Good afternoon: Every year since George Washington's time, the President of the United States has sent a message to the Congress about the State of our American Union and the measures which he felt the legislative and executive branches of Government should take in partnership to improve it. This year, I am presenting my State of the Union report not just in one speech but in several messages on individual topics to permit more careful consideration of the challenges we face. And because both the President and the Congress are servants of the people, I am inviting the people to join with us in considering these issues, by discussing them in a series of radio talks. Today I want to talk with you about the first of these detailed messages, the one on the state of America's natural resources and environment, which I will send to the Congress later this week. President Abraham Lincoln, whose memory we are honoring this week, observed in his State of the Union message in 1862 that "A nation may be said to consist of its territory, its people, and its laws. The territory," he said, "is the only part which is of certain durability." In recent years, however, we have come to realize that what Lincoln called our "territory"--that is, our land, air, water, minerals, and the like--is not of "certain durability" after all. Instead, we have learned that these natural resources are fragile and finite, and that many have been seriously damaged or despoiled. To put it another way, we realized that self-destructive tendencies were endangering the American earth during the 1960's in much the same way as conflicting political forces had endangered the body politic during the 1860's. When we came to office in 1969, we tackled this challenge with all the power at our command. Now, in 1973, I can report that America is well on the way to winning the war against environmental degradation--well on the way to making our peace with nature. Day by day, our air is getting cleaner. In virtually every one of our major cities, the levels of air pollution are declining. Month by month, our water pollution problems are also being conquered, our noise and pesticide problems are yielding to new initiatives, our parklands and protected wilderness areas are increasing. Year by year, our commitment of public funds for environmental programs continues to grow. Some people claim that we are not spending enough. But they ignore the fact that Federal spending for protection of our environment and natural resources has increased fourfold in the last 4 years. In the area of water quality alone, it has grown fifteen fold. In fact, we are now buying new facilities nearly as fast as the construction industry can build them. Spending still more money would not buy us more pollution control facilities but only more expensive ones. In addition to what Government is doing in the battle against pollution, our private industries are assuming a steadily growing share of responsibility in this field. Last year industrial spending for pollution control jumped by 50 percent. This year it could reach as much as $5 billion. As befits America's world leadership role, we are also moving vigorously with other nations to preserve the global environment. The United States-Soviet environmental cooperation agreement which I signed in Moscow last year makes two of the world's greatest industrial powers allies against pollution. Another agreement which we concluded last year with Canada will help to clean up the Great Lakes. The ocean-dumping curbs passed by the Congress at my urging have put this country in the forefront of the international effort to protect the seas. We can be proud of our record in this field over the past 4 years. But a record is not something to stand on, it is something to build on. Nineteen important natural resources and environmental bills which I submitted to the last Congress were not enacted. In the coming weeks, I shall once again send these urgently needed proposals to the Congress so that the unfinished environmental business of the 92d Congress can become the first environmental achievements of the 93d Congress. Let me highlight three of the other major subjects which we will be addressing in 1973: wise land use, energy, and a healthy, expanding farm economy. Land in America is no longer a resource we can take for granted. We no longer live with an open frontier. Just as we must conserve and protect our air and our water, so we must conserve and protect the land--and plan for its wise and balanced use. Some progress is being made-but antiquated land-use laws, overlapping jurisdictions, and outdated institutions are still permitting haphazard development which can spoil both the utility and the beauty of the land. That is why I will urge passage again this year of legislation designed to encourage States to establish effective means of controlling land use. That is why I will reintroduce my proposals to bring coherence to Federal mining and mineral leasing laws, better management of the Federal lands, and enlightened regulation of surface and underground mining. The energy crisis was dramatized by fuel shortages this winter. We must face up to a stark fact. We are now consuming more energy than we produce in America. A year and a half ago I sent to the Congress the first Presidential message ever devoted to the energy question. I shall soon submit a new and far more comprehensive energy message containing wide-ranging initiatives to insure necessary supplies of energy at acceptable economic and environmental costs. In the meantime, to help meet immediate needs, I have temporarily suspended import quotas on home heating oil east of the Rocky Mountains. Energy policy will continue to be a matter of the highest priority, as shown by my budget proposal to increase funding for energy research and development even in a tight budget year. One of the most precious natural resources since our earliest days has been American agriculture. Our farmers have kept us the best fed, best clothed nation in the history of mankind, while enabling us to export farm products at a level that will reach an all-time annual record of $ 10 billion this year. Net farm income last year also reached a record high--over $19 billion, an increase of 30 percent over 4 