impacts of surface coal mining and give operators clear standards for mining near bodies of water. 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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FEAR Act Data
"Share the Experience"
Federal Recreation
Lands
Photo Contest
 A photo of your favorite Federal recreation site could
appear on the next annual pass!
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Bureau of Reclamation
