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Record Group/Collection:
George H.W. Bush Presidential Records
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Speechwriting, White House Office of
Series:
Speech File Draft Files
Subseries:
Chron File, 1989-1993
OA/ID Number:
13490
Folder ID Number:
13490-005
Folder Title:
Ducks Unlimited 6/8/89 [2]
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25
6
3
3
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
June 6, 1989
MEMORANDUM FOR CHRISS WINSTON
FROM:
ROGER B. PORTER
RBP
SUBJECT:
Ducks Unlimited - Sixth International Waterfowl
Symposium
The remarks should reaffirm the President's commitment to
conservation and the environment. Please see attached draft for
our comments.
If you have any questions or I can help in any other way,
please let me know.
CC: James W. Cicconi
Document No. 042271
WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM
DATE: 6/6/89
2:00 TODAY
ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY:
DUCKS UNLIMITED -- SIXTH INTERNATIONAL WATERFOWL SYMPOSIUM
SUBJECT:
ACTION FYI
ACTION FYI
VICE PRESIDENT
MCCLURE
SUNUNU
NEWMAN
SCOWCROFT
PORTER
DARMAN
STUDDERT
BATES
UNTERMEYER
BREEDEN
ROGERS
CARD
PINKERTON
CICCONI
WINSTON
DEMAREST
Boskin
FITZWATER
GRAY
HAGIN
REMARKS:
RESPONSE:
James W. Cicconi
Assistant to the President
and Deputy to the Chief of Staff
Ext. 2702
Vehicle
7750
Lange/Wallace)
June 6, 1989
8:45 a.m.
[DUCKS.DOC]
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS:
DUCKS UNLIMITED -- SIXTH INTERNATIONAL
WATERFOWL SYMPOSIUM
CRYSTAL GATEWAY MARRIOTT
THURSDAY, JUNE 8, 1989
1:00 P.M.
[[ Thank you, Harry. You know, people often hear from elected
officials who say they've "always" supported their audience's
particular cause. But I've got a long history of support for
your efforts. Even back when I was playing ball in school, I
made it a point never to hit a fowl
(LONG PAUSE)
...
]]
You know, when my grandson was 10 years old, we went fishing
on Wyoming's Jackson Lake, the Tetons soaring up to the sky. A
beautiful day, one you see on postcards. Everything sparkled.
That day remains fixed in my mind. When I was running for
President, I made a promise -- to him, and to every child in
America -- that I would be a President committed to conservation.
It's true, our children will inherit the earth. So any
vision of a kinder, gentler America -- any nation concerned about
its quality of life, now and forever -- must be concerned about
conservation. It will not be enough to merely halt the damage
we've done. Our natural heritage must be recovered and restored.
2
We saw it at Mt. St. Helens -- we see it now in Yellowstone
Park, and in the growth of Spring -- nature healing its wounds,
coming back to life. We can and should be nature's partner.
That means an active stewardship of the natural world. It is
time to renew the environmental ethic in America -- and to renew
U.S. leadership on environmental issues, around the world.
Renewal is the way of nature. It must now become the way of man.
And that's why I wanted to talk to you today. When this
organization was founded over fifty years ago, in the Dust Bowl
were
pep people
days, there was just a handful of you committed to preserving and
since then,
restering our wetlands. But by now, you've set aside over five
million acres as habitat. Raised nearly half a billion dollars.
started
Gotten wetlands projects going in each of the fifty states.
your
The partnerships you've set up with state and federal
agencies -- and with conservation groups like the Nature
Conservancy -- have been outstanding. You've spread awareness
world-wide: convening groups of experts in biology and wildlife
management, agriculture, law enforcement, education, and state
and federal government -- as you have here today.
That's good news for ducks. [[ Let me warn you, though,
anybody who looks like a duck
or walks like a duck
is going
to hear from Dick Darman. The thought of "Ducks Unlimited" keeps
him up at night. ]] But your work is even better news for
3
America. What you're doing represents just the kind of local,
on-site, private-sector initiative we must bring to every
environmental challenge.
As you know too well, our wetlands are being lost at a rate
of nearly half a million acres a year. So every year, fewer
mallards and pintails make it to the pothole country. You may
remember my pledge, that our national goal would be no net loss
of wetlands. I will keep that pledge. Together, we're going to
deliver on the promise of renewal.
under the Domestic Policy Council
I've set up an Interagency Task Force to work with you
:
with government at all levels -- and with the private sector --
to stop the destruction of these precious habitats. Their first
task is to develop a united federal policy for the North American
Waterfowl Management Plan here, and in Canada.
We've also asked for nearly $200 million in new funding for
acquisitions under the Land and Water Conservation Fund. For the
first time in seven years, some of those dollars will go toward
acquiring wetlands. And to keep the wetlands that we do save
healthy and pristine, we've also increased funding for
wettords
we
coordinated water quality programs, properve But the federal role, while
significant, pales in comparison to the groundswell of state and
local talent we must bring to bear.
4
We're looking to improve the management of federally-owned
wetlands, by leasing them to concerned groups like yours. And,
you know, the local momentum is picking up. Just last month,
Maryland's Governor Schaefer approved the nation's first state
wetlands law. It's an outstanding piece of work, that requires
farmers and developers to come up with water-management plans --
and to replace any wetlands that are lost. EPA Administrator
Bill Reilly emerged as a key lobbyist for that bill -- and I'm
encouraging him to do more.
[[ Maybe Bill S told you about that wildlife illustrator, who
wanted to paint birds. Seems he was having trouble, because he
couldn't tell one duck from another. Turns out he was duck
blind
but enough of this fowl humor
]]
Wherever wetlands must give way to farming or development,
they will be replaced or expanded elsewhere. It's time to stand
the history of wetlands destruction on its head: from this year
forward, anyone who tries to drain the swamp is going to be up to
his ears in alligators.
Our approach to wetlands conservation is driven by a new
kind of environmentalism -- a set of principles that apply to all
of the environmental challenges we face. Pollution is not the
inevitable by-product of progress. So the first principle is
that sound ecology and a strong economy can coexist.
5
The fact is, they must. The two are interdependent --
immediately, and ultimately. Environmentalists and entrepreneurs
must see how much their interests are held in common. It's time
to harness the power of the marketplace in the service of the
environment.
The second principle is that a true commitment to restoring
the nation's environment requires more than just a federal
commitment. The tradition of purely federal, "top-down"
directives will never again be enough. So we're working to
promote more creative state and local initiatives, drawing the
energy of local communities and the private sector into the cause
of conservation. No one no one can ever afford to look the
other way again.
Our third principle is obvious, but too rarely acted upon:
that preventing pollution is a far more efficient strategy than
struggling to deal with problems once they've occurred. For too
long, we've focused on clean-up and penalties after the damage is
already done. It's time to re-orient ourselves using
technologies and processes that reduce or prevent pollution -- to
stop it before it starts. Pollution prevention in the 1990s will
be the environmental equivalent of a preemptive strike.
Technology has given us tremendous capability awesome power to alter
6
to continually breaknew
^
the face of the earth. We must use it to do good Environmental
ground sin acience environment and industrial pro pess
soundness must be the basis for any industrial design Rather
than being tacked on, it's being built into the process every cosmec
Technology IS the key to sowing the ever more complex
environ-
process by enlightened industry. They are making -- and must mental
IS
issues
continue to make environmental soundness, A an essential fact of weylere
in thes
American industrial life.
century and the
next.
As you know, I've called for the elimination of CFCs by the
year 2000. But we've also reviewed the Corporate Average Fuel
Economy (CAFE) standards. We're determined to hold firm to the
present standard. We're going to promote the use of alternative,
"neat" fuel technology. And I've already proposed full funding
to develop clean coal technology.
The fourth principle is a recognition that environmental
problems respect no borders. So we're working with nations
around the world, to provide leadership in finding cooperative,
international solutions. I've already held meetings with leaders
in Japan and Brazil, discussing ways to reverse rainforest
devastation. We've recommended a ban on international shipments
of hazardous waste, unless strict environmental criteria are met
through bilateral agreements.
And in Germany two weeks ago, I announced our intention to
provide technical assistance and new technologies for handling
7
pollution problems to the nations of Eastern Europe. Some of the
rivers in those countries are now so polluted, they can't even be
used for industrial cooling -- because they're too corrosive.
The fifth and final principle is that existing environmental
laws will be vigorously and firmly enforced. I've requested
funds to hire more environmental prosecutors at the Justice
Department. And next week, Administrator Reilly will deliver to
Congress a report on overhauling the Superfund project for
hazardous waste. It's a package of 50 aggressive recommendations
-- combining the appeal of an open hand with the power of a
clenched fist. We are encouraging citizen participation, but
we're backing it with a promise: Polluters will pay.
Finally, on Monday, I will unveil the most sweeping changes
twenty years ago.
to the Clean Air Act since it was written twelve years ago. It
will allow us to recover and restore hundreds of lakes, and
cod kerests
thousands of miles of streams in the Northeast Mideast, and in
^
eastern Canada. And it will significantly improve every
American's quality of life -- whether they live near factories,
in cities, or in high woodland country.
Behind all of the studies, the figures, and the debates,
environmentalism is a moral issue. For it is wrong to pass on to
future generations a world tainted by present thoughtlessness.
It is unjust to allow the natural splendor bestowed to us to be
8
compromised. It is imperative that we preserve the earth and all
its blessings -- to meet the challenge of renewal.
A man I greatly admire, Theodore Roosevelt, was the first
President to act on that ideal. When he set aside the Grand
Canyon as a natural, national monument, his words of warning were
driven by great personal conviction. "Leave it as it is," he
said. "You cannot improve on it. The ages have been at work on
it, and man can only mar it. What you can do is to keep it --
for your children, and your children's children
"
Recovery, restoration, and renewal -- that is our moral
imperative. From today forward, it is the ethical legacy we must
inspire in every American.
Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States
of America.
Document No. 042271
WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM
6/6/89
2:00 TODAY
DATE:
ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY:
DUCKS UNLIMITED -- SIXTH INTERNATIONAL WATERFOWL SYMPOSIUM
SUBJECT:
ACTION FYI
ACTION FYI
VICE PRESIDENT
MCCLURE
SUNUNU
NEWMAN
SCOWCROFT
PORTER
DARMAN
STUDDERT
BATES
UNTERMEYER
BREEDEN
ROGERS
CARD
PINKERTON
CICCONI
WINSTON
DEMAREST
Boskin
FITZWATER
GRAY
HAGIN
REMARKS:
RESPONSE: on
GBW
6/6
James W, Cicconi
Assistant to the President
and Deputy to the Chief of Staff
Ext. 2702
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
89 JUN 6 P3: 05
June 6, 1989
MEMORANDUM FOR CHRISS WINSTON
DEPUTY ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT
FOR COMMUNICATIONS
FROM:
PATRICIA MACK BRYAN
PMB
ASSOCIATE COUNSEL TO THE PRESIDENT
SUBJECT:
Ducks Unlimited - Sixth International
Symposium
Pursuant to James W. Cicconi's staffing memorandum of June 6,
1989, Counsel's Office has reviewed the above-referenced remarks.
Subject to the comments noted below, Counsel's Office has no
objection to these remarks.
Page 6, Paragraph 2:
It is our understanding that the Administration favors the repeal
of the Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards. Consequently,
we think it is unwise to highlight the fact that we did not
provide waivers for this year. We recommend deleting this
paragraph altogether.
Page 8:
We recommend that the President take the opportunity at the end
of his speech to praise Ducks Unlimited again for its
environmental achievements.
CC: James W. Cicconi
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
89 JUN 6 P3: 05
June 6, 1989
Memorandum to Chriss Winston
From:
Jim Pinkerton
Subject:
Ducks Unlimited Speech Draft
A good speech. We like the symbolism of "renewal." And the
"environmental ethic" is a good synergy of two ideas, even though
it appears as if we have mistaken the word "ethic" for "ethos."
pg.1, para.1 We suggest the adoption of a "No Pun" rule, for
the reason that, even when the pun is good, it is necessarily an
an inferior form of humor -- "the lowest form of humor,' someone
once called them. That is why people groan when they hear puns.
Unfortunately, the pun here and especially at 4,2 are not very
good examples of the species.
2,1,7
Good line.
4,4,5
We must repeat and repeat this concept, especially when
in the next graf we talk about "harnessing the power of the
market place
"
5,3,8
Comparing pollution prevention to a "preemptive
strike" is, of course, using the imagery of nuclear warfare in
the context of the environment -- completely inconsistent. We
strongly urge omitting this.
8,2,3
"[N]atural, national monument" is a bit of a tongue-
twister. We suggest "national monument of nature" as more easily
pronounced.
Finally, the speech does a good job of walking the reader
through the President's five principles (pg. 4-7). However, for
the benefit of the listener, it would be helpful to recapitulate
the five at the conclusion.
#
Document No. 042271
WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM
6/6/89
89 UN 6 P4: 02
2:00 TODAY
DATE:
ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY:
DUCKS UNLIMITED -- SIXTH INTERNATIONAL WATERFOWL SYMPOSIUM
SUBJECT:
ACTION FYI
ACTION FYI
VICE PRESIDENT
MCCLURE
SUNUNU
NEWMAN
SCOWCROFT
PORTER
DARMAN
STUDDERT
BATES
UNTERMEYER
BREEDEN
ROGERS
CARD
PINKERTON
CICCONI
WINSTON
DEMAREST
Boskin
FITZWATER
GRAY
HAGIN
REMARKS:
See attached Comments 6/6/89.
D.Q. Bates .
RESPONSE:
James W. Cicconi
Assistant to the President
and Deputy to the Chief of Staff
Ext. 2702
(Lange/Wallace)
June 6, 1989
1939
8:45 a.m.
[DUCKS.DOC]
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS:
DUCKS UNLIMITED -- SIXTH INTERNATIONAL
WATERFOWL SYMPOSIUM
CRYSTAL GATEWAY MARRIOTT
THURSDAY, JUNE 8, 1989
1:00 P.M.
[[ Thank you, Harry. You know, people often hear from elected
officials who say they've "always" supported their audience's
particular cause. But I've got a long history of support for
your efforts. Even back when I was playing ball in school, I
made it a point never to hit a fowl
(LONG PAUSE)
...
]]
You know, when my grandson was 10 years old, we went fishing
on Wyoming's Jackson Lake, the Tetons soaring up to the sky. A
beautiful day, one you see on postcards. Everything sparkled.
That day remains fixed in my mind. When I was running for
President, I made a promise -- to him, and to every child in
America -- that I would be a President committed to conservation.
It's true, our children will inherit the earth. So any
vision of a kinder, gentler America -- any nation concerned about
its quality of life, now and forever -- must be concerned about
conservation. It will not be enough to merely halt the damage
we've done. Our natural heritage must be recovered and restored.
2
We saw it at Mt. St. Helens -- we see it now in Yellowstone
Park, and in the growth of Spring -- nature healing its wounds,
coming back to life. We can and should be nature's partner.
That means an active stewardship of the natural world. It is
time to renew the environmental ethic in America -- and to renew
U.S. leadership on environmental issues, around the world.
Renewal is the way of nature. It must now become the way of man.
And that's why I wanted to talk to you today. When this
organization was founded over fifty years ago, in the Dust Bowl
days, there was just a handful of you committed to preserving and
restoring our wetlands. But by now, you've set aside over five
million acres as habitat. Raised nearly half a billion dollars.
Gotten wetlands projects going in each of the fifty states.
The partnerships you've set up with state and federal
agencies -- and with conservation groups like the Nature
Conservancy -- have been outstanding. You've spread awareness
world-wide: convening groups of experts in biology and wildlife
management, agriculture, law enforcement, education, and state
and federal government -- as you have here today.
That's good news for ducks. [[ Let me warn you, though,
anybody who looks like a duck
or walks like a duck
is going
to hear from Dick Darman. The thought of "Ducks Unlimited" keeps
him up at night. ]] But your work is even better news for
3
America. What you're doing represents just the kind of local,
on-site, private-sector initiative we must bring to every
environmental challenge.
As you know too well, our wetlands are being lost at a rate
of nearly half a million acres a year. So every year, fewer
mallards and pintails make it to the pothole country. You may
remember my pledge, that our national goal would be no net loss
of wetlands. I will keep that pledge. Together, we're going to
deliver on the promise of renewal.
I've set up an Interagency Task Force to work with you --
with government at all levels -- and with the private sector --
to stop the destruction of these precious habitats. Their first
task is to develop a united federal policy for the North American
Waterfowl Management Plan here, and in Canada.
We've also asked for nearly $200 million in new funding for
acquisitions under the Land and Water Conservation Fund. For the
first time in seven years, some of those dollars will go toward
acquiring wetlands. And to keep the wetlands that we do save
healthy and pristine, we've also. increased funding for
coordinated water quality programs. But the federal role, while
significant, pales in comparison to the groundswell of state and
local talent we must bring to bear.
4
We're looking to improve the management of federally-owned
wetlands, by leasing them to concerned groups like yours. And,
you know, the local momentum is picking up. Just last month,
Maryland's Governor Schaefer approved the nation's first state
wetlands law. It's an outstanding piece of work, that requires
farmers and developers to come up with water-management plans --
and to replace any wetlands that are lost. EPA Administrator
Bill Reilly emerged as a key lobbyist for that bill -- and I'm
encouraging him to do more.
[[ Maybe Bill's told you about that wildlife illustrator, who
wanted to paint birds. Seems he was having trouble, because he
couldn't tell one duck from another. Turns out he was duck
blind
but enough of this fowl humor
]]
Wherever wetlands must give way to farming or development,
they will be replaced or expanded elsewhere. It's time to stand
the history of wetlands destruction on its head: from this year
forward, anyone who tries to drain the swamp is going to be up to
his ears in alligators.
Our approach to wetlands conservation is driven by a new
kind of environmentalism -- a set of principles that apply to all
of the environmental challenges we face. Pollution is not the
inevitable by-product of progress. So the first principle is
that sound ecology and a strong economy can coexist.
5
The fact is, they must. The two are interdependent --
immediately, and ultimately. Environmentalists and entrepreneurs
must see how much their interests are held in common. It's time
to harness the power of the marketplace in the service of the
environment.
The second principle is that a true commitment to restoring
the nation's environment requires more than just a federal
commitment. The tradition of purely federal, "top-down"
directives will never again be enough. So we're working to
promote more creative state and local initiatives, drawing the
energy of local communities and the private sector into the cause
of conservation. No one -- no one -- can ever afford to look the
other way again.
Our third principle is obvious, but too rarely acted upon:
that preventing pollution is a far more efficient strategy than
struggling to deal with problems once they've occurred. For too
long, we've focused on clean-up and penalties after the damage is
already done. It's time to re-orient ourselves using
technologies and processes that reduce or prevent pollution -- to
stop it before it starts. Pollution prevention in the 1990s will
be the environmental equivalent of a preemptive strike.
6
Technology has given us tremendous, awesome power to alter
the face of the earth. We must use it to do good. Environmental
soundness must be the basis for any industrial design. Rather
than being tacked on, it's being built into the process -- every
process -- by enlightened industry. They are making -- and must
continue to make -- environmental soundness an essential fact of
American industrial life.