years. This Administration has responded to the farmer's desire for less Federal intervention by giving him expanded opportunity in planting his acreage. The day is gone when Washington can enlarge its role on the farm at the expense of the farmer's freedom to make his own decisions. The goal of all our farm policies and programs is just the reverse. We want freer markets and expanded individual responsibility. We want to keep the farmer on his land and the Government off. I shall recommend a number of additional initiatives to preserve and enhance our natural resources in the State of the Union report on this topic to the Congress later in the week. These then are the basic principles which should continue to guide all our efforts in environment and natural resources policy in the future. First, we must strike a balance so that the protection of our irreplaceable heritage becomes as important as its use. The price of economic growth need not and will not be deterioration in the quality of our lives and our surroundings. Second, because there are no local or State boundaries to the problems of our environment, the Federal Government must play an active, positive role. We can and will set standards. We can and will exercise leadership. We are providing necessary funding support. And we will provide encouragement and incentive for others to help with the job. But Washington must not displace State and local initiative. We shall expect the State and local governments--along with the private section--to play the central role in this field. Third, the costs of pollution should be more fully met in the free marketplace, not in the Federal budget. For example, the price of pollution control devices for automobiles should be borne by the owner and the user, not by the general taxpayer. People should not have to pay for pollution they do not cause. Fourth, we must realize that each individual must take the responsibility for looking after his own home and workplace. These daily surroundings are the environment where most Americans spend most of their time. They reflect people's pride in themselves and their consideration for their communities. Your backyard is not the domain of the Federal Government. Finally, we must remain confident that America's technological and economic ingenuity will be equal to our environmental challenges. We will not look upon these challenges as insurmountable obstacles. Instead, we shall convert the so-called crisis of the environment into an opportunity for unprecedented progress. Now is the time to stop the handwringing and roll up our sleeves and get on with the job. Now is the time to reject the doomsday mentality which says we are destined to pollute ourselves out of existence. The advocates of defeatism warn us of all that is wrong. I remind them and all Americans of our genius for responsive adaptability and our enormous reservoir of spirit. The destiny of our land, the air we breathe, the water we drink is not in • the mystical hands of an uncontrollable agent, it is in our hands. A future which brings the balancing of our resources-preserving quality with quantity--is a future limited only by the boundaries of our will to get the job done. Each one of us has a personal stake in the task ahead. The choice is always ours, for better or for worse. Above all, we need pride in this beautiful country of ours, belief in our own strength and resourcefulness. One of the most memorable experiences I have had as President occurred last year during my visit to the People's Republic of China when the Chinese Army Band played "America the Beautiful." This song of tribute to our Nation was also played at my inauguration 4 years ago and again this year. No one will sing "America the Beautiful" with greater feeling than our prisoners of war as they return home from years of Communist captivity in Indochina. America is a beautiful country. By our commitment to conservation, restoration, and renewal, let us resolve to make America even more beautiful for the generations to come. Thank you and good afternoon.
Good afternoon: Every year since George Washington's time, the President of the United States has sent a message to the Congress about the State of our American Union and the measures which he felt the legislative and executive branches of Government should take in partnership to improve it. This year, I am presenting my State of the Union report not just in one speech but in several messages on individual topics to permit more careful consideration of the challenges we face. And because both the President and the Congress are servants of the people, I am inviting the people to join with us in considering these issues, by discussing them in a series of radio talks. Today I want to talk with you about the first of these detailed messages, the one on the state of America's natural resources and environment, which I will send to the Congress later this week. President Abraham Lincoln, whose memory we are honoring this week, observed in his State of the Union message in 1862 that "A nation may be said to consist of its territory, its people, and its laws. The territory," he said, "is the only part which is of certain durability." In recent years, however, we have come to realize that what Lincoln called our "territory"--that is, our land, air, water, minerals, and the like--is not of "certain durability" after all. Instead, we have learned that these natural resources are fragile and finite, and that many have been seriously damaged or despoiled. To put it another way, we realized that self-destructive tendencies were endangering the American earth during the 1960's in much the same way as conflicting political forces had endangered the body politic during the 1860's. When we came to office in 1969, we tackled this challenge with all the power at our command. Now, in 1973, I can report that America is well on the way to winning the war against environmental degradation--well on the way to making our peace with nature. Day by day, our air is getting cleaner. In virtually every one of our major cities, the levels of air pollution are declining. Month by month, our water pollution problems are also being conquered, our noise and pesticide problems are yielding to new initiatives, our parklands and