Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0637.000 2010-2012 Jet'%-� ',$`•. BRITTANY <R•�� Phone: (808) 961-8263 RITTANY SMART ���`�'�r `; Fax: (808) 961-8912 Councilmember t �, r' ' Hawaii County Council ____n,;�� bsmart @co.hawaii.hi.us District 6 • ; °f :• Upper Puna, Ka`u, South Kona • ''•os �' Hawai`i County Council =' ? County of Hawaii 25 Aupuni Street J14 Hilo, Hawaii 96720 DATE: March 14, 2012 w TO: Dominic Yagong, Chairperson and Members of the Hawaii County Council FROM: o Brittany Smart, Council Member Subject: Requesting Time to Report on the White House Conference on Conservation held in Washington D.C. on March 2, 2012 Requesting time at the next scheduled Governmental Relations Committee (April 3, 2012) to present a detailed report of White House Conference on Conservation Meeting. A discussion of hunter access will be included. Attached, for discussion are 1) White House Press Release via Department of the Interior, 2) White House Blog - America's Great Outdoors, and 3) a transcript of President Obama's Opening Speech. BS/nh Comm. No. CO 3 7 Ref. To: 67 72-C_ Ref. Date MAR 16 2012 Serving the Interests of the People of Our Island Hawaii County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer White House Conference Sets Stage for New Era of Conservation The White House Page 1 of Get Email Updates Contact Us White House Conference Sets Stage for New Era of Conservation EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY WASHINGTON,D.C.20503 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 2,2012 White House Conference Sets Stage for New Era of Conservation Community-driven conservation and outdoor recreation initiatives powering economy,protecting healthy lands, water and wildlife WASHINGTON—Today,President Obama and members of his Cabinet convened the White House Conference on Conservation to engage directly with conservation leaders from all 50 states to strengthen partnerships and identify next steps in advancing community-driven conservation and outdoor recreation initiatives that are building strong local economies and healthy lands,waters and wildlife across America. Today's conference–titled Growing America's Outdoor Heritage and Economy–is part of the President's America's Great Outdoors initiative to establish a community-based,21'`century agenda for conservation,recreation, and reconnecting Americans to the outdoors.The event brought together hundreds of boaters,hunters,anglers, farmers,ranchers,land conservationists,historic preservationists,outdoor recreationists,small business owners,local governments,tribal leaders and other key stakeholders from around the nation to meet with Obama administration officials to discuss issues surrounding conservation in urban cities and rural communities. The conference capped a week of conservation announcements,including. • Outdoor Education:On Monday,Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced a new agreement to build programs that use national parks,national wildlife refuges and other public lands as 21st century classrooms–designed to benefit teachers,students and parents in rural America and urban classrooms alike.These programs will connect young Americans to the outdoors,improve environmental literacy,support experiential learning outside the classroom,and encourage conservation partnerships at the local level. • Driving Tourism&Recreation:On Tuesday,Secretary Salazar and National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis released the 2010 Economic Benefits to Local Communities from National Park Visitation and Payroll Report. According to the report,visitors to the National Park System contributed more than$31 billion to local economies and supported 258,000 jobs in 2010,an increase of$689 million and 11,500 jobs over 2009. • Creating a New Water Trail System:On Wednesday,Secretary Salazar and Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Jo-Ellen Darcy announced the creation of a new National Water Trails System,a network that will increase access to water-based outdoor recreation,encourage community stewardship of local waterways,and promote tourism that fuels local economies across America. The Chattahoochee River Water Trail in Georgia was selected as the first to join the new system. • Conserving 1 Million Acres of Grasslands and Wetlands:Today,Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced additional opportunities for producers to enroll land in the Conservation Reserve Program(CRP), including a total of 1 million acres in CRP initiatives to preserve grasslands and wetlands.USDA's CRP has a 25-year legacy of successfully protecting the nation's natural resources through voluntary participation,while providing significant economic and environmental benefits to rural communities across the United States.Under the Obama Administration,USDA has enrolled more than 8 million acres in CRP.The goal of the new CRP grasslands and wetlands initiative is to increase enrollment of environmentally sensitive land through targeted signups. Additionally,the U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service today announced that they are recommending a conservation investment of approximately$30 million,or seventy percent of the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund,in the nation's prairie