As you know, I've called for the elimination of CFCs by the
year 2000. But we've also reviewed the Corporate Average Fuel
Economy (CAFE) standards. We're determined to hold firm to the
present standard. We're going to promote the use of alternative,
"neat" fuel technology. And I've already proposed full funding
to develop clean coal technology.
The fourth principle is a recognition that environmental
problems respect no borders. So we're working with nations
around the world, to provide leadership in finding cooperative,
international solutions. I've already held meetings with leaders
in Japan and Brazil, discussing ways to reverse rainforest
devastation. We've recommended a ban on international shipments
of hazardous waste, unless strict environmental criteria are met
through bilateral agreements.
And in Germany two weeks ago, I announced our intention to
provide technical assistance and new technologies for handling
to the Nations
ofeastern Europe tchelp them handle 7
A
pollution problems, to the nations of Eastern Europe. Some of the
rivers in those countries are now so polluted, they can't even be
used for industrial cooling -- because they're too corrosive.
The fifth and final principle is that existing environmental
laws will be vigorously and firmly enforced. I've requested
funds to hire more environmental prosecutors at the Justice
Department. And next week, Administrator Reilly will deliver to
Congress a report on overhauling the Superfund project Program for
hazardous waste. It's a package of 50 aggressive recommendations
-- combining the appeal of an open hand with the power of a
clenched fist. We are encouraging citizen participation, but
we're backing it with a promise: Polluters will pay.
Finally, on Monday, I will unveil the most sweeping changes
to the Clean Air Act, since it was written twelve my years ago. It
If the Congress enacts proposal
will allow us to recover protect and restore hundreds of lakes, and
thousands of miles of streams in the Northeast, Mideast, and in
eastern Canada. And it will significantly improve every
American's quality of life -- whether they live near factories,
in cities, or in high woodland country.
Behind all of the studies, the figures, and the debates,
environmentalism is a moral issue. For it is wrong to pass on to
future generations a world tainted by present thoughtlessness.
Gods gift of
It is unjust to allow the natural splendor bestowed to us to be
8
compromised. It is imperative that we preserve the earth and all
its blessings -- to meet the challenge of renewal.
A man I greatly admire, Theodore Roosevelt, was the first
President to act on that ideal. When he set aside the Grand
Canyon as a natural, national monument, his words of warning were
driven by great personal conviction. "Leave it as it is," he
said. "You cannot improve on it. The ages have been at work on
it, and man can only mar it. What you can do is to keep it --
for your children, and your children's children
=
Recovery, restoration, and renewal -- that is our moral
imperative. From today forward, it is the ethical legacy we must
inspire in every American.
Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States
of America.
Room122
WHITE HOUSE STAFFING REQUEST
SUBJECT: Ducks Unlimited Sixth
International Waterfowl Symposium
RECEIVED/STAFFED (date/time): 6/6/89 10:30 A.M.
RESPONSE DUE TO DOSG (date/time): 6/6/89 1:00 P.M.
(Even if "no comment", response should be called in to DOSG x3060)
DISTRIBUTION WITHIN OMB
Action FYI
Action FYI
Action FYI
DARMAN
GRADY
UTT
DIEFENDERFER
HAUN
WEICHER
ANDERSON
HOLEN
SCULLY
ARNY
MURR
CLAY
DALE
PLAGER
FILE
BURMAN
RAUL
HALE
HODSOLL
COMMENTS:
Document No. 042271
WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM
DATE: 6/6/89
2:00 TODAY
ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY:
DUCKS UNLIMITED -- SIXTH INTERNATIONAL WATERFOWL SYMPOSIUM
SUBJECT:
ACTION FYI
ACTION FYI
VICE PRESIDENT
R
MCCLURE
F
SUNUNU
\
NEWMAN
SCOWCROFT
PORTER
DARMAN
STUDDERT
BATES
UNTERMEYER
BREEDEN
ROGERS
CARD
PINKERTON
CICCONI
WINSTON
DEMAREST
Boskin
FITZWATER
1
GRAY
HAGIN
REMARKS:
Room 116,118,120, 111½
RESPONSE:
See changes
James W, Cicconi
Assistant to the President
and Deputy to the Chief of Staff
Ext. 2702
(Lange/Wallace)
June 6, 1989
1939 JUN - 0 AM 8.
8:45 a.m.
[DUCKS.DOC]
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS:
DUCKS UNLIMITED -- SIXTH INTERNATIONAL
WATERFOWL SYMPOSIUM
CRYSTAL GATEWAY MARRIOTT
THURSDAY, JUNE 8, 1989
1:00 P.M.
[[ Thank you, Harry. You know, people often hear from elected
officials who say they've "always" supported their audience's
particular cause. But I've got a long history of support for
your efforts. Even back when I was playing ball in school, I
made it a point never to hit a fowl
(LONG PAUSE)
...
]]
You know, when my grandson was 10 years old, we went fishing
on Wyoming's Jackson Lake, the Tetons soaring up to the sky. A
beautiful day, one you see on postcards. Everything sparkled.
That day remains fixed in my mind. When I was running for
President, I made a promise -- to him, and to every child in
America -- that I would be a President committed to conservation.
It's true, our children will inherit the earth. So any
vision of a kinder, gentler America -- any nation concerned about
its quality of life, now and forever -- must be concerned about
conservation. It will not be enough to merely halt the damage
we've done. Our natural heritage must be recovered and restored.
2
We saw it at Mt. St. Helens -- we see it now in Yellowstone
Park, and in the growth of Spring -- nature healing its wounds,
coming back to life. We can and should be nature's partner.
That means an active stewardship of the natural world. It is
time to renew the environmental ethic in America -- and to renew
U.S. leadership on environmental issues, around the world.
Renewal is the way of nature. It must now become the way of man.
And that's why I wanted to talk to you today. When this
organization was founded over fifty years ago, in the Dust Bowl
days, there was just a handful of you committed to preserving and
restoring our wetlands. But by now, you've set aside over five
million acres as habitat. Raised nearly half a billion dollars.
Gotten wetlands projects going in each of the fifty states.
The partnerships you've set up with state and federal
agencies -- and with conservation groups like the Nature
Conservancy -- have been outstanding. You've spread awareness
world-wide: convening groups of experts in biology and wildlife
management, agriculture, law enforcement, education, and state
and federal government -- as you have here today.
That's good news for ducks. [[ Let me warn you, though,
anybody who looks like a duck
or walks like a duck
is going
to hear from Dick Darman. The thought of "Ducks Unlimited" keeps
him up at night. ]] But your work is even better news for
3
America. What you're doing represents just the kind of local,
on-site, private-sector initiative we must bring to every
environmental challenge.
As you know too well, our wetlands are being lost at a rate
of nearly half a million acres a year. So every year, fewer
mallards and pintails make it to the pothole country. You may
remember my pledge, that our national goal would be no net loss
of wetlands. I will keep that pledge. Together, we're going to
deliver on the promise of renewal.
I've set up an Interagency Task Force to work with you --
with government at all levels -- and with the private sector --
to stop the destruction of these precious habitats. Their first
task is to develop a united federal policy for the North American
Waterfowl Management Plan here, and in Canada.
We've also asked for nearly $200 million in new funding for
acquisitions under the Land and Water Conservation Fund. For the
first time in seven years, some of those dollars will go toward
acquiring wetlands. And to keep the wetlands that we do save
healthy and pristine, we've also increased funding for
coordinated water quality programs. But the federal role, while
significant, pales in comparison to the groundswell of state and
local talent we must bring to bear.
4
We're looking to improve the management of federally-owned
wetlands, by leasing them to concerned groups like yours. And,
you know, the local momentum is picking up. Just last month,
Maryland's Governor Schaefer approved the nation's first state
wetlands law. It's an outstanding piece of work, that requires
farmers and developers to come up with water-management plans --
and to replace any wetlands that are lost. EPA Administrator
Damus
Bill Reilly emerged as a key that bill -- and I'm
supporter of
5044
encouraging him to do more.
[[ Maybe Bill's told you about that wildlife illustrator, who
wanted to paint birds. Seems he was having trouble, because he
couldn't tell one duck from another. Turns out he was duck
blind
but enough of this fowl humor
]]
Wherever wetlands must give way to farming or development,
they will be replaced or expanded elsewhere. It's time to stand
the history of wetlands destruction on its head: from this year
forward, anyone who tries to drain the swamp is going to be up to
his ears in alligators.
Our approach to wetlands conservation is driven by a new
kind of environmentalism -- a set of principles that apply to all
of the environmental challenges we face. Pollution is not the
inevitable by-product of progress. So the first principle is
that sound ecology and a strong economy can coexist.
5
The fact is, they must. The two are interdependent --
immediately, and ultimately. Environmentalists and entrepreneurs
must see how much their interests are held in common. It's time
to harness the power of the marketplace in the service of the
environment.
The second principle is that a true commitment to restoring
the nation's environment requires more than just a federal
commitment. The tradition of purely federal, "top-down"
directives will never again be enough. So we're working to
promote more creative state and local initiatives, drawing the
energy of local communities and the private sector into the cause
of conservation. No one -- no one -- can ever afford to look the
other way again.
Our third principle is obvious, but too rarely acted upon:
that preventing pollution is a far more efficient strategy than
struggling to deal with problems once they've occurred. For too
long, we've focused on clean-up and penalties after the damage is
already done. It's time to re-orient ourselves using
technologies and processes that reduce or prevent pollution -- to
stop it before it starts. Pollution prevention in the 1990s will
be the environmental equivalent of a preemptive strike.
