III. New Community -

The Environment & Public Health

"Preserving the environment is at the core of everything we have to do in our own country. Building businesses, creating jobs, fighting crime and drugs and violence, raising our children to know the difference between right and wrong, and restoring the fabric of our society."

-- President Clinton
April 21, 1994

President Bill Clinton is making common sense reforms in environmental programs to make them work better and cost less. He is working hard to protect our families' health and to provide lasting economic opportunities for generations to come -- and standing up to those who would roll back the clock and eliminate public health and environmental standards. Following are a few of his major accomplishments:

• Reinventing Environmental Regulation. On March 16, 1995, the President announced a comprehensive set of 25 actions to make environmental protection work better and cost less. The President is cutting red tape associated with complying with environmental standards by 25 percent and giving a 6 month enforcement grace period for small businesses who act in good faith.

• Northwest Forest Plan. The President's plan is putting Northwest communities back to work again, while conserving ancient forests for future generations.

• Common Sense Initiative. As part of the President's drive to make government work for people, the Environmental Protection Agency launched this initiative to make health protection cleaner, cheaper and smarter by focusing on results rather than "one-size-fits-all" regulations.

• Community-Right-to-Know. The President expanded the program that requires companies to disclose information about toxic releases in their area, putting power back into the hands of the people.

• California Bay-Delta Water Agreement. After decades of conflict, the Clinton Administration negotiated a consensus plan to protect the most valuable economic and environmental resource of the state of California. The San Francisco Bay and Delta estuary supplies drinking water to two-thirds of Californians, provides irrigation for 45% of America's fruitsand vegetables, and supports 300 aquatic species.

• Recycling. President Clinton signed an executive order to promote recycling, cut solid waste and create jobs.

• Protection for the California Desert. President Clinton fought for, and then signed, the California Desert Protection Act, the largest single designation of parks and wilderness areas ever in the lower 48 states.

• Environmental Technology. The President's environmental technology initiatives are creating jobs for American workers and encouraging innovative new solutions to tough environmental problems.

• Air Pollution. The Clinton Administration is acting on the principle that people should have clean air to breathe. These actions include an unprecedented measure to reduce by 90 percent the toxic air pollutants emitted from chemical plants by 1997.

• Restoration of the Everglades. The Clinton Administration formed a partnership with the State of Florida that broke a six-year legal logjam that has allowed the state to get on with the task of restoring the unique Everglades.

• Wetlands Reform. The President reformed the wetlands program to cut red tape, increase fairness and flexibility for landowners, and protect and enhance the nation's wetlands. On March 6, 1995, the Administration announced a new policy that will allow a couple to build or expand a home without a wetlands permit.