pothole region. Long recognized as America's"duck factory,"the significant investment will help protect habitat for the waterfowl and grassland species of the prairies. http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq/Press_Releases/March_2_2012 3/13/2012 White House Conference Sets Stage for New Era of Conservation l The White House Page 2 of L • Community Engagement:Today,EPA Administrator Jackson joined with federal and community partners to announce the first Urban Waters Ambassador of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership. The Partnership,an innovative federal union comprised of 11 agencies is an effort to help cities,particularly those that are underserved or economically distressed,connect with their waterways and work to improve them.The ambassador,serving the Los Angeles River location of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership,is the first of seven to be sponsored by EPA,USDA and DOI for each of the Urban Waters locations across the country. Urban Waters Ambassadors will accelerate and coordinate on-the-ground projects that are critical to improving water quality and public health,and fostering community stewardship in urban watersheds. • Protecting and Restoring our Waterways and Fisheries:Through the National Fish Habitat Partnership, Federal agencies are helping state and local governments,landowners,and community groups to protect and restore our waterways and fisheries. This national effort has spawned regional and local partnerships.Today the Secretaries of Interior,Agriculture and Commerce committed to signing an agreementto promote collaborative,science-based conservation of our waterways and fisheries. The agreement ensures that Federal resources are effectively focused on locally supported conservation strategies developed by fish habitat partnerships. "President Obama launched the America's Great Outdoors Initiative to create a 21st century conservation agenda with American people,"said Nancy Sutley,Chair of the While House Council on Environmental Quality.From investing billions of dollars to restoring places like the Everglades and the Great Lakes,to partnering with private landowners to conserve tens of millions of acres across the country,the Administration is making it a priority to protect and restore the places communities depend on." "People across the country are coming together to protect and preserve the places that nurture our souls,provide opportunities for recreation,and power our economies,"said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar,who hosted the conference at the Interior Department."We know that an investment in conservation now is a direct investment into our nation's economy—and one that will benefit generations to come.Today we heard from the people who are making a real difference in their communities and discussed how we can be better partners in fulfilling a shared vision for conservation in the 21st century." "President Obama launched the America's Great Outdoors Initiative to foster a 21st century approach to conservation that is designed by and accomplished in partnership with the American people,"said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack."Protecting our natural resources creates jobs in rural communities,preserves habitat for fish and wildlife,and ensures that our nation's outdoor heritage will continue to be enjoyed by future generations." "Expanding access to outdoor recreation and green spaces can benefit the health and economies of people and communities across the nation.That's especially true in our nation's cities where parks and waterfront areas can inject new life into urban communities,"said EPA Administrator Lisa P.Jackson."We're glad that agencies throughout the administration are bringing their expertise to this important initiative,and we're excited that the 21st century conservation strategy we're building continues to be shaped by meeting people where they live,and finding out how we serve their needs." The Corps of Engineers is proud to have been a part of this important White House conference on conservation,"said Jo-Ellen Darcy,Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works."We look forward to continuing restoration efforts throughout the country.Our role in restoration and expanding opportunities for communities to participate in it is why we are here today.We look forward to strengthening our local partnerships and advancing job and volunteer opportunities related to conservation and outdoor recreation." The conference featured panels and breakout sessions panels led by conservation leaders such as Kirk Bauer from Maryland,a disabled Vietnam Veteran who has been serving as Executive Director of Disabled Sports USA for more than thirty years,and Dave Koehler from California,who oversees conservation land transactions,river restoration, and environmental education as the Executive Director of the San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust. A full conference agenda is available here. Locally-led conservation,preservation and outdoor recreation initiatives have been an important part of the Obama administration's work. Through President Obama's America's Great Outdoors Initiative(AGO),the administration is opening up access to millions of acres for recreation,designating