6
Technology has given us tremendous, awesome power to alter
the face of the earth. We must use it to do good. Environmental
soundness must be the basis for any industrial design. Rather
than being tacked on, it's being built into the process -- every
process -- by enlightened industry. They are making -- and must
continue to make -- environmental soundness an essential fact of
American industrial life.
As you know, I've called for the elimination of CFCs by the
year 2000. But we've also reviewed the Corporate Average Fuel
Economy (CAFE) standards. We're determined to hold firm to the
present standard. We're going to promote the use of alternative,
"neat" fuel technology. And I've already proposed full funding
to develop clean coal technology.
The fourth principle is a recognition that environmental
problems respect no borders. So we're working with nations
around the world, to provide leadership in finding cooperative,
international solutions. I've already held meetings with leaders
in Japan and Brazil, discussing ways to reverse rainforest
devastation. We've recommended a ban on international shipments
of hazardous waste, unless strict environmental criteria are met
through bilateral agreements.
And in Germany two weeks ago, I announced our intention to
provide technical assistance and new technologies for handling
7
pollution problems to the nations of Eastern Europe. Some of the
rivers in those countries are now so polluted, they can't even be
used for industrial cooling -- because they're too corrosive.
The fifth and final principle is that existing environmental
laws will be vigorously and firmly enforced. I've requested
funds to hire more environmental prosecutors at the Justice
Department. And next week, Administrator Reilly will deliver to
Congress a report on overhauling the Superfund project for
hazardous waste. It's a package of 50 aggressive recommendations
-- combining the appeal of an open hand with the power of a
clenched fist. We are encouraging citizen participation, but
we're backing it with a promise: Polluters will pay.
Finally, on Monday, I will unveil the most sweeping changes
to the Clean Air Act since it was written twelve years ago. It
will allow us to recover and restore hundreds of lakes, and
thousands of miles of streams in the Northeast, Mideast, and in
eastern Canada. And it will significantly improve every
American's quality of life -- whether they live near factories,
in cities, or in high woodland country.
Behind all of the studies, the figures, and the debates,
environmentalism is a moral issue. For it is wrong to pass on to
future generations a world tainted by present thoughtlessness.
It is unjust to allow the natural splendor bestowed to us to be
8
compromised. It is imperative that we preserve the earth and all
its blessings -- to meet the challenge of renewal.
A man I greatly admire, Theodore Roosevelt, was the first
President to act on that ideal. When he set aside the Grand
Canyon as a natural, national monument, his words of warning were
driven by great personal conviction. "Leave it as it is," he
said. "You cannot improve on it. The ages have been at work on
it, and man can only mar it. What you can do is to keep it --
for your children, and your children's children
"
Recovery, restoration, and renewal -- that is our moral
imperative. From today forward, it is the ethical legacy we must
inspire in every American.
Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States
of America.
PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS: PRESIDENT'S DINNER
WASH. CONVENTION CTR.
said what blue he Rent
JUNE 14, 1989/9:20 P.M.
THANK YOU, SENATOR NICKLES FOR THAT INTRODUCTION
AND THE GREAT JOB YOU'RE DOING AS HEAD OF THE SENATE
thatis impt work $ John is doing a Supperbjob
CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE. MRS. QUAYLE, MARILYN, IT'S A
DELIGHT TO BE WITH YOU ON THIS EXCELLENT EVENING.
WELCOME BACK DAN, FROM CENTRAL AMERICA, AND THANK YOU
FOR ONCE AGAIN TAKING OUR MESSAGE OF DEMOCRACY AND HOPE
21
TO OUR IMPORTANT FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS.
DAVID MURDOCK, Dan Quayhe
THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION IN MAKING THIS EVENT
(Addch)
isdoinggrb job forthe
POSSIBLE ^ GUY VANDER JAGT, ABLE CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE
USA
CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE, IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU
//
& thanleyou for
AS YOU HAVE HEARD, THIS ROOM IS DIVIDED INTO yourwout FOUR Mary Hart
QUADRANTS, DEPICTING THE REGIONS OF THE UNITED STATES - willard
- NORTH, SOUTH, EAST AND WEST. ( (DOES THIS MEAN IF I scoll
MOVE DOWN A FEW CHAIRS I'LL BE STANDING IN TEXAS?))
Membus
of the
( (AND BY THE WAY, DID YOU HEAR THAT I JUST
Cabinet
RETURNED FROM NEBRASKA, WHERE I DROVE A CAR THAT RUNS
Men B
ON ALCOHOL?
.
DON'T GET ME WRONG, ONLY CARS ARE
women
ALLOWED TO DRINK AND DRIVE.))
of exectence
Ecountry
blessings
- 2 -
(I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT RONALD REAGAN HAS JUST
BEEN KNIGHTED IN LONDON, BUT THAT HE WILL NOT BE CALLED
"SIR RON." AND TO THINK, THAT'S WHAT I CALLED HIM FOR
EIGHT YEARS.))
((IN all CANDOR, I BELIEVE RONALD REAGAN'S
KNIGHTHOOD JUST GOES TO SHOW ONE THING -- YOU DON'T
HAVE TO BE BORN NOBLE TO BE NOBLE )) ((PAUSE))
*
IT WAS AT THE LAST PRESIDENT'S DINNER THAT RONALD
REAGAN, THEN THE FORTIETH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
challenged us to hold on to
STATES, STOOD BEFORE US AND FORMALLY DECLARED HIS
the
SUPPORT FOR A SUCCESSOR. SINCE THEN, RONALD REAGAN HAS
Pres Presider der
RETURNED TO HIS BELOVED CALIFORNIA. AND YOU AND I HAVE no matter
FOUGHT SHOULDER TO SHOULDER, BATTLING OUR WAY FROM 17
)
how tough
POINTS BEHIND TO A 40-STATE WIN ON ELECTION DAY.
the odd
((PAUSE))
grateful for your support,
(AND WE WOULD HAVE WON ALL 50 STATES IF ONLY
MILLIE HAD HAD HER PUPPIES SIX MONTHS EARLIER. "
- 3 -
But none of us fought
BUT WE DIDN'T FIGHT THE BATTLE WE FOUGHT, WE
DIDN'T PUT OURSELVES AND OUR FAMILIES THROUGH THE
TURMOIL OF A CAMPAIGN, simply JUST TO WIN AN ELECTION. WE
FOUGHT BECAUSE WE BELIEVED IN CERTAIN IDEAS AND CERTAIN
IDEALS. WE FOUGHT BECAUSE WE BELIEVED THAT TOGETHER WE
CAN BUILD A BETTER AMERICA.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DEFINED OUR MISSION. AND IN
THE FIVE MONTHS SINCE THE INAUGURAL, WITHOUT FANFARE OR
PARTISAN FUROR, WE HAVE WORKED TOGETHER TO QUIETLY
FOLLOW OUR ASSIGNED MISSION, TO ACHIEVE WHAT WAS
CONSIDERED TO BE OUTLANDISHLY IMPOSSIBLE.
*** THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT ACTION ON THE
budgeb DEFICIT. AND WE REACHED AN AGREEMENT WITH CONGRESS TO
REDUCE THE DEFICIT BY A WHOPPING $65 BILLION.
((PAUSE)) AND WE AIM TO ACHIEVE THIS WITHOUT RAISING
TAXES. ((PAUSE))
on working
M3W country
- 4 -
*** THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT ACTION ON A
FESTERING PROBLEM -- THE HEMORRHAGE OF THE SAVINGS AND
LOAN SYSTEM. OUR REFORM PLAN WILL RESTORE STABILITY,
ELIMINATE UNSAFE AND EXTRAVAGANT PRACTICES, AND PUNISH
THOSE WHO ABUSE THE TRUST OF DEPOSITORS. THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO PAY BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO CLEAN UP
THIS MESS, AND WE MUST MAKE SURE IT NEVER HAPPENS
AGAIN. THE SENATE APPROVED OUR PLAN 91 TO 8. I CALL
ON THE HOUSE TO FOLLOW SUIT.
*** THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT ACTION ON ETHICS.
and CLEARLY, IT IS TIME FOR AN EVEN-HANDED ETHICS APPROACH
ACROSS ALL BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT. THIS IS THE GOAL OF
OUR ETHICS PROPOSAL I SENT TO THE CONGRESS IN APRIL.
WE MUST ALL BE EQUAL BEFORE THE LAW.
ALL
AS PRESIDENT, I WILL STRIVE FOR A CONSTRUCTIVE
WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH SPEAKER FOLEY, SENATOR
MITCHELL AND THE REST OF THE DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP.
WHILE WE ARE IN COMPETITION WITH EACH OTHER, THERE ARE,
OF COURSE, RULES OF DECENCY AND FAIR PLAY THAT
KG
TRANSCEND PARTY LABELS.
But while we are in competing with
each other, we will keep that
Competition the issues - 1
- 5 -
BUT WE WILL HIT HARD ON THE ISSUES A- FIGHTING
on
FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE IN, FOR WE REPUBLICANS ARE BOUND
TOGETHER IN A COMMON PURPOSE; TO WAGE A VIGOROUS DEBATE
ON THE IMPORTANT ISSUES THAT UNITE US. WE ARE
CONFIDENT THAT IN TAKING OUR MESSAGE OF PEACE AND
PROSPERITY TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IN AN OPEN, HONEST
AND DIRECT MANNER, WE WILL BECOME THE MAJORITY PARTY IN
AMERICA.
RBD
*** THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT ACTION ON THE
ENVIRONMENT. YESTERDAY, SURROUNDED BY THE NATURAL
JEWELS OF THE GRAND TETONS, ENJOYING THE CRISP,
PRISTINE MOUNTAIN AIR, I CALLED ON CONGRESS TO JOIN ME
IN A QUEST FOR CLEANER AIR, AN END TO ACID RAIN, OZONE
DEPLETION AND OTHER HARMFUL EMISSIONS. YOU SHOULDN'T
HAVE TO BECOME A MOUNTAIN MAN JUST TO BREATHE GOOD,
CLEAN AIR. Applause!