protected wilderness areas are increasing. Year by year, our commitment of public funds for environmental programs continues to grow. Some people claim that we are not spending enough. But they ignore the fact that Federal spending for protection of our environment and natural resources has increased fourfold in the last 4 years. In the area of water quality alone, it has grown fifteen fold. In fact, we are now buying new facilities nearly as fast as the construction industry can build them. Spending still more money would not buy us more pollution control facilities but only more expensive ones. In addition to what Government is doing in the battle against pollution, our private industries are assuming a steadily growing share of responsibility in this field. Last year industrial spending for pollution control jumped by 50 percent. This year it could reach as much as $5 billion. As befits America's world leadership role, we are also moving vigorously with other nations to preserve the global environment. The United States-Soviet environmental cooperation agreement which I signed in Moscow last year makes two of the world's greatest industrial powers allies against pollution. Another agreement which we concluded last year with Canada will help to clean up the Great Lakes. The ocean-dumping curbs passed by the Congress at my urging have put this country in the forefront of the international effort to protect the seas. We can be proud of our record in this field over the past 4 years. But a record is not something to stand on, it is something to build on. Nineteen important natural resources and environmental bills which I submitted to the last Congress were not enacted. In the coming weeks, I shall once again send these urgently needed proposals to the Congress so that the unfinished environmental business of the 92d Congress can become the first environmental achievements of the 93d Congress. Let me highlight three of the other major subjects which we will be addressing in 1973: wise land use, energy, and a healthy, expanding farm economy. Land in America is no longer a resource we can take for granted. We no longer live with an open frontier. Just as we must conserve and protect our air and our water, so we must conserve and protect the land--and plan for its wise and balanced use. Some progress is being made-but antiquated land-use laws, overlapping jurisdictions, and outdated institutions are still permitting haphazard development which can spoil both the utility and the beauty of the land. That is why I will urge passage again this year of legislation designed to encourage States to establish effective means of controlling land use. That is why I will reintroduce my proposals to bring coherence to Federal mining and mineral leasing laws, better management of the Federal lands, and enlightened regulation of surface and underground mining. The energy crisis was dramatized by fuel shortages this winter. We must face up to a stark fact. We are now consuming more energy than we produce in America. A year and a half ago I sent to the Congress the first Presidential message ever devoted to the energy question. I shall soon submit a new and far more comprehensive energy message containing wide-ranging initiatives to insure necessary supplies of energy at acceptable economic and environmental costs. In the meantime, to help meet immediate needs, I have temporarily suspended import quotas on home heating oil east of the Rocky Mountains. Energy policy will continue to be a matter of the highest priority, as shown by my budget proposal to increase funding for energy research and development even in a tight budget year. One of the most precious natural resources since our earliest days has been American agriculture. Our farmers have kept us the best fed, best clothed nation in the history of mankind, while enabling us to export farm products at a level that will reach an all-time annual record of $ 10 billion this year. Net farm income last year also reached a record high--over $19 billion, an increase of 30 percent over 4 years. This Administration has responded to the farmer's desire for less Federal intervention by giving him expanded opportunity in planting his acreage. The day is gone when Washington can enlarge its role on the farm at the expense of the farmer's freedom to make his own decisions. The goal of all our farm policies and programs is just the reverse. We want freer markets and expanded individual responsibility. We want to keep the farmer on his land and the Government off. I shall recommend a number of additional initiatives to preserve and enhance our natural resources in the State of the Union report on this topic to the Congress later in the week. These then are the basic principles which should continue to guide all our efforts in environment and natural resources policy in the future. First, we must strike a balance so that the protection of our irreplaceable heritage becomes as important as its use. The price of economic growth need not and will not be deterioration in the quality of our lives and our surroundings. Second, because there are no local or State boundaries to the problems of our environment, the Federal Government must play an active, positive role. We can and will set standards. We can and will exercise leadership. We are providing necessary funding support. And we will provide encouragement and incentive for others to help with the job. But Washington must not displace State and local initiative. We shall expect the State and local governments--along with the private section--to play the central role in this field. Third, the costs of pollution should be more fully met in the free marketplace, not in the Federal budget. For example, the price of pollution control devices for automobiles should be borne by the owner and the user, not by the general taxpayer. People should not have to pay for pollution they do not because. Fourth, we must realize that each individual must take the responsibility for looking after his own home and workplace. These daily surroundings are the environment where most Americans spend most of their time. They reflect people's pride in themselves and their consideration for their communities. Your backyard is not the domain of the Federal