Contact: White House, Office of the Press Secretary, 202-456-2580

WASHINGTON, April 20 /Standard Newswire/ -- The following is a statement by President Bush:

As we observe the 38th Earth Day this Sunday, we celebrate the rich blessings of our Nation’s natural resources, and we renew our commitment to protecting our environment so we leave our children and grandchildren a flourishing land.

By encouraging cooperative conservation, innovation, and new technologies, my Administration has compiled a strong environmental record.  This Earth Day, harmful air pollutant levels are down more than ten percent since 2001.  Millions more Americans are drinking cleaner, safer water.  We have removed hazardous fuels from more than 19 million acres of federal land.  We have created, restored, or protected more than 2.5 million acres of wetlands, and we have conserved almost 200 million of acres of habitat through Farm Bill conservation programs.  And we are taking positive steps to confront the important challenge of climate change.  Our work is not done.   We also have a responsibility to pass on to future generations our commitment to the environment.  

To do so, we must ensure that future generations have a strong connection to nature.  This will require working together to protect and conserve not only nationally significant natural wonders but also local parks, ponds, and working lands where parents and mentors can teach young people about the outdoors through recreational activities such as fishing, hunting, biking and nature watching. And we must also encourage Americans of all ages to get involved in conservation-related volunteer activities. 

I call on all Americans to commemorate this Earth Day by recommitting to being good stewards of our land and oceans. When we do so, we take an important step forward to a more vibrant future for our country.