Ideas
Overcrowded U.S. National Parks Need a Reservation System
Limiting visitors has two purposes: reducing COVID-19 risks and allowing some parks to recover from recent wildfires.
Policy
Interior Reverses Trump Science Policy, Vows to Free Career Staff From Political Interference
Biden administration announces its latest move to reverse Trump-era science policies.
Emerging Tech
NPS Officials Share Fresh Details on Forthcoming Self-Driving Shuttle Pilot
Yellowstone National Park visitors can catch rides on the autonomous shuttles early next summer.
Emerging Tech
Self-Driving Shuttles Are Set to Be Deployed at Yellowstone National Park in 2021
The National Park Service is exploring emerging, autonomous technologies through a new pilot program that the public can opt to participate in.
Cybersecurity
Interior IG Team Used Evil Twins and $200 Tech to Hack Department Wi-Fi Networks
A team of hackers was able to gain access to Interior networks using publicly available equipment, open source software and a backpack.
Cybersecurity
Interior Struggles to Secure IT Systems Amid Pandemic, IG Says
Interior is one of many agencies trying to meet new challenges posed by an explosion of increased remote work.
Cybersecurity
Another Federal Employee Caught Watching Porn at Work
The employee admitted watching adult pornography at work but retired amid a government investigation.
Cybersecurity
Interior Grounds All Drones With Ties to Chinese Companies
The decision comes months after agency officials approved purchases of aircraft built by the Chinese firm SZ DJI Technology.
Emerging Tech
Interior Expects to More Than Triple Drone Flights by 2025
Unmanned aircraft offer the department a cheaper, faster and safer way to conduct operations across 500 million acres of federal lands.
Emerging Tech
Interior Approves Chinese Drone Purchases Despite Spying Concerns
However, the agency has multiple technical measures in place to ensure the manufacturer can’t use the aircraft to spy on the U.S., according to the director of Interior’s drone operations.
Digital Government
Interior Department Announces Modest Cutback to Telework
Beginning next month, front-line employees with telework agreements will be required to report to a physical office once a week, while supervisors will be eligible only for situational telework.
Modernization
10 Government Legacy Systems Cost Taxpayers $337 Million Every Year
Outdated tech can be costly.
Emerging Tech
Interior Doubled Its Use of Drones in 2018
The agency flew more than 10,000 unmanned missions to survey federal land, monitor wildlife and respond to natural disasters.
Digital Government
How Two Agencies Handled Expired Credentials After Historic Shutdown
Despite agencies reopening, some feds weren’t able to get right back to work due to expired PIV cards and passwords.
Emerging Tech
L.A.’s Public Earthquake-Warning App Is the First in the U.S.
ShakeAlertLA aims to give smartphone users a few seconds’ warning of imminent quakes.
Cybersecurity
Federal Employee Visited 9,000 Porn Sites in Less Than 7 Months, Auditor Found
The Interior Department inspector general released new details about the employee whose browsing habits allowed Russian malware onto government networks.
Digital Government
Porn-Watching Employee Infected Government Networks With Russian Malware, IG Says
Government auditors traced a malware infection back to a single porn-watching employee within the U.S. Geological Survey.
Digital Government
How Mobile Data Could Help Manage the National Parks
The data could be used to create better park experiences despite overcrowding.
Emerging Tech
Forest Service Public-Private Partnership Explores Using Drones for Precision Pesticide Application
The group plans to award a sole-source contract to research whether unmanned aerial systems can spray in hard-to-reach places without disrupting nearby sensitive ecosystems.
Emerging Tech