Media Advisory
This Week at Interior: Energy, Tourism Initiatives Front and Center
Salazar, Hayes, Beaudreau, Jarvis to participate in events in D.C., California, Virginia, Maryland
01/30/2012
Contact: Adam Fetcher (DOI) 202-208-6416
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and senior Department officials will continue to push forward on the Obama Administration’s commitment to building a comprehensive energy portfolio and safely and responsibly developing our nation’s domestic energy resources. Secretary Salazar will also highlight the recently-announced Obama Administration initiatives to boost travel and tourism throughout the United States.
Today, Secretary Salazar and Secretary of Energy Steven Chu will participate in a lighting ceremony featuring the newly-installed energy-efficient lights on the National Mall. Illuminating the Mall from 3rd to 15th Streets, the LED technology is expected to reduce lighting energy by up to 65 percent and provide a well-lit atmosphere to welcome the National Mall’s 25 million annual visitors.
In California, Deputy Secretary of the Interior David J. Hayes will offer remarks this evening at the Commonwealth Club where he will discuss the Administration’s commitment to developing utility-scale renewable energy on our nation’s public lands. In his State of the Union, President Obama called on Interior to allow the development of enough clean energy on public lands to power three million American homes.
On Wednesday, Secretary Salazar and National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis will hold a stakeholder meeting in Richmond, Virginia to discuss the power of tourism and travel to strengthen local economies and create jobs. As Virginia’s third largest industry, tourism brings in approximately $18.9 billion and supports over 200,000 jobs annually.
On Thursday, Secretary Salazar and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Director Tommy Beaudreau will join Governor Martin O’Malley in Baltimore, Maryland to make a major announcement regarding offshore wind energy.
EVENT 1: National Mall Lighting Ceremony
| WHO: |
Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior Steven Chu, Secretary of Energy |
| WHAT: | National Mall Lighting Ceremony |
| WHEN: | Monday, January 30, 2012 @ 5:30 p.m. |
| WHERE: | National Mall between 12th and 14th Streets (near Madison Drive) |
EVENT 2: Discussion of Renewable Energy Development on Public Lands
| WHO: |
David J. Hayes, Deputy Secretary of the Interior John Laird, Secretary, California Resources Agency David Festa, West Coast Vice President, Environmental Defense Fund Michael Hatfield, Director of Development, First Solar |
| WHAT: | The Commonwealth Club of California: Discussion of Renewable Energy Development on Public Lands. |
| WHEN: | Monday, January 30, 2012 @ 6:00 p.m. PDT |
| WHERE: | SF Club Office, 595 Market St. 2nd Floor, San Francisco, CA |
| RSVP: | Media interested in attending should email cbrowne@commonwealthclub.org |
EVENT 3: Town Hall: Boosting Tourism and Travel in Virginia
| WHO: | Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior Jon Jarvis, Director, National Park Service |
| WHAT: | Town Hall meeting on tourism and travel in Virginia |
| WHEN: | Wednesday, February 1, 2012 @ 2:00 p.m. EDT |
| WHERE: | Willis United Methodist Church 8360 Willis Church Road Richmond, VA 23231 |
EVENT 4: Offshore Wind Announcement
| WHO: | Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior Tommy Beaudreau, Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Martin O’Malley, Governor of Maryland |
| WHAT: | Major Announcement of Offshore Wind |
| WHEN: | Thursday, February 2, 2012 @11:00 a.m. EDT |
| WHERE: | Baltimore, Maryland |
###