((YOU KNOW WHEN I WAS OUT IN WYOMING, I SL IPPED
AWAY WITH MY GRANDSON GEORGE P TO DO SOME FISHING.
I
SAY THAT EVERY HOUR SPENT FISHING IS AN HOUR ADDED TO
YOUR LIFE
so BY MY RECKONING, MALCOLM WALLOP
SHOULD BE IMMORTAL "
- 6 -
*** THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT ACTION ON CRIME.
THIS ADMINISTRATION WILL NOT REST UNTIL WE HAVE LIFTED
neighborhods
THE SHADOW OF FEAR FROM THE HOMES, SHOPS AND STREETS OF
AMERICA. THAT IS WHY I CALLED LAST MONTH FOR TOUGH NEW
LAWS, AND MORE LAW ENFORCERS AND PROSECUTORS TO BACK
THEM UP. THIS ADMINISTRATION IS GOING TO LEAD THE
CHARGE TO TAKE BACK THE STREETS, TAKE THEM BACK FROM
THE CRIMINALS WHO THREATEN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS
reamilies
NOT
JUST IN THE CITIES, BUT ALL ACROSS OUR COUNTRY.
we aregiring to with back the country
*** THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT ACTION ON FOREIGN
POLICY -- A SENSIBLE, YET BOLD PLAN TO DEAL WITH THE
CHANGES SWEEPING Thn THE COMMUNIST WORLD. OUR BIPARTISAN
AGREEMENT WITH CONGRESS ON CENTRAL AMERICA ALLOWS THE
UNITED STATES TO SPEAK WITH ONE CLEAR VOICE WITH ONE
CLEAR MESSAGE LET FREEDOM RING IN MANAGUA. LET
FREEDOM RING THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNIST WORLD, FROM
BEIJING TO BUDAPEST TO WARSAW.
Applause
- 7 -
IN BRUSSELS, I SAID THAT WE FACE AN HISTORIC
OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE BEYOND CONTAINMENT OF THE SOVIET
UNION. I SAID THAT THE WORLD HAS WAITED LONG ENOUGH --
THAT EUROPE CAN BE WHOLE AND FREE; THAT WE CAN MOVE
yvek BEYOND ARMED CAMPS DIVIDED BY SUSPICION AND FEAR. WE
ASKED THE SOVIETS TO JOIN US IN A PEACE OF TRUST OVER A
PEACE OF TENSION. WE OFFERED OUR VISION FOR A FUTURE
OF PEACE AND FREEDOM -- THE SPIRIT OF BRUSSELS.
BUT THIS, THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF MY
this
ADMINISTRATION, IS JUST A START. WE MUST WORK TOGETHER
TO PROTECT WHAT IS ALREADY THE LONGEST PEACETIME
EXPANSION IN OUR HISTORY -- TO KEEP AMERICA COMPETITIVE atwork,
AND ON THE JOB. WE MUST FIGHT DRUG ABUSE ON EVERY
Children hurt the
FRONT, TO REDEEM THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN, TO RETURN
mosb
PROMISE TO THEIR LIVES. AND WE MUST REVITALIZE OUR
SCHOOLS, SO THAT A SOLID EDUCATION IS ONCE AGAIN THE
BIRTHRIGHT OF EVERY AMERICAN.
Kid
applause
- 8 -
TO MAKE THIS KIND OF PROGRESS WILL REQUIRE MORE
THAN A GOVERNMENT PROGRAM OR ANOTHER GRAND INITIATIVE.
REPUBLICANS BELIEVE THAT IT WILL TAKE THE ACTIVE
INVOLVEMENT OF PARENTS, STUDENTS AND TEACHERS; BUSINESS
yes
AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT; CHURCHES) AND SCHOOLS. THIS IS
WHAT WE MEAN BY A THOUSAND POINTS OF LIGHT. AS
POWERFUL AND RESOURCEFUL AS GOVERNMENT IS, GOVERNMENT
ALONE CANNOT COME CLOSE TO OVERCOMING THESE PROBLEMS.
NEXT WEEK, I WILL ANNOUNCE A MAJOR INITIATIVE TO
CHALLENGE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITIES.
FROM NOW ON, THE DEFINITION OF THE GOOD LIFE IN AMERICA
MUST INCLUDE SERVICE TO OTHERS.
applause!
BUT AS YOU KNOW, ACHIEVING OUR HIGHEST GOALS
DEPENDS, TO A LARGE EXTENT, ON WINNING ELECTIONS IN
CONGRESS. WE MUST TAKE OUR CASE TO THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE, PRECINCT BY PRECINCT, BLOCK BY BLOCK.
and
/ I BELIEVE IT'S NO COINCIDENCE THAT OUR PARTY
SLIPPED TO MINORITY STATUS IN THE HOUSE AS WE BECAME A
MINORITY IN THE STATE LEGISLATURES. TODAY, DEMOCRATS
NOW HAVE A REDISTRICTING ADVANTAGE IN STATES THAT
COMPOSE ABOUT 90 PERCENT OF THE SEATS IN CONGRESS.
- 9 -
THAT IS WHY WE REPUBLICANS MUST MAKE SOLID GAINS
AT THE STATE LEVEL. CRITICAL GUBERNATORIAL AND
LEGISLATIVE RACES IN THE EIGHT LARGEST STATES ALONE
WILL DETERMINE WHETHER REPUBLICANS WILL BE TREATED
FAIRLY IN THE DRAFTING OF 209 CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS.
FROM SPRINGFIELD TO SACRAMENTO, FROM AUSTIN TO ALBANY,
WE MUST WIN THE FIGHT FOR FAIR COMPETITION.
applause
A MAJORITY, OR EVEN A LARGE MINORITY, OF
REPUBLICANS IN STATE LEGISLATURES CAN JOIN WITH
REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS TO SUSTAIN THE VETO OF OUTRAGEOUS
GERRYMANDER SCHEMES, STRENGTHENING OUR NUMBERS IN THE
U.S. HOUSE. BOB MICHEL, OUR ABLE LEADER IN THE HOUSE,
outmanned!
IS OUTGUNNED. 150 LET US HELP HIM BY PICKING UP MORE HOUSE
SEATS.
STRONG STATE PARTIES CAN HELP US TO WIN BACK THE
U.S. SENATE - -- ONE OF OUR MOST CRITICAL GOALS.
BOB
and
he
DOLE IS DOING A SUPERB JOB AS REPUBLICAN LEADER IN THE
COMPLETED
salute
SENATE, BUT HE NEEDS MORE TROOPS. LET US WIN BACK THE
SENATE. LET US AGAIN MAKE IT A REPUBLICAN SENATE.
applaase forthe UsA begat sthatwill USA
applause
- 10 -
IN THE NEXT ELECTION, WE HAVE A GOOD SHOT AT
MAKING BIG GAINS. OF COURSE, THE PARTY THAT CONTROLS
THE WHITE HOUSE IS OFTEN EXPECTED TO DO POORLY IN MID-
TERM ELECTIONS. BUT THERE ARE NO IRON-CLAD RULES IN
POLITICS. (AFTER ALL, IF THERE WERE, I WOULD NEVER
HAVE BECOME THE ONLY LIVING MEMBER OF THE MARTIN VAN
BUREN SOCIETY
appl laugh .))
WITH YOUR SUPPORT AND LEADERSHIP
So omany
-- THE LEADERSHIP OF GREAT REPUBLICANS LIKE CARL
Supubjob
LINDNER OF OHIO -- WE CAN AGAIN DEFY THE PRECEDENTS.
WE CAN AGAIN MAKE HISTORY.
IN ORDER TO WIN, WE MUST WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM,
NOT AS AN ASSOCIATION OF ACRONYMS. THE RNC, THE NRCC,
THE RGA, THE NRSC --THESE ARE TOP-NOTCH, WELL-MANAGED
ORGANIZATIONS STAFFED BY THE BEST PEOPLE IN POLITICS
TODAY.
BUT OUR REPUBLICAN PARTY MUST BE GREATER THAN THE
SUM OF ITS PARTS; WE MUST BE INSPIRED BY A COMMON
PURPOSE. WE MUST BRING OPPORTUNITY TO NEW
CONSTITUENCIES, AND CAMPAIGN IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, IN
THE INNER CITIES AND BARRIOS, ONCE CONSIDERED TO BE THE
EXCLUSIVE DOMAIN OF W THE OPPOSITION. Salute
appr, taking initiation
Secof Housing
applause! - 11 -
OUR PARTY CHAIRMAN, LEE ATWATER, WHO'S DOING A
GREAT JOB HAS BEEN A STRONG VOICE ARGUING THAT WE
REPUBLICANS NEED TO REACH OUT TO MINORITIES AND THE
DISADVANTAGED. THESE GROUPS CAN BENEFIT THE MOST FROM
OUR PHILOSOPHY, WHICH MAXIMIZES OPPORTUNITY AND REWARDS
INITIATIVE. THAT IS A MESSAGE I BELEIVE IN, AND IT IS
A MESSAGE WE AS A PARTY MUST BE PREPARED TO ACT UPON.
TO WIN, WE MUST ALSO RECRUIT THE VERY BEST MEN AND
WOMEN TO REPRESENT OUR PARTY, AS CANDIDATES AND AS
OFFICEHOLDERS.