thousands of miles of new land and water trails, increasing youth employment in conservation jobs,helping parks and green space become more accessible and clean in urban areas,and making historic investments in large landscapes such as the Everglades. The initiative is empowering locally-led conservation and outdoor recreation efforts,from supporting the working landscapes of the Dakota Grasslands and the Flint Hills in Kansas,to designating the Fort Monroe National Monument in Virginia,to countless other success stories across the country. Click here to read a fact sheet on the Obama administration's conservation record. _ http://www.whitehouse•gov/administration/eop/ceq/Press_Releases/March 2_2012 3/13/2012 Growing America's Outdoor Heritage and Economy 1 The White House Page 1 of 2 Get Email Updates Contact Us Home•The White House Blog Search WhiteHouse.gov 4t.4rt$5 The White House Blog Subscribe E OBA 1A ENERGY At=EN ale f.! ,. ' /,l • fi .. i , Our Top „ s Stories .! ; $1i f � ' g �, ,.. „ The Facts on Gas Prices: The Employment Situation in Vice President Biden Travels to What You Need to Know About Infographic February Mexico and Honduras Today's Housing Announcement Growing America's Outdoor Heritage and Economy Economy and Jobs VWHITEHOUSE.GOV IN YOUR INBOX '.. Sign up for energy and i environment updates i Your Email Address 1 i#St P• Secretary Ken Salazar March 02,2012 _ , 02 36 PM EDT d ayw.,uw.. --- --- PHOTOS OF THE DAY I i k Share This Post t_ �"- ., - t,q t w s 7 ,.V s,. President Barack Obama is seen on a monitor as he delivers remarks duringp conservation conference at � the Department ofthe Interior in Washington,D.C.,March 2,2012.(Official Wlite House Photo by `3, Lawrence Jackson) �� r. There is no doubt that our nation's public lands—national parks,refuges,waterways and VIEW PHOTO GALLERIES open spaces—are economic engines that produce and support jobs across the country. JUMP TO: On Tuesday,a report issued by the National Park Service showed that visitors to the A Specific Month National Park System contributed more than$31 billion to local economies and supported `' , H 258,000 jobs in 2010,an increase of$689 million and 11,500 jobs over 2009. Other W H White House Blogs These are incredible numbers—and just a slice of the pie when it comes to the economic contributions of our public lands. For example,recreation in national parks,refuges,and other public lands led to nearly$55 billion and 440,000 jobs in 2009. That's part of the reason that President Obama called on his administration to take actions to promote travel and tourism in the United States. Investing in our parks and public lands and promoting them to visitors,especially internationally,is one way we can make the United States-with all its natural,historic and cultural assets-the top tourist destination in the world. International travel to the U.S.already supports 1.2 million jobs alone,so our efforts will help bolster job creation. This is one of the topics we're discussing today at the White House Conference on Conservation where President Obama and senior members of his Cabinet are meeting with conservation leaders from across the country to strengthen partnerships and identify next steps in advancing community-driven conservation,preservation and outdoor http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/03/02/growing-america-s-outdo or-heritage-and-eco... 3/13/2012 Growing America's Outdoor Heritage and Economy I The White House Page 2 of 2 recreation initiatives that are building strong local economies and healthy lands,waters and wildlife. The White House conference—Growing America's Outdoor Heritage and Economy—is bringing together hundreds of boaters,hunters,anglers,farmers,ranchers,land conservationists,historic preservationists,outdoor recreationists,small business owners, local governments,tribal leaders and other key stakeholders from around the nation. The Obama administration has already made great strides on conservation.And,together with our local communities across the country,we can continue the march of progress in implementing President Obama's America's Great Outdoors initiative to create a conservation and outdoor recreation agenda for the 21't century. Ken Salazar is the Secretary of the Interior Related Topics:Economy,Energy and Environment PREVIOUS POST NEXT POST Nine New Administrative Patent Judges Weekly Wrap Up:A Nation's Gratitude Will Help Entrepreneurs Turn Ideas Into Jobs Featured Content tAyr, ;le t We Can't Wait Job Resources for Returning Heroes End of the Iraq War te. lt. ("L'1:>.utC.O1. s.::'.f. t..lV En espalol Accessibility Copyright Information Privacy Policy I Contact USA.gov i Subscribe to RSS Feeds Apply for a Job http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/03/02/growing-america-s-outdoor-heritage-and-eco... 3/13/2012 Remarks by the President at Conservation Conference Department of Interior Washington, D.C. 3/2/12 5:32 P.M. EST THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, everybody. Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you so much. Everybody, have a seat. Have a seat. (Applause.) Well, it is good to have all of you in here. Welcome to Washington. I want to thank Ken Salazar for the introduction. Did everybody know that it's his birthday today? (Laughter.) All right -- has he milked that enough? (Laughter.) I just want to make sure everybody wished him a happy birthday. Turning 40 is tough. (Laughter.) We've also got our outstanding Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, in the house. (Applause.) Our wonderful EPA Administrator, Lisa Jackson, is with us. (Applause.) And I want to thank all of you for being a part of this conference. Now, I have to say that this is a pretty diverse group here today. We've got hunters and fishermen; we've got farmers and ranchers; we've got conservationists; we've got small business owners; we've got local government leaders; we've got tribal leaders. And some of you may have just wandered in -- I don't know. (Laughter.) But you're all here for the same reason. Each of you has a deep appreciation for the incredible natural resources, the incredible bounty that we've been blessed with as a nation. And you're working hard every day to make sure those resources are around for my daughters and your children and hopefully their children to enjoy. Doing that takes creativity. The great Aldo Leopold once said that conservation is "a positive exercise of skill and insight, not merely a negative exercise of abstinence and caution." It's not just about doing nothing; it's about doing something affirmative to make sure that we are passing on this incredible blessing that we have. And you also know that effective conservation is about more than just protecting our environment -- it's about strengthening our economy. When we put in place new common-sense rules to reduce air pollution, like we did in December, it was to prevent our kids from breathing in dangerous chemicals. That's something we should all be able to agree on. But it will also create new jobs, building and installing all sorts of pollution control technology. And since it will prevent thousands of heart attacks and cases of childhood asthma, it will also take some strain off our health care system. When we make a commitment to restore a million acres of grasslands and wetlands and wildlife habitat -- like the Department of Agriculture and Interior did today -- we're not just preserving our land and water for the next generation. We're also making more land available for hunting and fishing. And we're bolstering an outdoor economy that supports more than 9 million jobs and brings in more than a trillion dollars a year. (Applause.) And when we make it easier to visit this country -- like we've done recently at accelerating the process for foreign travelers to get visas -- we're not just boosting tourism in big cities and places like Disney World. We're helping more people discover our parks and our mountains and our beaches. And more visitors means more people renting cars and staying in hotels and eating at our restaurants and buying our equipment. So the work you're doing today is important if we're going to grow our economy and put more people back to work. But conservation is also important when it comes to another issue that I've been talking about lately, and that's developing new sources of American- made energy. Obviously, gas prices are on a lot of folks' minds right now. And we're getting another painful reminder of why developing new energy is so important for our future. Of course, because it's an election year, everybody is trotting out their 3-point plans for $2.00 gas. And you know what that involves, is you drill and then you drill and then you drill some more. We've heard this for 30 years. The American people know better. They understand we can't just drill our way out of high gas prices. We're doing everything we can to boost U.S. production. But if we're going to take control of our energy future and avoid these gas price spikes in the future, then we've got to have a sustained, all-of-the-above strategy that develops every available source of American energy -- yes, oil and gas, but also wind and solar and biofuels, and more. And we're making progress on this front. In 2010, our dependence on foreign oil was under 50 percent for the first time in 13 years. (Applause.) Because of the investments we've made, the use of clean, renewable energy in this country has nearly doubled. (Applause.) And in my State of the Union address, I announced that we're allowing the development of clean energy on enough public land to power 3 million homes -- 3 million homes. That protects our environment and it helps families and businesses save money. But while it's important to use public lands to develop things like wind and solar energy, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil, we've also got to focus on protecting our planet. That's why Teddy Roosevelt made sure that as we build this country and harvest its bounty, we also protect its beauty. That's part of our national character. And historically, it's been bipartisan. That's why, even as our country grew by leaps and bounds, we made sure to set aside places like the Grand Canyon for our children and our grandchildren. It's why my administration has stood up to protect its waters. That's why President Kennedy directed a portion of the revenues from oil and gas production to help communities build trails and ball fields -- and why my administration has fought to protect the Land and Water Conservation Fund. (Applause.) That's why the hunters and