Government. Finally, we must remain confident that America's technological and economic ingenuity will be equal to our environmental challenges. We will not look upon these challenges as insurmountable obstacles. Instead, we shall convert the so-called crisis of the environment into an opportunity for unprecedented progress. Now is the time to stop the handwringing and roll up our sleeves and get on with the job. Now is the time to reject the doomsday mentality which says we are destined to pollute ourselves out of existence. The advocates of defeatism warn us of all that is wrong. I remind them and all Americans of our genius for responsive adaptability and our enormous reservoir of spirit. The destiny of our land, the air we breathe, the water we drink is not in • the mystical hands of an uncontrollable agent, it is in our hands. A future which brings the balancing of our resources-preserving quality with quantity--is a future limited only by the boundaries of our will to get the job done. Each one of us has a personal stake in the task ahead. The choice is always ours, for better or for worse. Above all, we need pride in this beautiful country of ours, belief in our own strength and resourcefulness. One of the most memorable experiences I have had as President occurred last year during my visit to the People's Republic of China when the Chinese Army Band played "America the Beautiful." This song of tribute to our Nation was also played at my inauguration 4 years ago and again this year. No one will sing "America the Beautiful" with greater feeling than our prisoners of war as they return home from years of Communist captivity in Indochina. America is a beautiful country. By our commitment to conservation, restoration, and renewal, let us resolve to make America even more beautiful for the generations to come. Thank you and good afternoon.
good afternoon every year since george washington time the president of the united states has sent a message to the congress about the state of our american union and the measures which he felt the legislative and executive branches of government should take in partnership to improve it this year i am presenting my state of the union report not just in one speech but in several messages on individual topics to permit more careful consideration of the challenges we face and because both the president and the congress are servants of the people i am inviting the people to join with us in considering these issues by discussing them in a series of radio talks today i want to talk with you about the first of these detailed messages the one on the state of america natural resources and environment which i will send to the congress later this week president abraham lincoln whose memory we are honoring this week observed in his state of the union message in 1862 that a nation may be said to consist of its territory its people and its laws the territory he said is the only part which is of certain durability in recent years however we have come to realize that what lincoln called our territory that is our land air water minerals and the like is not of certain durability after all instead we have learned that these natural resources are fragile and finite and that many have been seriously damaged or despoiled to put it another way we realized that tendencies were endangering the american earth during the 1960 in much the same way as conflicting political forces had endangered the body politic during the 1860 when we came to office in 1969 we tackled this challenge with all the power at our command now in 1973 i can report that america is well on the way to winning the war against environmental degradation well on the way to making our peace with nature day by day our air is getting cleaner in virtually every one of our major cities the levels of air pollution are declining month by month our water pollution problems are also being conquered our noise and pesticide problems are yielding to new initiatives our parklands and protected wilderness areas are increasing year by year our commitment of public funds for environmental programs continues to grow some people claim that we are not spending enough but they ignore the fact that federal spending for protection of our environment and natural resources has increased fourfold in the last 4 years in the area of water quality alone it has grown fifteen fold in fact we are now buying new facilities nearly as fast as the construction industry can build them spending still more money would not buy us more pollution control facilities but only more expensive ones in addition to what government is doing in the battle against pollution our private industries are assuming a steadily growing share of responsibility in this field last year industrial spending for pollution control jumped by 50 percent this year it could reach as much as 5 billion as befits america world leadership role we are also moving vigorously with other nations to preserve the global environment the united environmental cooperation agreement which i signed in moscow last year makes two of the world greatest industrial powers allies against pollution another agreement which we concluded last year with canada will help to clean up the great lakes the curbs passed by the congress at my urging have put this country in the forefront of the international effort to protect the seas we can be proud of our record in this field over the past 4 years but a record is not something to stand on it is something to build on nineteen important natural resources and environmental bills which i submitted to the last congress were not enacted in the coming weeks i shall once again send these urgently needed proposals to the congress so that the unfinished environmental business of the 92d congress can become the first environmental achievements of the 93d congress let me highlight three of the other major subjects which we will be addressing in 1973 wise land use energy and a healthy expanding farm economy land in america is no longer a resource we can take for granted we no longer live with an open frontier just as we must conserve and protect our air and our water so we must conserve and protect the land and plan for its wise and balanced use some progress is being antiquated laws overlapping