    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book I)]
    [April 22, 2004]
    [Pages 649-653]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks on Earth Day in Wells, Maine
    April 22, 2004

        So great to be here, thanks. Gosh, my outlook improved dramatically
    the minute I stepped on this beautiful piece of land. Thanks for having
    me, and thanks for coming out to say hello. It's my honor to celebrate
    Earth Day with you in a State that I know pretty darn well, in a State
    that I love, in an area that I now realize I know well because it was
    right off the beach here that old Number 41
    and I liked to try to catch striped bass. [Laughter] It's a pretty good
    place to fish around here.
        Before I start going on too long about Mother Earth, I do want to
    recognize my mother on Earth. Thanks for coming, Mom. I hope you're up the road making my bed. [Laughter]
        Earth Day has become a great tradition in our country. It's a day
    that reminds us that we must be good stewards of the land around us.
    That's what this day says to us, and we're lucky to live in America,
    because we're blessed with such unbelievable lands. As the President,
    I'm fortunate to be able to travel and see a lot of our beautiful
    Nation, whether it be from the--from Maine to the Big Sur in California
    or parts of the great State of Texas that are beautiful to look at too.
        The importance about Earth Day is, is that it reminds us that we
    can't take the natural wonders for granted. That's what Earth Day says
    to me, and I hope it says to you as well that we have responsibilities
    to the natural world to conserve that which we have and to make it even
    better. That's the call for Earth Day. In the years since Earth Day was
    established, America has made great strides in honoring the ideal of
    conservation and living by high standards of stewardship. We've made
    tremendous progress during the last 4 years. I have a responsibility as
    the President to put people in an administration that understands the
    importance of conserving our natural resources and making them better.
        My administration has put in place some of the most important
    antipollution policies in a decade, policies that have reduced harmful
    emissions, reclaimed brownfields, cut phosphorus releases into our
    rivers and streams. Since 2001, the condition of America's land, air,
    and water has improved.
        Today I want to talk about wetlands. The old policy of wetlands was
    to limit the loss of wetlands. Today I'm going to announce a new policy
    and a new goal for our country. Instead of just limiting our losses, we
    will expand the wetlands of America.
        I appreciate Paul very much. He's a--obviously
    a good manager. First of all, he loves what he does. He cares deeply
    about the mission. He's got such a joyous smile on his face that he must
    be an easy fellow to work with. And I want to thank him for his
    hospitality. He didn't even complain about the size of my entourage or
    the imposition that we must have imposed on Paul and his great staff. I
    also want to thank the staff for working hard to make sure this slice of
    heaven is as beautiful as possible.
        I appreciate so very much State Senator Paul Davis joining us today--Senator. Yes, thanks for coming. I
    suspect there are some local officials who are here. Thanks for being
    here. I like to remind local officials to make sure that you empty the
    garbage and fill the potholes. [Laughter]
        I had the honor of meeting Ray and Becky
    Davis at the airport. They're local citizens.
    The reason I bring up Ray and Becky is because they're the parents of
    three sons who are now wearing the uniform of the United States
    Military. [Applause] Sergeant Graham Davis,
    Marine Corps, thank you, sir; Private First Class Stuart Davis, who is now in Afghanistan--make sure, Graham, that
    you--make sure

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    you tell your brother Stuart and brother Bradley that the people not only applauded you, but they
    applauded them as well.
        I want to thank the Davis family for their steadfast support of
    working to secure this--of raising sons who are working hard to secure
    this country. These have been tough times for America, but we're doing
    the right thing. We're spreading freedom and peace so that our children
    can grow up in a peaceful world.
        What's interesting about this year's Earth Day is that it falls in
    the middle of National Volunteer Week. This week we honor the 64 million
    Americans who volunteer. And one of my responsibilities is to call
    people to a higher calling. If you're not volunteering, do so. It will
    make somebody else's life better, including your own. But what makes
    this beautiful part of the world go is the 400 volunteers who work here,
    the 400 volunteers who are exercising their responsibility as citizens
    to make this beautiful part of the world even more beautiful and more
    meaningful.
        And so, first, I want to thank all the volunteers who have taken
    time out of their life to make this such a special spot. Particularly, I
    want to thank Frank and Carol
    Heller. I met Frank and Carol at the
    airport when I landed here in Wells--in Sanford. And I gave them the
    President's Volunteer Service Award. I did so because of their strong
    commitment and work here, but I suspect they'll say they received the
    award on behalf of the other 398 people who make this such a special
    place. Thank you all for working hard here.
        And I saw firsthand why you like to come. It's 1,600 acres of salt
    marshes and beaches and forests and freshwater wetlands. The Wells
    Reserve is an example of how committed people come together to not only
    protect but to improve the environment. It's a good example of what I'm
    going to talk about here in a little bit.
        Community and corporate partners, along with the Federal Government,
    are working on the Drakes Island marsh restoration--community and
    corporate partners. In other words, in order to make sure the
    restoration works, it requires more than just Government. It requires a
    buy-in by community partners. It requires a buy-in by corporate America.
    See, corporate America has a responsibility to the communities in which
    they live. They've got the responsibility to tell the truth when it
    comes to their balance sheets, and they've got the responsibility to
    contribute to the quality of the communities in which they live.
        The Laudholm Farm, where so much environmental education and
    research takes place, is supported by a private trust.
        You support the private trust in Kennebunkport, don't you,
    Mom? So do I. Ray
    Bradbury--we've got Bradbury's Market. [Laughter] The guy who owns it
    has put together a land conservation trust in Kennebunkport. We're proud
    supporters of it. In other words, citizens can make a significant
    difference in improving the quality of the environment, just like those
    who have done so at the Laudholm Farm.
        And at the Little Estuary, I saw the volunteers working on platforms
    that allow students and researchers to view the marsh to understand the
    marsh without harming the grasses or the shoreline. There are good
    people working together for this reserve, for the sake of wildlife, for
    the sake of understanding and knowledge, and for the sake of future
    generations of people who are fortunate enough to come here.
        The work you're doing here to preserve wetlands is an important part
    of a national commitment. For many years, our Nation has been working to
    prevent the net loss of wetlands, and there's a reason why. America's
    wetlands are the habitat for thousands of species of wildlife. Just hang
    out, out in these wetlands out here, and you'll know what I'm talking
    about.
        Up to half of all North American bird species nest or feed in
    wetlands. About half of all threatened and endangered species use
    wetlands. There's some endangered

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    species using the wetlands right here on this piece of property. Our
    wetlands help to trap pollution. What I bet a lot of people don't
    understand is the wetlands help to clean the water as well. They reduce
    the impact of floods. Wetlands stabilize shore areas. As well wetlands
    provide recreational opportunities for guys like me who like to fish and
    for people like my wife who like to watch birds.
        Wetlands have been called the nurseries of life, and their well-
    being is vital to the health of our environment. Three decades ago, the
    United States was losing almost 500,000 acres of wetlands each year.
    Americans understood that couldn't be sustained, and so the Nation began
    to take action. Every level of government, joined by landowners and
    conservationists, worked hard to turn the situation around. In other
    words, it took a collaborative effort of people who cared about the
    environment.
        Our Government began to provide substantial financial incentives for
    landowners to return farmland to wetlands. Taxpayer dollars have been
    matched by States and localities and conservation groups. It's the
    classic public-private partnership for the good of the environment.
        Our national commitment to wetlands is showing good progress--really
    better than good progress when you think about the fact that we were
    losing a half a million acres a year not so many years ago. According to
    figures announced today by the Department of Agriculture, we have
    greatly reduced the annual loss of wetlands. And that's a positive
    development. We're nearing a longstanding goal of actually restoring as
    many acres of wetlands that are lost. The figures show that on
    agricultural lands, we've seen some gains for the first time, which
    leads me to believe we can do a better job in the Nation if we focus our
    attention.
        So today I'm committing our Government to a new policy. We will move
    beyond the no net loss of wetlands in America to having an overall
    increase of Americans' wetlands over the next 5 years. We can achieve
    this goal. It is a realistic goal. To do so, we will work to restore and
    to improve and to protect at least 3 million acres of wetlands over the
    next 5 years.
        First, we will restore at least one million acres of wetlands that
    do not exist today, through expanded incentive and partnership measures
    such as the Department of Ag's Wetlands Reserve Program and through the
    new grants under the Interior Department's North American Wetlands
    Conservation Act, which, by the way, was signed by your husband, my dad.
        Listen, there's a lot of things we can do through these programs. We
    can set streams back on their natural courses, allowing wetlands to
    return. We can provide incentives to our farmers and ranchers to stop
    cultivating areas that were once wetlands and make them wetlands again.
    A good way to make sure we restore wetlands is to take those lands that
    were once wetlands and provide incentives to the landowners and say,
    ``Here's an opportunity for you to contribute to the increase of
    wetlands in America for the good of the country, for the good of the
    habitat of our country, for the good of the wildlife of our country.''
    All these efforts will add to the beauty of our Nation and provide
    habitats for millions of birds and fish.
        Second, we will improve the quality of another million acres of
    existing wetlands through expanded public-private efforts such as the
    Interior Department's Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program. I know
    we've got some people from Fish and Wildlife here today. I want to thank
    you for serving you country so admirably. I appreciate your service.
        As well we will use NOAA's Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and
    Restoration Program. I know we've also got NOAA representatives here
    too. I thank you for coming, and thanks for your good work.
        Too many wetlands are degraded and can no longer support healthy
    wildlife populations, so they need to be restored to