20,
THESE ARE MY STRATEGIES FOR VICTORY. BUT
STRATEGIES ARE USELESS WITHOUT A GREAT PURPOSE
WE HAVE SUCH A PURPOSE, TO BUILD A BETTER AMERICA, FOR
TODAY AND FOR THE NEW CENTURY AHEAD.
- 12 -
WE HAVE SHED A LOT OF BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS TO
REBUILD THE REPUBLICAN PARTY SINCE THE EARLY SEVENTIES.
THE BEST WAY TO KEEP OUR PARTY GROWING IS TO WIN MORE
ELECTIONS IN 1990, FROM THE COURTHOUSE, TO THE
STATEHOUSE, TO CAPITOL HILL. AND WITH YOUR HELP, LET'S
PROVE TO THE DEMOCRATS THAT THE SUCCESSES OF THE 1980S
ARE NOT A FLUKE; THAT THEY, IN FACT, SPELL THE
BEGINNING OF THE END OF DEMOCRATIC DOMINANCE IN
The U,S. CONGRESS. ((PAUSE))
ad each *weyone for your onbelievable
THANK YOU, GOOD NIGHT AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
###
GBlessthe V546
the ush
Document No. 042271
WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM
6/7/89
DATE:
ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY:
-
DUCKS UNLIMITED -- SIXTH INTERNATIONAL WATERFOWL SYMPOSIUM
SUBJECT:
ACTION FYI
ACTION FYI
VICE PRESIDENT
MCCLURE
SUNUNU
NEWMAN
SCOWCROFT
PORTER
DARMAN
STUDDERT
BATES
UNTERMEYER
BREEDEN
ROGERS
CARD
WINSTON
CICCONI
PINKERTON
DEMAREST
BOSKIN
FITZWATER
GRAY
HAGIN
REMARKS:
The attached has been forwarded to the President.
RESPONSE:
James W. Cicconi
Assistant to the President
and Deputy to the Chief of Staff
Ext. 2702
(Lange/Wallace)
June 7, 1989
9:15 a.m.
[DUCKS.DOC]
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS:
DUCKS UNLIMITED -- SIXTH INTERNATIONAL
WATERFOWL SYMPOSIUM
CRYSTAL GATEWAY MARRIOTT
THURSDAY, JUNE 8, 1989
1:00 P.M.
Thank you, Harry. Ambassador Burney of Canada; Secretary
Lujan; Administrator Reilly; members of Congress; friends. You
know, when my grandson was 10 years old, we went fishing on
Wyoming's Jackson Lake, the Tetons soaring up to the sky. A
beautiful day, one you see on postcards. Everything sparkled.
That day remains fixed in my mind.
It's true, our children will inherit the earth. So any
vision of a kinder, gentler America -- any nation concerned about
its quality of life, now and forever -- must be concerned about
conservation. It will not be enough to merely halt the damage
we've done. Our natural heritage must be recovered and restored.
We saw it at Mt. St. Helens -- we see it now in Yellowstone
Park, and in the growth of Spring -- nature healing its wounds,
coming back to life. We can and should be nature's advocate,
That means an active stewardship of the natural world. It is
time to renew the environmental ethic in America -- and to renew
U.S. leadership on environmental issues, around the world.
Renewal is the way of nature. It must now become the way of man.
2
And that's why I wanted to talk to you today. When this
organization was founded over fifty years ago, in the Dust Bowl
days, there was just a handful of you committed to preserving and
restoring our wetlands. And just about that time, a few hunters
got together and formed a little group called Ducks Unlimited.
Thank goodness they did.
Since then, you've set aside over five million acres as
habitat. Raised nearly half a billion dollars. Started wetlands
projects in each of the fifty states. For a simple reason: 75
percent of the remaining wetlands in the continental U.S. are
privately owned. We can't do it without your help.
The partnerships you've set up with state and federal
agencies -- and with conservation groups like the Nature
Conservancy and the National Wildlife Foundation -- have been
outstanding.
That's good news for ducks. [[ Let me warn you, though,
anybody who looks like a duck or walks like a duck is going
to hear from Dick Darman. The thought of "Ducks Unlimited" keeps
him up at night. ]] But your work is even better news for
America. What you're doing represents just the kind of local,
on-site, private-sector initiative we must bring to every
environmental challenge.
3
As you know too well, our wetlands are being lost at a rate
of nearly half a million acres a year. So every year, fewer
mallards and pintails make it to the pothole country. You may
remember my pledge, that our national goal would be no net loss
of wetlands. Together, we're going to deliver on the promise of
renewal. I will keep that pledge.
I've set up an Interagency Task Force, under the Domestic
Policy Council, to work with you -- with government at all levels
-- and with the private sector -- to stop the destruction of
these precious habitats. Their first task is to develop a united
federal policy for the North American Waterfowl Management Plan
here, and in Canada. Canada has lost over 40 percent of her
wetlands. The time has come to say stop.
To support the Plan, this week Secretary Lujan proposed a
new trust fund -- using interest from the Pittman-Robertson Fund
-- that would contribute about $10 million dollars. Our goal is
to restore a fall flight of more than 100 million birds. We're
looking at legislation from Senators Mitchell and Chaffee, and
Congressmen Dingell and Conte. There are a few details to be
worked out, but the basic thrust of the legislation is sound. I
look forward to signing a bill to conserve North American
wetlands this year.
4
We've asked for nearly $200 million in new funding for
acquisitions under the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
We've
also increased funding for coordinated water quality programs, to
protect the wetlands we already have. And, for the first time in
seven years, some of those dollars will go toward acquiring
wetlands.
But we're looking far beyond the federal role. We want to
improve the management of federally-owned wetlands, by leasing
them to concerned groups like yours. And, you know, the local
momentum is picking up. Just last month, Maryland's Governor
Schaefer approved the nation's first state non-tidal wetlands
law. It's an outstanding piece of work. EPA Administrator Bill
Reilly emerged as a key supporter for that bill -- and I'm
encouraging him to do more.
We're working with American farmers through the Farm Bill
program, to provide technical assistance for wetland
conservation. Wherever wetlands must give way to farming or
development, they will be replaced or expanded elsewhere. It's
time to stand the history of wetlands destruction on its head:
from this year forward, anyone who tries to drain the swamp is
going to be up to his ears in alligators.
Let me spend a few minutes outlining our environmental
philosophy. Our approach to wetlands conservation is driven by a
5
new kind of environmentalism -- a set of principles that apply to
all of the environmental challenges we face. We believe that
pollution is not the inevitable by-product of progress. So the
first principle is that sound ecology and a strong economy can
coexist. But let's remember: the burden of proof is on man, not
nature.
The fact is, our ecology and the economy are interdependent.
Environmentalists and entrepreneurs must see how much their
interests are held in common. It's time to harness the power of
the marketplace in the service of the environment.
The second principle is that a true commitment to restoring
the nation's environment requires more than just a federal
commitment. The tradition of purely federal, "top-down"
directives will never again be enough. So we're working to
promote more creative state and local initiatives, drawing the
energy of local communities and the private sector into the cause
of conservation. All of you in this room have made that
commitment -- now, it must be an all-American commitment.
Our third principle is obvious, but too rarely acted upon:
that preventing pollution is a far more efficient strategy than
struggling to deal with problems once they've occurred. For too
long, we've focused. on clean-up and penalties after the damage is
already done. It's time to re-orient ourselves using
6
technologies and processes that reduce or prevent pollution -- to
stop it before it starts. In the 1990s, pollution prevention
will go right to the source.
Technology has given us tremendous, awesome power to alter
the face of the earth. We must use it to do good. Environmental
soundness and industrial design must be partners. Industry is
making -- and must continue to make -- environmental soundness an
essential fact of American industrial life.
We've already taken several steps in that direction. As you
know, I've called for the elimination of CFCs by the year 2000.
We've also reviewed the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE)
standards. We've tightened the standard, as the law originally
intended. More efficient cars are good for our environment, and
good for our energy security. We're going to promote the use of
alternative, "neat" fuel technology. And I've proposed full
funding to develop clean coal technology.
The fourth principle is a recognition that environmental
problems respect no borders. So we're working with nations
around the world, to provide leadership in finding cooperative,
international solutions. From Japan to Brazil, we're discussing
ways to reverse rainforest devastation. We've recommended a ban
on international shipments of hazardous waste, unless an
8
Behind all of the studies, the figures, and the debates, the
environment is a moral issue. For it is wrong to pass on to
future generations a world tainted by present thoughtlessness.
It is unjust to allow the natural splendor bestowed to us to be
compromised. It is imperative that we preserve the earth and all
its blessings -- to meet the challenge of renewal.
Some forty years ago, a man named Aldo Leopold wrote a book
some of you may have heard of. It was called A Sand County
Almanac. In it, he talked about values -- values that I think
you and I share. "That land is to be loved and respected,"
Leopold wrote, "is an extension of ethics." That was forty years
ago. Since then, millions of acres of wetlands, habitat for so
many plants and animals, have disappeared. And they continue to
vanish at an alarming rate -- some one-half million acres a year.
I want to ask you today what the generations to follow will
say of us forty years from now. It could be that they will
report the loss of many million acres more. The extinction of
species. The disappearance of wilderness and wildlife.
Or they could report something else. They could report
that, sometime around 1989, things began to change. That we
began to hold on to our parks and refuges. That we protected our
species. And that, in that year, the seeds of a new policy about
our valuable wetlands were sown -- a policy summed up in three
7
agreement is signed that makes sure waste is disposed of safely.
Even our recommendation to ban the importation of elephant ivory
underscores this new international emphasis.
And in Germany two weeks ago, I announced our intention to
provide technical assistance and new technologies to the nations
of Eastern Europe, to help them handle pollution problems. Some
of the rivers in those countries are now so polluted, they can't
even be used for industrial cooling -- because they're too
corrosive.
