[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Pages 7270-7271]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                               EARTH DAY

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, very briefly, I wish to comment on an event 
we are celebrating throughout the United States today and indeed 
throughout

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the world today. That is the fact that today is the 34th anniversary of 
Earth Day, an event that gives people the opportunity to celebrate the 
environmental accomplishments that have been made over the past three 
decades and, yes, to look ahead to see what progress can and should be 
made.
  What has been so apparent to me as I travel back to Tennessee and 
talk to people across Tennessee is the opportunity that this day and 
this focus gives communities to discuss, to participate, and clean up 
of projects--to participate in conservation projects all across 
Tennessee. And, thus, it is happening all across the country.
  Thousands of volunteers today, right now as we speak, are 
participating in an event--and the next few weeks will continue that 
discussion and that activity--all of which will serve to raise 
environmental awareness and improve the cities and towns and the 
environment in which we live.
  This year we have much to celebrate. The quality of our environment 
has dramatically improved over the past 30 years. Federal, State, and 
local efforts have enhanced our air and enhanced our water quality by 
reducing pollution. Major steps have been taken to clean up 
contaminated sites over the last 30 years and to protect our natural 
resources.
  Since 1970--a little over 30 years ago--aggregate emissions of 
harmful pollutants have decreased by 25 percent. And that has 
happened--this decreasing of the pollutants by 25 percent--at the same 
time our gross domestic product has increased 161 percent. Energy 
consumption has increased 42 percent.
  Tennessee is home to some of our Nation's most diverse natural areas. 
We have the Great Smoky Mountains in east Tennessee, a wonderful 
environment, a wonderful region, a wonderful space that I personally 
enjoy. I hike through it every year with my family--my wife Karyn and 
my three boys.
  It is our Nation's most visited National Park, the great Smoky 
Mountains National Park. It is home to more than 100,000 different, 
distinct species, hundreds of which are new to science. The park itself 
is one of the most biologically diverse, indeed, in the world. 
Tennesseans know how critically important it is to protect and to 
conserve our limited resource.
  In recognition of Earth Day, Tennesseans are volunteering all across 
the State, in National Parks, community cleanup projects, in wildlife 
refuges. A lot of the projects I mentioned are underway as I speak. In 
Nashville, thousands turned out to Centennial Park to learn about the 
Cumberland River and the region's water resources. Tennesseans are 
taking part in cleanup activities in the Reelfoot National Wildlife 
Refuge which is in northwest Tennessee. In east Tennessee and Knoxville 
there is the Fifth Annual Earthfest which is themed ``What's In Your 
Water,'' to highlight water resources and quality issues in east 
Tennessee.
  Federal agencies, in cooperation with national and grassroots 
organizations, are working together to educate Americans about how they 
can participate in cleaning up their environment on a daily basis, what 
they can do as individuals, as communities, initiatives such as the 
ENERGY STAR Program, statewide recycling programs, and under the 
Department of Agriculture, the Natural Resources Conservation Service 
is teaching people how to be good stewards of our planet.
  Earth Day is, indeed, an opportunity to reflect our accomplishments 
today and think about how we can do more to improve the environment.
  The administration has proposed several new initiatives that will 
reduce air pollution, which will support conservation and environmental 
stewardship programs and address our Nation's limited water resources 
issues. We also are working with international partners to address 
global climate change and assist developing countries with 
environmental challenges such as deforestation and illegal logging.
  After more than 30 years, Earth Day has become an integral part of 
our Nation's environmental consciousness. No matter how you choose to 
celebrate Earth Day, you will be taking part in an international effort 
to preserve our natural resources and build a healthier tomorrow.
  I yield the floor.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The assistant Democratic leader.

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