MEDIA ADVISORY

Top Interior Official Addresses
Hispanic Environmental Conference

ALBUQUERQUE - Craig Manson, Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, will speak to the National Hispanic Sustainable Energy Conference's Gala Banquet on Monday, April 22, 2002. The conference is the only national event designed to educate Hispanics and other minorities about environmental issues.

"A vital part of our mission at the Department of the Interior is to make sure that local voices are heard in Washington," Manson said. "We have set out to foster a 'New Environmentalism' that seeks to succeed through partnership and dialogue, and certainly we are working to include all communities in our efforts."

Before serving at Interior, Manson was appointed to the California Superior Court and served as General Counsel for the California Department of Fish and Game, where he was responsible for providing legal and policy advice to the governor and other officials on state and federal Endangered Species Acts, wetlands, water law, the California Environmental Quality Act and other natural resource issues. Accompanying Manson is Interior's Deputy Director for External Affairs Daniel Garza.

Immediately before making brief remarks at 8 p.m., Manson and Garza will be available to the media for questions at 7:45 p.m. outside the hotel's Empire Ballroom.

Who:       Craig Manson, Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish and Wildlife and
                 Parks

What:      Speech to the National Hispanic Sustainable Energy Conference

When:     Monday, April 22 at 8 p.m., media availability immediately preceding speech (7:45)

Where:    Radisson Hotel City Center, Tucson, Ariz.
                 181 West Broadway
                  520-624-8711

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