The fifth and final principle is that existing environmental
laws will be vigorously and firmly enforced. I've requested
funds to hire more environmental prosecutors at the Justice
Department. And next week, Administrator Reilly will deliver to
Congress a report on overhauling the Superfund Program for
hazardous waste. Our message about environmental law is simple:
Polluters will pay.
Finally, on Monday, I will unveil the most sweeping changes
to the Clean Air Act since it was last amended twelve years ago.
It will allow us to recover and restore precious forests, lakes,
and streams. And whether Americans live near factories, in
cities, or in high woodland country, it will significantly
improve every North American's quality of life.
9
simple words: "No net loss." I prefer the second vision of
America's environmental future.
A man I greatly admire, Theodore Roosevelt, was the first
President to act on that ideal. When he set aside the Grand
Canyon as a national monument of nature, his words of warning
were driven by great personal conviction. "Leave it as it is,"
he said. "You cannot improve on it. The ages have been at work
on it, and man can only mar it. What you can do is to keep it --
for your children, and your children's children
"
Recovery, restoration, and renewal -- that is our moral
imperative. From today forward, it is the ethical legacy we must
inspire in every American.
To one of the great private sector organizations in America:
I thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of
America.
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
June 8, 1989
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
TO THE DUCKS UNLIMITED
SIXTH INTERNATIONAL WATERFOWL SYMPOSIUM
Crystal Gateway Marriott
Crystal City, Virginia
1:10 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, Harry, very, very much, and
all of you for that warm welcome. Every member of Ducks Unlimited
can eat his heart out -- or hers -- and I say that because you should
be very jealous of me. You ought to see the beautiful carvings that
you all gave to me carved by Bill Veesy -- two ducks -- one of the
most spectacular pieces of duck artwork that I believe I've ever
seen. And so, I'm grateful to all of you for that presentation that
Harry made.
I want to salute the members of Congress that are here.
I want to pay my respects to the head of the EPA, Bill Reilly. We
are very fortunate to have him leading our Environmental Protection
Agency. I want to pay my respects to our Secretary, Manuel Lujan,
who is going to do a fantastic job for us. I served with him in the
Congress and he rates and merits your confidence.
Mike Deland was supposed to be here, and he, showing the
fact that he's human, he is caught up at the airport in Washington
right now -- (laughter) -- so I expect we'll see him in a while. But
most of you know him. And I would simply say that the members of
Congress and friends, it's a real pleasure to be here.
One of my greatest pleasures is going fishing with my
grandchildren, and seeing the Grand Tetons through the eyes of a
10-year-old grandson or teaching our six-year-old twin granddaughters
-- now Texans again -- the wonders of the ocean, makes life really
sing for me. And when I am out in the great outdoors with my own
kids or grandkids, I realize how true it is that our children will
inherit the Earth. And so any vision of a kinder, gentler America --
any nation concerned about its quality of life, now and forever, must
be concerned about conservation. It will not be enough to merely
halt the damage we've done. Our natural heritage must be recovered
and restored.
And we saw it at Mount St. Helens, and we see it now at
Yellowstone Park, and in the growth of spring -- nature healing its
wounds, coming back to life. We can and should be nature's advocate.
And that means an active stewardship of the natural world. And it's
time to renew the environmental ethic in America -- and to renew U.S.
- 2 -
million acres as habitat, raised nearly half a billion dollars,
started wetlands projects in each of the fifty states, for a simple
reason -- 75 percent of the remaining wetlands in the continental
U.S. are privately owned. We can't do it without your help.
The partnerships you've set up with state and federal
agencies -- and with conservation groups like the Nature Conservancy
and the National Wildlife Foundation -- have been outstanding.
And that's good news for ducks. Remember, though, what
Dick Darman said about taxes. Anything that looks like a duck or
walks like a duck or quacks like a duck is going to hear from him.
(Laughter.) The poor guy -- the very thought of Ducks Unlimited
keeps him up at night. (Laughter and applause.) But your work is
even better news for America. For what you're doing represents just
the kind of local, on-site, private sector initiative that we must
bring to every environmental challenge.
As you know too well, our wetlands are being lost at a
rate of nearly half a million acres a year. So every year, fewer
mallards and pintails make it to the pothole country. You may
remember my pledge, that our national goal would be no net loss of
wetlands. And together, we are going to deliver on the promise of
renewal, and I plan to keep that pledge. (Applause.)
I've set up an interagency task force, under our Domestic
Policy Council, to work with you -- with governments at all levels --
with the private sector -- to stop the destruction of those precious
habitats. Their first task is to develop a united federal policy for
the North American Waterfowl Management Plan here and in Canada as
well. And Canada has lost over 40 percent of her wetlands. And the
time has come to simply say stop.
And to support the Plan, this week Secretary Lujan
proposed a new trust fund -- using interest from the
Pittman-Robertson Fund -- that would contribute about $10 million.
And our goal is to restore a fall flight of more than 100 million
birds. And we're looking at legislation from Senators Mitchell and
Chaffee, Congressmen Dingell and Conte. And there are a few details
to be worked out, but the basic thrust of the legislation is sound.
I look forward to signing a bill to conserve North American wetlands
this year.
And we've asked for nearly $200 million in new funding
for acquisitions under the Land and Water Conservation Fund. We've
also increased funding for coordinated water quality programs, to
protect the wetlands we already have, and, for the first time in
seven years, some of those dollars will go towards acquiring
wetlands.
But we're looking far beyond the federal role. We want
to improve the management of federally-owned wetlands by leasing them
to concerned groups like yours. And, you know, the local momentum is
picking up. Just last month, Maryland's Governor Schaefer approved
the nation's first state non-tidal wetlands law. And it's an
outstanding piece of work. Bill Reilly emerged as a key supporter
for that bill -- and I certainly would encourage him to do more, but
in his case, he's the one that's encouraging me to do more all the
time T'm for his leadership
- 3 -
believe that pollution is not the inevitable by-product of progress.
So the first principle is that sound ecology and a strong economy can
coexist. But let's remember -- the burden of proof is on man, not
nature.
And the fact is, our ecology and the economy are
interdependent. Environmentalists and entrepreneurs must see how
much their interests are held in common. It's time to harness the
power of the marketplace in the service of the environment.
The second principle is that a true commitment to
restoring the nation's environment requires more than just a federal
commitment. The tradition of purely federal, "top-down" directives
will never again be enough. So we're working to promote more
creative state and local initiatives, drawing on the energy of local
communities and the private sector into the cause -- pulling them
into the cause of conservation. All of you in this room have made
that commitment -- and now, it must be made an all-American
commitment.
And our third principle is obvious, but too rarely acted
on -- the preventing -- that preventing pollution is a far more
efficient strategy than struggling to deal with problems once they've
occurred. For too long, we've focused on clean-up and penalties
after the damage is done. It's time to re-orient ourselves using
technologies and processes that reduce or prevent pollution -- to
stop it before it starts. In the 1990s, pollution prevention will go
right to the source.
Technology has given us tremendous, awesome power to
alter the face of the earth. We must use it to do good.
Environmental soundness, industrial design must be partners.
Industry is making -- and must continue to make -- environmental
soundness an essential fact of American industrial life.
We've already taken several steps in that direction. And
as you know, I've called for the elimination of CFCs by the year
2000. And we've also reviewed the Corporate Average Fuel Economy --
those CAFE standards. We've tightened the standard, as the law
originally intended. More efficient cars are good for our
environment, and good for our energy security. We're going to
promote the use of alternative, "neat" fuel technology. And I've
proposed full funding to develop clean coal technology.
The fourth principle is a recognition that environmental
problems respect no borders. I'm delighted to see the Ambassador
from Canada here. So we're working with nations around the world, to
provide leadership in finding cooperative, international solutions.
From Japan to Brazil, we're discussing ways to reverse rainforest
devastation. And we've recommended a ban on international shipment
of hazardous waste, unless an agreement is signed that makes sure
waste is disposed of safely.
In Germany two weeks ago, I announced our intention to
provide technical assistance and new technologies to the nations of
Eastern Europe, to help them handle pollution problems. And some of
the rivers in those countries are now so polluted, they can't even be
used for industrial cooling -- because they're too corrosive. And
even our recommendation to ban the importation of elephant ivory
4 -
cities, or in high woodland country, it'll significantly improve
every North American's quality of life.
So those are our five principles. Harnessing the power
of the marketplace, state and local initiative, promoting prevention,
international cooperation, and strict enforcement.
But behind all of the studies, the figures, and the
debates, the environment is a moral issue. For it is wrong to pass
on to future generations a world tainted by present thoughtlessness.
It is unjust to allow the natural splendor bestowed to us to be
compromised. It is imperative that we preserve the Earth and all its
blessings -- to meet the challenge of renewal.
Some 40 years ago, a man named Aldo Leopold wrote a book
that some of you may have heard of. It was called "A Sand County
Almanac. And in it, he talked about values -- values that you and I
share. "That land is to be loved and respected, " Leopold wrote. Let
me start -- "That land is to be loved and respected -- is an
extension of ethics. That was 40 years ago. And since then,
millions of acres of wetlands, habitat for so many plants and
animals, have disappeared. And they continue to vanish at an
alarming rate -- some one-half million acres a year.
And I want to ask you today what the generations to
follow will say of us 40 years from now. It could be they'll report
the loss of many million acres more, the extinction of species, the
disappearance of wilderness and wildlife.
or they could report something else. They could report
that, sometime around 1989, things began to change, and that we began
to hold on to our parks and refuges. And that we protected our
species. And that, in that year, the seeds of a new policy about
our valuable wetlands were sown -- a policy summed up in three simple
words: "No net loss." And I prefer the second vision of America's
environmental future.
