The jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior includes:

-the administration of over 500 million acres of Federal land, and trust responsibilities for approximately 50 million acres of land, mostly Indian reservations;

-the conservation and development of mineral and water resources;

-the conservation, development, and utilization of fish and wildlife resources; -the coordination of Federal and State recreation programs;

-the preservation and administration of the Nation's scenic and historic areas; -the operation of Job Corps Conservation Centers and Youth Conservation Corps Camps, and coordination of other manpower and youth training programs;

-the reclamation of arid lands in the West through irrigation; and

-the management of hydroelectric power systems.

The Department of the Interior is also concerned with the social and economic development of the territories of the United States and in the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; and administers programs providing services to Indians and Alaska Natives.

The Department of the Interior was created by act of March 3, 1849 (43 U.S.C. 1451), which transferred to it the General Land Office, the Office of Indian Affairs, the Pension Office, and the Patent Office. The Department also had responsibility for supervision of the Commissioner of Public Buildings, the Board of Inspectors and the Warden of the Penitentiary of the District of Columbia, the census of the United States, and the accounts of marshals and other officers of the United States courts, and of lead and other mines in the United States.

Over the many years of its existence, other functions have been added and removed, so that its role has changed from that of general housekeeper for the Federal Government to that of custodian of the Nation's natural resources.

Office of the Secretary

Secretary The Secretary of the Interior, as the head of an executive department, reports directly to the President and is responsible for the direction and supervision of all operations and activities of the Department. The Secretary also has certain powers or supervisory responsibilities relating to Territorial governments.

Under Secretary The Under Secretary assists the Secretary in the discharge of Secretarial duties and serves as Acting Secretary in the absence of the Secretary. With the exception of certain matters reserved by the Secretary, the Under Secretary has the full authority of the Secretary.

Fish and Wildlife and Parks The Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks discharges the duties of the Secretary with the authority and direct responsibility for programs associated with the development, conservation, and utilization of fish, wildlife, recreation, historical, and national park system resources of the Nation. The Assistant Secretary represents the Department in the coordination of marine environmental quality and biological resources programs with other Federal agencies. The Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks exercises Secretarial direction and supervision over the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service.

Water and Science The Assistant Secretary-Water and Science discharges the duties of the Secretary with the authority and direct responsibility to carry out the statutory mandate to manage and direct programs that support the development and implementation of water and mineral policies and encourage and assist the development of economically and environmentally sound resource activities. The Assistant Secretary oversees the programs of the Bureau of Reclamation, the Bureau of Mines, and the Geological Survey. The Assistant Secretary's duties include:

-development, management, and conservation of the Nation's water supply and support of cost-sharing

techniques for development and management of water supplies in the 17 Western States;

-oversight of the Department's irrigation drainage water quality program; -water resource evaluation and analysis;

-fostering and encouraging the private sector in the orderly and economic development of domestic mineral

resources;

-effective mineral data collection and analysis;

-assessment of frontier area mineral resources for long-term availability; -improved focus and effectiveness of departmental research and development activities in geology, hydrology, topography, metallurgy, mining technology, and mine health and safety, including international work supporting long-term national objectives;

-geologic and mineral resource investigations;

-Earth seismic research; -geographic information systems research; and

-remote sensing activities.

The Office of the Assistant Secretary provides scientific advice to the Secretary; coordinates Department activities with the Board on Geographic Names; and represents the Secretary on the Trade Policy Review Group, interagency groups for Antarctic policy and ocean policy, the Emergency Mobilization Preparedness Board, and other interagency efforts as appropriate. Land and Minerals Management The Assistant Secretary-Land and Minerals Management discharges the duties of the Secretary with the authority and direct responsibility for programs associated with:

-public land management, including land use planning;

-onshore and offshore minerals management;

-development and management of effective fuel-related mineral data collection and analysis;

-surface mining reclamation and enforcement functions;

-operations management for minerals on the Outer Continental Shelf to the

outer limits of the United States economic jurisdiction;

-assessment of these frontier area mineral resources for long-term national availability;

-management of revenues from Federal mineral leases to ensure efficient collection of bonuses, rentals, and royalties; and

-coordination of related departmental

policy.

The Assistant Secretary also serves as adviser to the Secretary in the Secretary's role as a member of the Cabinet Council on Domestic Policy. The Assistant Secretary exercises Secretarial direction and supervision over the Bureau of Land Management, the Minerals Management Service, and the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement. Indian Affairs The Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs discharges the authority and responsibility of the Secretary for activities pertaining to Indians and Indian affairs. The Assistant Secretary is responsible for:

-providing the Secretary with detailed and objective advice on matters involving Indians and Indian affairs;

-identifying and acting on issues affecting Indian policy and programs; -establishing policy on Indian affairs; -liaison and coordination between the Department of the Interior and other Federal agencies that provide services or funding to Indians;

-representing the Department in transactions with Congress;

-monitoring and evaluating on-going activities related to Indian affairs;

-undertaking or providing leadership in special assignments and projects for the Secretary; and

-exercising Secretarial direction and supervision over the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Policy, Budget and Administration The Assistant Secretary-Policy, Budget and Administration discharges the authority of the Secretary for all phases of management and administrative activities and serves as the principal policy adviser to the Secretary. Responsibilities include: