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Congratulatory Messages on EPA's 20th Anniversary
President George Bush
EPA has come a long way and accomplished a great deal in 20 years. But it is clear that EPA has its work cut out for it in the 1990s. I am very pleased that under Bill Reilly's leadership, new approaches to environmental protection are developing that will enable us to build on the progress made in the 1970s and 1980s.
The Clean Air Act is just the most visible element of the environmental agenda we've set out. We have stepped up Superfund enforcement; funded a much more aggressive effort to clean up pollution at federal facilities; agreed to a complete phaseout of CFCs; and proposed a healthy increase for EPA's operating budget. And I have recommended that EPA be elevated to Cabinet status.
As we turn to the future, an important thrust must be pollution prevention. To do this everyone must pitch in. Business leaders, workers, environmental groups, consumers: Everyone needs to work together as partners instead of adversaries.
I hope that 20 or 30 years from now, we'll be able to look back on EPA's 20th birthday and conclude that its was around 1990 when the Agency, and the country, began to chart a new course when we began to exercise foresight in a truly meaningful way.
I know EPA will be there to help bring us into that new era, adding another proud chapter to its already proud history.
Former President Richard M. Nixon
Richard Nixon
577 Chestnut Ridge Road
Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey
December 3, 1990
I am especially pleased to send greetings to all those who have gathered today to mark the twentieth anniversary of the Environmental Protection Agency. Having been "present at the creation," it is particularly gratifying to know that the EPA stands today at the forefront of our national fight for the environment.
When I proposed the creation of EPA in 1970, I said, "The Congress, the Administration, and the public all share a profound commitment to the rescue of our natural environment, and the preservation of the Earth as a place both habitable by and hospitable to man." These words are as true today as they were twenty years ago -- only today we are closer to our goal. Under the outstanding leadership of Director Reilly, the EPA is ready to move forward into the next century, leading the effort to preserve and protect our natural heritage in this great and beautiful land.
Congratulations!
Richard M. Nixon
National Governors Association
The Honorable William K. Reilly
Administrator
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Waterside West Building
401 "M" Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20460
Dear Mr. Reilly:
Congratulations on your twentieth anniversary. During your comparatively brief history, you have become both a national and world leader in strengthening environmental interests. Yours has been an essential and unique contribution to our precious planet, and we heartily applaud your tireless efforts.
Twenty years ago this week, the creation of your agency reflected a nation's collective belief that the health and wellbeing of the country and its citizenry fundamentally depend upon the integrity of healthy, functioning natural systems. And while this collective belief was manifested in the creation of an agency that would serve as a federal focal point for environmental initiatives, EPA's recognition that states serve on the "front lines" for environmental protection has never wavered. Indeed, EPA serves to remind the American people that an environmental ethic in decisionmaking at all levels of government is urgently needed.
EPA's partnership with the states in protecting natural resources has never been more important. We believe that the past two decades of innovative approaches to environmental protection have been a mere forecast of the great things to come.
On behalf of the nation's Governors, HAPPY BIRTHDAY EPA!
Governor Booth Gardner
Governor John Ashcroft
Mostafa K. Tolba
Under Secretary General, United Nations
Executive Director, United Nations Environment Programme
It is a pleasure to congratulate the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on the occasion of its 20th anniversary. The hard work of your civil servants over the past 20 years has made an important contribution to environmental management.
Your Agency's existence is a living testimony to the power of the citizenry when they speak in unified voice, for it was their message that led to the creation of this important agency. In 1972, when the United Nations Environment Programme was created there were less than a dozen government environmental bodies in the world. Today there are over 115. In the intervening years many from around the world have come to you seeking your counsel and guidance. It is my hope that your agency can assume new responsibilities in leading the way in dealing with global environmental problems. We at UNEP look forward to our continued and even more strengthened collaboration with you on the INFOTERRA program, the International Register for Potentially Toxic Chemicals, in pollution prevention programs (particularly as they relate to air and water quality), oceans and coastal areas, [and] especially land based sources of pollution.
The recent adoption by the U.S. of the Clean Air Act demonstrates once again, that Americans, in the long run, know how to strike balanced bargains for the environment and for their children's future needs.