[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 62 (Monday, May 6, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S3089]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               EARTH DAY

 Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, on April 22, 1970--after years of 
planning--Earth Day activities stretched from college campuses, to city 
parks, to community halls across the country.
  The landscape has changed since students, activists, and 
environmentalists celebrated the first Earth Day. That citizen call to 
action spurred a new season of environmental protections that have 
improved the health of our Nation's air, lands, rivers, and the Great 
Lakes.
  Just several decades ago, polluted air and water threatened the 
public health and safety of our Nation. The Cuyahoga River in Cleveland 
had caught on fire and oil spills marred the beaches of Santa Barbara.
  These catastrophic events served as catalysts that established the 
Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, passed the Clean Air and Clean 
Water Acts, and formed a public and political consciousness of the need 
to safeguard our environment.
  Today, the Cuyahoga River--44 years after the fire--is cleaner and 
healthier, more than 60 different fish species are thriving, and 
countless families are again enjoying its natural beauty.
  Today, Earth Day is celebrated around the world.
  Now communities across Ohio and the Nation are spurring on the next 
generation of environmental innovation.
  Seeds planted in places such as Oregon, OH--a city just east of 
Toledo in northwest Ohio--are beginning to grow.
  To reduce energy costs, the Oregon City School District partnered 
with the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority to transition away from 
traditional electricity to wind and solar power. Oregon City Schools 
set up wind turbines at Clay High School and Eisenhower Middle School. 
They installed solar panels on the roofs of Jerusalem and Starr 
Elementary Schools. And these innovative investments have paid off. In 
just 10 days in October, Clay Campus's wind turbine, Power Wind 56, 
produced 149 percent of campus energy needs. All computers, all lights, 
all kitchen activity, and fans on Clay Campus are now wind-powered. 
This includes the administration building, bus garage, and maintenance 
building at the stadium. Besides saving on energy costs, as of March 
21, the school district is producing 800 fewer tons of carbon dioxide. 
This means less acid rain-causing sulfur dioxide and nitrous oxide 
going into the air.
  This innovation and activism marks tremendous progress toward a more 
sustainable environment.
  If we fail to protect our natural resources, we risk the health of 
citizens, the viability of our coastal areas, and the productivity of 
our State's farms, forests, and fisheries. We risk our long-term 
economic and national security. Yet we know that choosing between 
economic growth and environmental protections is a false choice.
  Despite our population growing by 50 percent in the past 40 years and 
the number of cars on the road having doubled over that same time, our 
air is now 60 percent cleaner than at the time of the first Earth Day 
in 1970.
  Done right, our Nation can become energy independent, improve its 
global competitiveness, and create new jobs and technologies for our 
workforce. As we plant the seeds for economic growth--for new jobs in 
new industries--we are also planting the seeds for a cleaner, more 
sustainable environment.
  The students and parents of the Oregon City School District are a 
reminder that taking steps to protect our air and water is something 
that we do every day, not just on April 22.
  Earth Day reminds us of our ability and our history of innovation and 
perseverance to protect our environment for current and future 
generations.

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