jurisdictions and outdated institutions are still permitting haphazard development which can spoil both the utility and the beauty of the land that is why i will urge passage again this year of legislation designed to encourage states to establish effective means of controlling land use that is why i will reintroduce my proposals to bring coherence to federal mining and mineral leasing laws better management of the federal lands and enlightened regulation of surface and underground mining the energy crisis was dramatized by fuel shortages this winter we must face up to a stark fact we are now consuming more energy than we produce in america a year and a half ago i sent to the congress the first presidential message ever devoted to the energy question i shall soon submit a new and far more comprehensive energy message containing initiatives to insure necessary supplies of energy at acceptable economic and environmental costs in the meantime to help meet immediate needs i have temporarily suspended import quotas on home heating oil east of the rocky mountains energy policy will continue to be a matter of the highest priority as shown by my budget proposal to increase funding for energy research and development even in a tight budget year one of the most precious natural resources since our earliest days has been american agriculture our farmers have kept us the best fed best clothed nation in the history of mankind while enabling us to export farm products at a level that will reach an annual record of 10 billion this year net farm income last year also reached a record high over 19 billion an increase of 30 percent over 4 years this administration has responded to the farmer desire for less federal intervention by giving him expanded opportunity in planting his acreage the day is gone when washington can enlarge its role on the farm at the expense of the farmer freedom to make his own decisions the goal of all our farm policies and programs is just the reverse we want freer markets and expanded individual responsibility we want to keep the farmer on his land and the government off i shall recommend a number of additional initiatives to preserve and enhance our natural resources in the state of the union report on this topic to the congress later in the week these then are the basic principles which should continue to guide all our efforts in environment and natural resources policy in the future first we must strike a balance so that the protection of our irreplaceable heritage becomes as important as its use the price of economic growth need not and will not be deterioration in the quality of our lives and our surroundings second because there are no local or state boundaries to the problems of our environment the federal government must play an active positive role we can and will set standards we can and will exercise leadership we are providing necessary funding support and we will provide encouragement and incentive for others to help with the job but washington must not displace state and local initiative we shall expect the state and local governments along with the private section to play the central role in this field third the costs of pollution should be more fully met in the free marketplace not in the federal budget for example the price of pollution control devices for automobiles should be borne by the owner and the user not by the general taxpayer people should not have to pay for pollution they do not because fourth we must realize that each individual must take the responsibility for looking after his own home and workplace these daily surroundings are the environment where most americans spend most of their time they reflect people pride in themselves and their consideration for their communities your backyard is not the domain of the federal government finally we must remain confident that america technological and economic ingenuity will be equal to our environmental challenges we will not look upon these challenges as insurmountable obstacles instead we shall convert the crisis of the environment into an opportunity for unprecedented progress now is the time to stop the handwringing and roll up our sleeves and get on with the job now is the time to reject the doomsday mentality which says we are destined to pollute ourselves out of existence the advocates of defeatism warn us of all that is wrong i remind them and all americans of our genius for responsive adaptability and our enormous reservoir of spirit the destiny of our land the air we breathe the water we drink is not in the mystical hands of an uncontrollable agent it is in our hands a future which brings the balancing of our quality with quantity is a future limited only by the boundaries of our will to get the job done each one of us has a personal stake in the task ahead the choice is always ours for better or for worse above all we need pride in this beautiful country of ours belief in our own strength and resourcefulness one of the most memorable experiences i have had as president occurred last year during my visit to the people republic of china when the chinese army band played america the beautiful this song of tribute to our nation was also played at my inauguration 4 years ago and again this year no one will sing america the beautiful with greater feeling than our prisoners of war as they return home from years of communist captivity in indochina america is a beautiful country by our commitment to conservation restoration and renewal let us resolve to make america even more beautiful for the generations to come thank you and good afternoon