A man I greatly admire, Theodore Roosevelt, was the first
President to act on that ideal. And when he set aside the Grand
Canyon as a national monument of nature, his words of warning were
driven by great personal conviction. "Leave it as it is," he said.
"You cannot improve on it. The ages have been at work on it, and man
can only mar it. What you can do is to keep it -- for your children,
and your children's children."
Recovery, restoration, and renewal -- that is our moral
imperative. And from today forward, it is the ethical legacy we must
inspire in every American.
To one of the great private sector organizations in
America -- I thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United
States of America. Thank you very, very much. (Applause.)
END
1:28 P.M. EDT
THE WHITE HOUSE
- Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
June 8, 1989
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
TO THE DUCKS UNLIMITED
SIXTH INTERNATIONAL WATERFOWL SYMPOSIUM
Crystal Gateway Marriott
Crystal city, Virginia
1:10 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, Harry, very, very much, and
all of you for that warm welcome. Every member of Ducks Unlimited
can eat his heart out -- or hers -- and I say that because you should
be very jealous of me. You ought to see the beautiful carvings that
you all gave to me carved by Bill Veesy -- two ducks -- one of the
most spectacular pieces of duck artwork that I believe I've ever
seen. And so, I'm grateful to all of you for that presentation that
Harry made.
I want to salute the members of Congress that are here.
I want to pay my respects to the head of the EPA, Bill Reilly. We
are very fortunate to have him leading our Environmental Protection
Agency. I want to pay my respects to our Secretary, Manuel Lujan,
who is going to do a fantastic job for us. I served with him in the
Congress and he rates and merits your confidence.
Mike Deland was supposed to be here, and he, showing the
fact that he's human, he is caught up at the airport in Washington
right now -- (laughter) -- so I expect we'll see him in a while. But
most of you know him. And I would simply say that the members of
Congress and friends, it's a real pleasure to be here.
One of my greatest pleasures is going fishing with my
grandchildren, and seeing the Grand Tetons through the eyes of a
10-year-old grandson or teaching our six-year-old twin granddaughters
-- now Texans again -- the wonders of the ocean, makes life really
sing for me. And when I am out in the great outdoors with my own
kids or grandkids, I realize how true it is that our children will
inherit the Earth. And so any vision of a kinder, gentler America --
any nation concerned about its quality of life, now and forever, must
be concerned about conservation. It will not be enough to merely
halt the damage we've done. Our natural heritage must be recovered
and restored.
And we saw it at Mount St. Helens, and we see it now at
Yellowstone Park, and in the growth of spring -- nature healing its
wounds, coming back to life. We can and should be nature's advocate.
And that means an active stewardship of the natural world. And it's
the environmental ethic in America -- and to renew U.S.
- 2 -
million acres as habitat, raised nearly half a billion dollars,
started wetlands projects in each of the fifty states, for a simple
reason -- 75 percent of the remaining wetlands in the continental
U.S. are privately owned. We can't do it without your help.
The partnerships you've set up with state and federal
agencies -- and with conservation groups like the Nature Conservancy
and the National Wildlife Foundation -- have been outstanding.
And that's good news for ducks. Remember, though, what
Dick Darman said about taxes. Anything that looks like a duck or
walks like a duck or quacks like a duck is going to hear from him.
(Laughter.) The poor guy -- the very thought of Ducks Unlimited
keeps him up at night. (Laughter and applause.) But your work is
even better news for America. For what you're doing represents just
the kind of local, on-site, private sector initiative that we must
bring to every environmental challenge.
As you know too well, our wetlands are being lost at a
rate of nearly half a million acres a year. So every year, fewer
mallards and pintails make it to the pothole country. You may
remember my pledge, that our national goal would be no net loss of
wetlands. And together, we are going to deliver on the promise of
renewal, and I plan to keep that pledge. (Applause.)
I've set up an interagency task force, under our Domestic
Policy Council, to work with you -- with governments at all levels --
with the private sector -- to stop the destruction of those precious
habitats. Their first task is to develop a united federal policy for
the North American Waterfowl Management Plan here and in Canada as
well. And Canada has lost over 40 percent of her wetlands. And the
time has come to simply say stop.
And to support the Plan, this week Secretary Lujan
proposed a new trust fund -- using interest from the
Pittman-Robertson Fund -- that would contribute about $10 million.
And our goal is to restore a fall flight of more than 100 million
birds. And we're looking at legislation from Senators Mitchell and
Chaffee, Congressmen Dingell and Conte. And there are a few details
to be worked out, but the basic thrust of the legislation is sound.
I look forward to signing a bill to conserve North American wetlands
this year.
And we've asked for nearly $200 million in new funding
for acquisitions under the Land and Water Conservation Fund. We've
also increased funding for coordinated water quality programs, to
protect the wetlands we already have, and, for the first time in
seven years, some of those dollars will go towards acquiring
wetlands.
But we're looking far beyond the federal role. We want
to improve the management of federally-owned wetlands by leasing them
to concerned groups like yours. And, you know, the local momentum is
picking up. Just last month, Maryland's Governor Schaefer approved
the nation's first state non-tidal wetlands law. And it's an
outstanding piece of work. Bill Reilly emerged as a key supporter
for that bill -- and I certainly would encourage him to do more, but
- 3 -
believe that pollution is not the inevitable by-product of progress.
so the first principle is that sound ecology and a strong economy can
coexist. But let's remember -- the burden of proof is on man, not
nature.
And the fact is, our ecology and the economy are
interdependent. Environmentalists and entrepreneurs must see how
much their interests are held in common. It's time to harness the
power of the marketplace in the service of the environment.
The second principle is that a true commitment to
restoring the nation's environment requires more than just a federal
commitment. The tradition of purely federal, "top-down" directives
will never again be enough. So we're working to promote more
creative state and local initiatives, drawing on the energy of local
communities and the private sector into the cause -- pulling them
into the cause of conservation. All of you in this room have made
that commitment -- and now, it must be made an all-American
commitment.
And our third principle is obvious, but too rarely acted
on -- the preventing -- that preventing pollution is a far more
efficient strategy than struggling to deal with problems once they've
occurred. For too long, we've focused on clean-up and penalties
after the damage is done. It's time to re-orient ourselves using
technologies and processes that reduce or prevent pollution -- to
stop it before it starts. In the 1990s, pollution prevention will go
right to the source.
Technology has given us tremendous, awesome power to
alter the face of the earth. We must use it to do good.
Environmental soundness, industrial design must be partners.
Industry is making -- and must continue to make -- environmental
soundness an essential fact of American industrial life.
We've already taken several steps in that direction. And
as you know, I've called for the elimination of CFCs by the year
2000. And we've also reviewed the Corporate Average Fuel Economy --
those CAFE standards. We've tightened the standard, as the law
originally intended. More efficient cars are good for our
environment, and good for our energy security. We're going to
promote the use of alternative, "neat" fuel technology. And I've
proposed full funding to develop clean coal technology.
The fourth principle is a recognition that environmental
problems respect no borders. I'm delighted to see the Ambassador
from Canada here. So we're working with nations around the world, to
provide leadership in finding cooperative, international solutions.
From Japan to Brazil, we're discussing ways to reverse rainforest
devastation. And we've recommended a ban on international shipment
of hazardous waste, unless an agreement is signed that makes sure
waste is disposed of safely.
In Germany two weeks ago, I announced our intention to
provide technical assistance and new technologies to the nations of
Eastern Europe, to help them handle pollution problems. And some of
the rivers in those countries are now so polluted, they can't even And be
- 4 -
cities, or in high woodland country, it'll significantly improve
every North American's quality of life.
so those are our five principles. Harnessing the power
of the marketplace, state and local initiative, promoting prevention,
international cooperation, and strict enforcement.
But behind all of the studies, the figures, and the
debates, the environment is a moral issue. For it is wrong to pass
on to future generations a world tainted by present thoughtlessness.
It is unjust to allow the natural splendor bestowed to us to be
compromised. It is imperative that we preserve the Earth and all its
blessings -- to meet the challenge of renewal.
Some 40 years ago, a man named Aldo Leopold wrote a book
that some of you may have heard of. It was called "A Sand County
Almanac.' And in it, he talked about values -- values that you and I
share. "That land is to be loved and respected," Leopold wrote. Let
me start -- "That land is to be loved and respected -- is an
extension of ethics." That was 40 years ago. And since then,
millions of acres of wetlands, habitat for so many plants and
animals, have disappeared. And they continue to vanish at an
alarming rate -- some one-half million acres a year.
And I want to ask you today what the generations to
follow will say of us 40 years from now. It could be they 11 report
the loss of many million acres more, the extinction of species, the
disappearance of wilderness and wildlife.
or they could report something else. They could report
that, sometime around 1989, things began to change, and that we began
to hold on to our parks and refuges. And that we protected our
species. And that, in that year, the seeds of a new policy about
our valuable wetlands were sown -- a policy summed up in three simple
words: "No net loss." And I prefer the second vision of America's
environmental future.
A man I greatly admire, Theodore Roosevelt, was the first
President to act on that ideal. And when he set aside the Grand
Canyon as a national monument of nature, his words of warning were
driven by great personal conviction. "Leave it as it is," he said.
"You cannot improve on it. The ages have been at work on it, and man
can only mar it. What you can do is to keep it -- for your children,
and your children's children."
Recovery, restoration, and renewal -- that is our moral
imperative. And from today forward, it is the ethical legacy we must
inspire in every American.
To one of the great private sector organizations in
America -- I thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United
States of America. Thank you very, very much. (Applause.)
END
1:28 P.M. EDT