anglers in this country have always been willing to pay a few extra bucks for a fishing license or a duck stamp that helps protect streams and habitats -- because they want to make sure that their grandkids can enjoy these same pastimes. That's why my administration is expanding access to public lands so that more Americans can cast a rod or teach their children how to hunt. We have to keep investing in the technology and manufacturing that helps us lead the world, but we've also got to protect the places that help define who we are, that help shape our character and our soul as a nation. Places that help attract visitors and create jobs, but that also give something to our kids that is irreplaceable. And all of us have a role to play. One of the first bills I signed after taking office was the Public Lands bill that protected more than a thousand miles of rivers and established new national parks and trails. (Applause.) And two years ago, thanks to some great work by my Cabinet, and Ken Salazar especially, I kicked off the America's Great Outdoors initiative to support conservation projects happening in all 50 states, including Fort Monroe in Virginia, which just became America's 396th national park. (Applause.) Right now, we're restoring the River of Grass in the Everglades, providing clean water to millions of residents -- (applause) -- creating thousands of jobs -- construction jobs -- in southern Florida. We need to keep moving forward on projects like these. And I know we've got ranchers and farmers and landowners here today who represent places like the Crown of the Continent in Montana, the Dakota Grasslands, and everywhere in between. We need to keep working to protect these incredible landscapes that all of you know so well. The bottom line is this: There will always be people in this country who say we've got to choose between clean air and clean water and a growing economy, between doing right by our environment and putting people back to work. And I'm here to tell you that is a false choice. (Applause.) That is a false choice. (Applause.) With smart, sustainable policies, we can grow our economy today and protect our environment for ourselves and our children. We know it's possible. And we know it because of what's been happening in communities like yours, where compromise isn't a dirty word, where folks can recognize a good idea no matter where it comes from. A while back, I heard a story about the Rogue River in Oregon. Every year, the Rogue is filled with salmon swimming upstream to spawn. But because factories were allowed to -- allowing warm water to run back into the river, the temperature was becoming too high for the salmon to survive. So to fix the problem, the town could have required the company to buy expensive cooling equipment, but that would have hurt the local economy. Instead, they decided to pay farmers and ranchers to plant trees along the banks of the river, and that helped to cool the water at a fraction of the cost. So it worked for business; it worked for farmers; it worked for salmon. And those are the kinds of ideas that we need in this country -- ideas that preserve our environment, protect our bottom line, and connect more Americans to the great outdoors. And this is personally important to me. Some of you know that I grew up in Hawaii mostly, and we got some pretty nice outdoors in Hawaii. (Laughter.) And you spend a lot of time outdoors, and you learn very early on to appreciate this incredible splendor. But I remember when I was 11, I had never been to the mainland, and my grandmother and my mother and my sister, who at the time was two, decided we were going to take a big summer trip. And we traveled across the country. And mostly we took Greyhound buses. My grandmother was getting -- she had some eye problems, and so she couldn't see that well, so she was a little nervous about driving long distances. Sometimes we took the train. And we went to the usual spots -- Disneyland. I was 11, right? (Laughter.) But I still remember traveling up to Yellowstone, and coming over a hill, and suddenly just hundreds of deer and seeing bison for the first time, and seeing Old Faithful. And I remember that trip giving me a sense of just how immense and how grand this country was, and how diverse it was -- and watching folks digging for clams in Puget Sound, and watching ranchers, and seeing our first Americans guide me through a canyon in Arizona. And it gave you a sense of just what it is that makes America special. And so when I went back to Yellowstone, with Ken and my daughters -- that was the first time they had been -- and I'm standing there -- I'm thinking not only about them and the first time they're seeing this, but I'm also remembering back to when my grandmother and my mother had shown me this amazing country so many years before. And that is part of what we have to fight for. That's what's critical, is making sure that we're always there to bequeath that gift to the next generation. (Applause.) And if you'll work with me, I promise I'll do everything I can -- (applause) -- I'll do everything I can to help protect our economy but also protect this amazing planet that we love and this great country that we've been blessed with. Thank you very much, everybody. God bless you. God bless America. END 5:46 P.M. EST