[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 45 (Wednesday, April 22, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H2125]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 LET US REMEMBER TO THINK GLOBALLY AND ACT LOCALLY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

  (Mr. WELLER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, let us not forget that today is Earth Day. 
Of course, Earth Day is an important day for all of us who care about 
our environment. Clearly, one message of Earth Day we should never 
forget is to think globally and act locally.
  I am proud of the locally-led efforts in the South Side of Chicago 
and the south suburbs of Chicago that have worked to establish some 
important local environmental initiatives: to establish the Midewin 
National Tallgrass Prairie in the former Joliet Arsenal, efforts to 
establish the Calumet National Heritage area in the biState area 
northwest in Indiana, in the South Side of Chicago efforts to save the 
Kankakee River from sand and silt sedimentation.
  All three are local priorities, locally led; local partnerships 
working to save the environment locally. The Midewin National Tallgrass 
Prairie is the largest conservation area of its kind, the first 
national tallgrass prairie. Calumet National Heritage Area will be a 
unique biState national ecological area established in a former 
industrial area. And, of course, the Kankakee River, the solution to 
save the Kankakee River, deserves the same kind of national priority as 
restoration of the Everglades.
  Let us remember to think globally and act locally. It works.

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