Jewell Makes First NW Return As Interior Secretary
Interior Secretary Sally Jewel made her first public stop in the Northwest in Portland Thursday, six weeks into the job.
The Seattleite and former REI chief executive's official business in Portland was to announce roughly $4 million in grants to give young people summer jobs in conservation and trail work.
During her visit, she pitched in digging up invasive grasses on the edge of a wildlife refuge.
An activist from the group Columbia Riverkeeper used the chance to ask Jewell about proposed coal export terminals. The activist wanted to know if the Department of Interior will stop granting leases while it investigates whether companies have avoided paying royalties on export sales of coal mined on land owned by the Bureau of Land Management. Jewell didn't answer the question directly.
"Our charter within BLM is multiple use on those lands, and part of that is ensuring we get a fair return for the American people. So that's very important to us," she said.
Jewell is scheduled to appear Friday with Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber to sign off on several Northwest energy and infrastructure projects.
Latest Stories
- Roseland Ceasefire Encouraged by Decrease in Gun Violence Despite Federal Cuts
- ALDERMAN STEPHANIE COLEMAN TO BE JOINED BY MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON, U.S. CONGRESSMAN JONATHAN JACKSON, AND VARIOUS ELECTED LEADERS IN KICKING OFF THE FIFTH ANNUAL ENGLEWOOD MUSIC FESTIVAL
- RainbowPUSH Coalition and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Distribute 2,000 Bags of Food to Families in Need on Saturday
- Rainbow PUSH Coalition Urges Americans to Unite in Prayer, Solidarity, and Denouncement of Violence on the 24th Anniversary of the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks
- MATTESON MAYOR TO BECOME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN TO HEAD THE ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE
Latest Podcast
Quandra-Urban Market Exchange
