[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 58 (Thursday, April 22, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2535-S2536]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               EARTH DAY

  Mr. REID. Madam President, today is the 40th anniversary of Earth 
Day. It is an annual reminder of what we have the power and 
responsibility to do in our daily lives. It is a call to recommit 
ourselves to finding the right balance that preserves our larger 
environment even as we live in it and use it. Earth Day is also an 
opportunity for us to appreciate the great outdoors, spaces that are 
nowhere more beautiful than in Nevada.
  But today, of course, is not the only day to do this. That is why I 
am happy to have supported a number of environmental initiatives over 
the past years to benefit my State and our country: protecting more 
than 3 million acres of key wildlife habitat as wilderness in the State 
of Nevada; introducing legislation that created the Great Basin 
National Park; providing more resources and better management for 
popular areas such as Red Rock Canyon and Black Rock Desert; enhancing 
the Carson River corridor and improving management of the Sierra 
Foothills, and expanding open space opportunities for the people of 
Carson City.
  Right now, I am working with the Nevada congressional delegation to 
protect the Tahoe Basin from invasive species and devastating wildfires 
and to restore Lake Tahoe's water clarity and protect threatened 
species and wildlands. The act will also help protect the area's 
economy and its 23,000 tourism-related jobs.
  Every Nevadan and all Americans should be happy today and use it as a 
reminder to commit themselves to saving money and reducing pollution by 
using energy more efficiently.
  A Senator from Wisconsin named Gaylord Nelson created Earth Day 40 
years ago. He did it after having visited, in his official capacity, a 
devastating oil spill off the coast of California near Santa Barbara. 
He came back and said to his staff: We need to do more to protect the 
environment. Give me some ideas.
  The idea started out originally to be a day where they would march, 
and someone came up with the idea, though, that rather than 
``birthday,'' ``Earth Day'' had a ring to it. That is how Earth Day was 
born. It came at a time when we didn't have the Internet. It was done 
mostly by word of mouth.
  Just before the first Earth Day, Gaylord Nelson came to the Senate 
floor and warned:


[[Page S2536]]


       America has bought environmental disaster on the 
     installment plan: Buy affluence now and let future 
     generations pay the price.

  Four decades later, we must do more to get ourselves off that plan. 
We must do more to cultivate a society where fulfilling our 
responsibilities to nature becomes second nature.
  I didn't know Gaylord Nelson, but I certainly feel I knew him because 
of the great work he has done. I have many of these Earth Days in 
Nevada. It is really a day of celebration.
  That is something we have to do. We have to do everything we can to 
protect our environment.
  Would the Chair announce morning business now.

                          ____________________