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    health. In other words, they need to be nurtured. They were once
    wetlands areas, and they need to be nurtured back to be a wetland.
        Tomorrow I'm going down to Florida. I'll be seeing Brother. I'll be glad to give him your best. [Laughter] And we're
    going to go to the Everglades. It's a great wetlands area. The problem
    is, is that the wetland--the Everglades have been invaded by a--by
    certain plant species, nonnative plants, that are going to choke out the
    wetlands. And so one of the things we're going to do is to encourage
    programs that will remove these invasive species so that native
    vegetation can return and the wetlands can be revitalized. In other
    words, we can restore wetlands so they function better, so they function
    as the Almighty wanted them to function in the first place. As they
    become healthier--[applause].
        And finally, we will protect an additional one million acres of
    wetlands that are currently at risk by increasing grants for land
    protection programs and by making it easier for farmers and other
    landowners to participate in these programs. We'll encourage these
    landowners to place easements on their wetlands, on the wetland portion
    of their property, so that migratory birds can rest on their long
    journey. In other words, with proper Government policy, we can encourage
    proper habits by private landowners to understand that they can do a
    better job with their land.
        We'll do the ducks and other birds a good turn by not only improving
    the lands--the wetlands but also the lands near the wetlands. It's one
    thing to have a good wetland, but they've got to have a place for the
    ducks to nest as well. And so the program is to be wise about the
    incentive programs we put in place. I'm confident these measures will be
    not only appreciated by people but by birds. [Laughter]
        To meet the goal of wetland expansion, the Government must commit
    money, and my administration is prepared to do so. The first thing we've
    done in the--2002, I signed the farm bill. And one of the most important
    aspects of the farm bill was the conservation titles. It was a
    significant expansion of Federal money available to encourage people to
    expand areas of their farms and ranches, like wetlands.
        And secondly, the budget I proposed--or sent to Congress, proposes
    to spend $349 million on two key wetlands programs, which is an increase
    of more than 50 percent since I first took office. These monies will
    help. These monies will provide proper incentive for good conservation
    measures.
        But the thing I think is very important to emphasize here is that
    good conservation and good stewardship will happen when people say,
    ``I'm just not going to rely upon the Government to be the solution to
    the problem.'' I've come here because this is a great example of people
    seizing the initiative, a great example of where the Government can help
    but not stand in the way of commonsense policies that will make a
    significant difference to the wetlands and the native species. And it
    sends a clear signal to everybody else around our country that if you
    want to be a responsible citizen, do something about the quality of the
    life in the community in which you live.
        It's my honor to come here today to celebrate this fantastic
    project, to remind our fellow citizens that we all have got
    responsibilities, to declare that the Federal Government has set a new,
    important goal of increasing the net--the wetlands all across America,
    and to ask God's blessings on this beautiful part of the world and the
    people who live here.
        Thank you all for coming.

    Note: The President spoke at 12:12 p.m. at the Wells National Estuarine
    Research Reserve. In his remarks, he referred to Paul Dest, manager,
    Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve; Thomas Bradbury, executive
    director, Kennebunkport Conservation Trust; and Gov. Jeb Bush of
    Florida. The National Volunteer Week proclamation of

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    April 16 is listed in Appendix D at the end of this volume.