good afternoon every year since george washington time president united states sent message congress state american union measures felt legislative executive branches government take partnership improve year presenting state union report one speech several messages individual topics permit careful consideration challenges face president congress servants people inviting people join us considering issues discussing series radio talks today want talk first detailed messages one state america natural resources environment send congress later week president abraham lincoln whose memory honoring week observed state union message 1862 nation may said consist territory people laws territory said part certain durability recent years however come realize lincoln called territory land air water minerals like certain durability instead learned natural resources fragile finite many seriously damaged despoiled put another way realized tendencies endangering american earth 1960 much way conflicting political forces endangered body politic 1860 came office 1969 tackled challenge power command 1973 report america well way winning war environmental degradation well way making peace nature day day air getting cleaner virtually every one major cities levels air pollution declining month month water pollution problems also conquered noise pesticide problems yielding new initiatives parklands protected wilderness areas increasing year year commitment public funds environmental programs continues grow people claim spending enough ignore fact federal spending protection environment natural resources increased fourfold last 4 years area water quality alone grown fifteen fold fact buying new facilities nearly fast construction industry build spending still money would buy us pollution control facilities expensive ones addition government battle pollution private industries assuming steadily growing share responsibility field last year industrial spending pollution control jumped 50 percent year could reach much 5 billion befits america world leadership role also moving vigorously nations preserve global environment united environmental cooperation agreement signed moscow last year makes two world greatest industrial powers allies pollution another agreement concluded last year canada help clean great lakes curbs passed congress urging put country forefront international effort protect seas proud record field past 4 years record something stand something build nineteen important natural resources environmental bills submitted last congress enacted coming weeks shall send urgently needed proposals congress unfinished environmental business 92d congress become first environmental achievements 93d congress let highlight three major subjects addressing 1973 wise land use energy healthy expanding farm economy land america longer resource take granted longer live open frontier must conserve protect air water must conserve protect land plan wise balanced use progress antiquated laws overlapping jurisdictions outdated institutions still permitting haphazard development spoil utility beauty land urge passage year legislation designed encourage states establish effective means controlling land use reintroduce proposals bring coherence federal mining mineral leasing laws better management federal lands enlightened regulation surface underground mining energy crisis dramatized fuel shortages winter must face stark fact consuming energy produce america year half ago sent congress first presidential message ever devoted energy question shall soon submit new far comprehensive energy message containing initiatives insure necessary supplies energy acceptable economic environmental costs meantime help meet immediate needs temporarily suspended import quotas home heating oil east rocky mountains energy policy continue matter highest priority shown budget proposal increase funding energy research development even tight budget year one precious natural resources since earliest days american agriculture farmers kept us best fed best clothed nation history mankind enabling us export farm products level reach annual record 10 billion year net farm income last year also reached record high 19 billion increase 30 percent 4 years administration responded farmer desire less federal intervention giving expanded opportunity planting acreage day gone washington enlarge role farm expense farmer freedom make decisions goal farm policies programs reverse want freer markets expanded individual responsibility want keep farmer land government shall recommend number additional initiatives preserve enhance natural resources state union report topic congress later week basic principles continue guide efforts environment natural resources policy future first must strike balance protection irreplaceable heritage becomes important use price economic growth need deterioration quality lives surroundings second local state boundaries problems environment federal government must play active positive role set standards exercise leadership providing necessary funding support provide encouragement incentive others help job washington must displace state local initiative shall expect state local governments along private section play central role field third costs pollution fully met free marketplace federal budget example price pollution control devices automobiles borne owner user general taxpayer people pay pollution fourth must realize individual must take responsibility looking home workplace daily surroundings environment americans spend time reflect people pride consideration communities backyard domain federal government finally must remain confident america technological economic ingenuity equal environmental challenges look upon challenges insurmountable obstacles instead shall convert crisis environment opportunity unprecedented progress time stop handwringing roll sleeves get job time reject doomsday mentality says destined pollute existence advocates defeatism warn us wrong remind americans genius responsive adaptability enormous reservoir spirit destiny land air breathe water drink mystical hands uncontrollable agent hands future brings balancing quality quantity future limited boundaries get job done one us personal stake task ahead choice always better worse need pride beautiful country belief strength resourcefulness one memorable experiences president occurred last year visit people republic china chinese army band played america beautiful song tribute nation also played inauguration 4 years ago year one sing america beautiful greater feeling prisoners war return home years communist captivity indochina america beautiful country commitment conservation restoration renewal let us resolve make america even beautiful generations come thank good afternoon
