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As we enter the 21st century, Americans know that a healthy environment and a strong economy
go hand in hand. Indeed, we today enjoy the cleanest environment in a generation and the longest
economic expansion in our nations history.
Al Gore has long been at the forefront of efforts to protect our environment and quality of life in
ways that promote strong, sustainable economic growth. Since entering public office in 1976 as
member of the U.S. House of Representatives, he has fought to improve public health, preserve
natural treasures, promote cleaner, energy-efficient business, protect oceans and coasts, reinvent
environmental regulation, and combat global warming. His 1992 book, Earth in the Balance, is
widely recognized as a passionate, penetrating analysis of the environmental challenges we face.
As a member of Congress, Al Gore helped lead the fight for stronger air and water quality
protections for millions of Americans and for passage of the original Superfund law to clean up
toxic waste sites. Later as a U.S. Senator, he led early calls for research and action to address the
threat of global warming.
As Vice President, Al Gore has been instrumental in launching new initiatives to meet key
environmental challenges. His Livable Communities initiative has helped communities across
the country grow in ways that ensure a high quality of life and strong, sustainable economic
growth. With his leadership, the Administration has adopted the strongest air quality protections
ever, cleaned up three times as many Superfund sites as the two previous Administrations
combined and undertaken initiatives to protect more land in the lower 48 states than during any
Administration since the time of Theodore Roosevelt. And he has continued fighting to protect
the global environment, playing a critical role in negotiating a strong, cost-effective treaty to
combat global warming.
The Vice President also has led the charge in encouraging Americas business leaders to develop
innovative new technologies that strengthen our competitiveness while protecting our
environment. Through the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles, he has worked with
auto makers to spur new technologies that promise dramatic increase in automotive fuel
economy reducing our reliance on imported oil while saving consumers money. And he has
worked with President Clinton on a series of Executive Orders that establish the Federal
government as a model for innovative, cost-effective environmental management.
Vice President Al Gore has an unrivaled record of action and leadership in protecting our
environment. We invite you to explore recent environmental announcements made by the Vice
President.
Marine Protected Areas and Coral Reef Protection. Following the National Ocean Conference in
June of 1998, a new Executive Order was issued on May 26, 2000 directing agencies to establish
a network of ocean conservation areas; authorizing the Commerce and Interior departments to
develop a plan to permanently protect Hawaiis rich coral reefs; and directing the Environmental
Protection Agency to take new steps to limit the pollution of beaches, oceans and coasts.
Roadless Area Protection. On May 9, 2000, the Forest Service unveiled a draft proposal to
protect more than 40 million acres of roadless areas in our national forests from road
construction.
Great Lakes Conservation. On April 18, 2000, the Vice President announced a new
partnership with the state of Ohio to help farmers protect their lands while improving water
quality. The Lake Erie Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program will protect Lake Erie and
5,000 miles of Ohio streams by reducing soil erosion and runoff pollution in northwest Ohio
watersheds.
Creation of New National Monuments. On April 14, 2000, President Clinton signed an
executive order creating the Giant Sequoia National Monument on 328,000 acres in Sequoia
National Forest in California. Additionally, on January 11, 2000, the President created three new
national monuments - the Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument and the Agua Fria
National Monuments in Arizona, and the California Coastal National Monument, and expanded
the Pinnacles National Monument in California.
Conservation on the Farm. On May 19, 2000, Vice President Gore announced that the U. S.
Department of Agriculture will enroll approximately 2.5 million acres of environmentally
sensitive farmland in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). The program encourages
farmers and ranchers to voluntarily adopt long-term conservation practices.
Revitalization of Toxic Waste Sites. On May 18, 2000, the EPA awarded over $42 million
in grants to more than 143 communities across the country to clean up brownfields -- abandoned,
lightly contaminated properties often found in economically distressed areas -- and return them
to economically thriving, community hubs.
Energy Efficiency Standards for Residential Appliances. On April 19, 2000, the Vice
President announced proposed new standards to improve the energy efficiency of residential
water heaters that would result in consumer savings of more than $23 billion in energy over the
next two decades. On May 24, 2000, Energy Secretary Bill Richardson announced an agreement
with the washing machine industry to produce machines by 2007 that use half as much energy as
most current models.
Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles. On March 30, 2000, Vice President Gore
announced efforts to work with the Big 3 auto makers through the Partnership for a New
Generation of Vehicles on new commitments to begin putting vehicles with significant
improvements in fuel economy into volume production and into dealers showrooms in three to
four years.
Progress on "Greening the Government". On April 21, 2000, Vice President Gore
released a new report, "Greening the Government: A Report to the President on Federal
Leadership and Progress," that highlights the progress Federal agencies have made in response to
six "Greening the Government" executive orders. Those orders have directed Federal executive
agencies to take concrete steps to conserve energy and natural resources, prevent pollution,
reduce waste generation, eliminate usage of ozone depleting products, purchase recycled,
energy-efficient, and environmentally preferable products, and reduce usage of toxic substances.
India. On March 22, 2000, President Clinton announced an agreement to aid environmental
programs in India on clean energy and climate change.
FY 2001 Budget
The Clinton-Gore Administration has proposed a record $42.5 billion in FY 2001 to protect our
natural resources, our communities and families, and the global environment. The proposed
environment budget represents an 11 percent increase over FY 2000 and a 36 percent increase
over FY 1993.
Lands Legacy. The Administrations FY 2001 budget proposes a record $1.4 billion to protect
land and coastal resources and will seek dedicated funding at this level each and every year to
ensure continued efforts to preserve Americas natural heritage. This proposed Lands Legacy
Initiative funding would provide significant new resources to states and communities to protect
wildlife and local green spaces, support federal efforts to save natural and historic treasures, and
expand efforts to protect ocean and coastal resources.
Climate Change. The Administrations FY 2001 budget proposes over $2.4 billion (a more
than 40 percent increase over FY 2000 enacted levels) in funding to combat global climate
change. This includes increased investments in research and development of clean energy
technology, the Climate Change Technology Initiative, and offers tax incentives to consumers
who buy energy efficient cars, homes, appliances and other clean energy products.
Great Lakes Restoration. The Administrations FY 2001 budget proposes a new $50
million Great Lakes Initiative to provide Great Lakes communities with matching grants to
help them restore and protect their waterways for drinking, fishing, swimming, boating and
urban redevelopment.
Global Forest Protection. The FY 2001 budget proposes a record $150 million a $70
million increase over FY 2000 for a new Greening the Globe Initiative to give developing
countries tools and resources to strengthen their economies by protecting, not destroying, their
irreplaceable forests.