Report Says Dept of Interior Contributes More than $2B to Tenn Economy

A U.S. Department of the Interior report says the agency's activities in Tennessee contributed more than $2 billion to the state's economy last year and supported nearly 17,000 jobs in fields ranging from energy and mineral development to tourism and outdoor recreation.

The report released yesterday also highlights the impact of the department's role in land and water management, wildlife management and scientific research and innovation. According to the report, nearly 9 million people visited national parks and wildlife refuges located in Tennessee last year, supporting over 8,000 jobs in the field.