good afternoon every year since george washington time president united state send message congress state american union measure felt legislative executive branch government take partnership improve year present state union report one speech several message individual topic permit careful consideration challenge face president congress servant people invite people join u consider issue discuss series radio talk today want talk first detail message one state america natural resource environment send congress later week president abraham lincoln whose memory honor week observe state union message 1862 nation may say consist territory people law territory say part certain durability recent year however come realize lincoln call territory land air water mineral like certain durability instead learn natural resource fragile finite many seriously damage despoil put another way realize tendency endanger american earth 1960 much way conflict political force endanger body politic 1860 come office 1969 tackle challenge power command 1973 report america well way win war environmental degradation well way make peace nature day day air get clean virtually every one major city level air pollution decline month month water pollution problem also conquer noise pesticide problem yield new initiative parkland protect wilderness area increase year year commitment public fund environmental program continue grow people claim spend enough ignore fact federal spending protection environment natural resource increase fourfold last 4 year area water quality alone grown fifteen fold fact buy new facility nearly fast construction industry build spending still money would buy u pollution control facility expensive one addition government battle pollution private industry assume steadily grow share responsibility field last year industrial spending pollution control jump 50 percent year could reach much 5 billion befits america world leadership role also move vigorously nation preserve global environment united environmental cooperation agreement sign moscow last year make two world great industrial power ally pollution another agreement conclude last year canada help clean great lake curb pass congress urge put country forefront international effort protect seas proud record field past 4 year record something stand something build nineteen important natural resource environmental bill submit last congress enact come week shall send urgently need proposal congress unfinished environmental business 92d congress become first environmental achievement 93d congress let highlight three major subject address 1973 wise land use energy healthy expand farm economy land america longer resource take grant longer live open frontier must conserve protect air water must conserve protect land plan wise balance use progress antiquate law overlap jurisdiction outdated institution still permit haphazard development spoil utility beauty land urge passage year legislation design encourage state establish effective mean control land use reintroduce proposal bring coherence federal mining mineral lease law well management federal land enlighten regulation surface underground mine energy crisis dramatize fuel shortage winter must face stark fact consume energy produce america year half ago send congress first presidential message ever devote energy question shall soon submit new far comprehensive energy message contain initiative insure necessary supply energy acceptable economic environmental cost meantime help meet immediate need temporarily suspend import quota home heating oil east rocky mountain energy policy continue matter high priority show budget proposal increase fund energy research development even tight budget year one precious natural resource since early day american agriculture farmer keep u best fed best clothe nation history mankind enable u export farm product level reach annual record 10 billion year net farm income last year also reach record high 19 billion increase 30 percent 4 year administration respond farmer desire less federal intervention give expand opportunity plant acreage day go washington enlarge role farm expense farmer freedom make decision goal farm policy program reverse want freer market expand individual responsibility want keep farmer land government shall recommend number additional initiative preserve enhance natural resource state union report topic congress late week basic principle continue guide effort environment natural resource policy future first must strike balance protection irreplaceable heritage become important use price economic growth need deterioration quality live surroundings second local state boundary problem environment federal government must play active positive role set standard exercise leadership provide necessary funding support provide encouragement incentive others help job washington must displace state local initiative shall expect state local government along private section play central role field third cost pollution fully meet free marketplace federal budget example price pollution control device automobile bear owner user general taxpayer people pay pollution fourth must realize individual must take responsibility look home workplace daily surroundings environment american spend time reflect people pride consideration community backyard domain federal government finally must remain confident america technological economic ingenuity equal environmental challenge look upon challenge insurmountable obstacle instead shall convert crisis environment opportunity unprecedented progress time stop handwringing roll sleeve get job time reject doomsday mentality say destine pollute existence advocate defeatism warn u wrong remind american genius responsive adaptability enormous reservoir spirit destiny land air breathe water drink mystical hand uncontrollable agent hand future brings balance quality quantity future limit boundary get job do one u personal stake task ahead choice always well bad need pride beautiful country belief strength resourcefulness one memorable experience president occur last year visit people republic china chinese army band play america beautiful song tribute nation also play inauguration 4 year ago year one sing america beautiful great feel prisoner war return home year communist captivity indochina america beautiful country commitment conservation restoration renewal let u resolve make america even beautiful generation come thank good afternoon