Remarks by President Trump on America’s Environmental Leadership | Eastern North Carolina Now

    ADMINISTRATOR WHEELER: Thank you, President Trump, for your leadership and the opportunity to share our environmental progress with the American public. When you asked me to take the lead at EPA one year ago, you asked me to do three things: continue to clean up the air, continue to clean up the water, and continue to provide regulatory relief to keep the economy growing.

    The President knows we can do all three at the same time. And here's the evidence: From 1970 to 2018, U.S. criteria air pollution fell 74 percent, while the economy grew by 275 percent. Under your administration, emissions of all the criteria air pollutants continue to decline. For example - (applause) - yes.

    For example, the lead and sulfur dioxide have dropped by double-digit percentages over the last two years. Today, we have the cleanest air on record and we are a global leader for access to clean drinking water.

    We're making tremendous environmental progress under President Trump, and the public needs to know that. Pollution is on the decline, and our focus is to accelerate its decline, particularly in the most at-risk communities.

    There may be no better example than our renewed focus on Superfund - the federal program that cleans up large, hazardous sites. In the past, it wasn't unusual for a site to sit on the "Superfund: National Priorities List" for decades. We believe that a site on the National Priorities List should be just that: a national priority.

    Our actions demonstrate that. In fiscal year 2018, we deleted the most sites from the National Priorities List in one year since 2005. This year, we are on track to delete even more, breaking that record.

    We're also reinvigorating our Brownfields program, which transforms contaminated sites into community assets. We recently announced nearly $65 million in Brownfield grants to 149 communities nationwide. Forty percent of these communities are receiving Brownfields funding for the very first time.

    And thanks to the President's historic tax reform package, we're prioritizing Opportunity Zones. Of the 149 grant recipients, 108 have identified sites designated as Opportunity Zones, including in cities such as Detroit and Green Bay.

    On air quality, we're helping areas across the country reduce air pollution and meet the nation's air quality standards.


    On water, we're helping communities modernize their water infrastructure. Since 2017, we've issued eight water infrastructure loans, totaling over $2 billion. These loans will help finance roughly $4 billion in water infrastructure projects, and create 6,000 jobs.

    We've already invited an additional 42 projects to apply for additional funding. These projects will improve water quality for millions of Americans while creating high-paying jobs.

    We're equally committed to improving the health of our oceans. The USMCA contains an historic, first-ever commitment to reduce marine litter. Sixty percent of the world's marine litter comes from six Asian countries. We have the technology and the expertise to help these nations.

    The truth is, when other countries need help cleaning up their air, water, or land, they turn to us for assistance - not China, not Russia. We have the environmental laws, we develop the technologies, and we get the job done. America is and will remain the gold standard for environmental protection, and every American should know that our nation is cleaner, safer, and stronger today thanks to the leadership of President Trump. (Applause.)

    THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, Andrew. Fantastic job. Who would've known that, Andrew? I'm glad you finally let people know what we're doing. (Laughter.) We're working hard. I think harder than many previous administrations. Maybe almost all of them.

    I'd like to invite Mary Neumayr to the podium. And Mary has some terrific things to say, and I appreciate you being here, Mary. Thank you very much. Please. (Applause.)

    MS. NEUMAYR: President Trump, thank you for your leadership in continuing to advance environmental protection.

    THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.

    MS. NEUMAYR: Over the past two and half years, President Trump has taken decisive action to address environmental challenges. At his direction, federal agencies are more efficiently implementing air quality standards; more actively managing our nation's forests to improve their health and reduce wildfire risks; promoting reliable water supplies and deliveries in the western United States; increasing federal coordination in the environmental review and permitting process; and efficiently managing federal operations to save energy and water, reduce waste, and cut costs.

    Under the President's leadership, across the federal government, agencies have continued to improve their energy and environmental performance, and to reduce greenhouse emissions from federal operations.


    One of the many important areas where President Trump has taken action is with regard to ocean policy. Our country is blessed with some of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. Our beaches are places for our families to enjoy, especially at this time of year. Our oceans provide a way of life, support diverse marine species and habitats, and offer recreational opportunities. Our oceans also support the livelihoods of millions of Americans. Coastal communities depend on clean, healthy waters.

    Under President Trump's direction, agencies are improving the management of our ocean and coastal waters for present and future generations of Americans.

    A little over a year ago, President Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to improve coordination on ocean-related matters; work with state-led and regional ocean partnerships; expand federal - access to federal ocean-related data; and maximize the effectiveness of agency investments in ocean research.

    Federal agencies are working with state, regional, and other stakeholders to address coastal and ocean management challenges. The agencies are also prioritizing research to better understand and protect our coastal environment, to improve our knowledge of our vast oceans, and to develop next-generation ocean technologies.

    This fall, the administration will convene a summit to promote partnerships in ocean science and technology. And the summit will showcase American leadership and engage the research community and the private sector to explore the unknown ocean, advance marine science, and promote new technologies.

    In addition to implementing the Save Our Seas Act, signed by President Trump, our federal agencies have also prioritized addressing the harmful effects of marine debris. This administration has engaged with members of Congress, conservation organizations, the private sector, and other nations.

    It is critical that we effectively take action on this issue and improve the health of our oceans.

    The administration is committed to ensuring that we are good stewards of our environment, while supporting American prosperity. We look forward to continuing to address our nation's environmental challenges and to improving quality of life for all Americans. (Applause.)

    THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. What a great job you're doing. Thank you very much. Appreciate it.

    So a man who was very responsible for our tremendous success, Salute to America - Department of Interiors. They kept you very busy. Right, David?


    SECRETARY BERNHARDT: Yes, sir.

    THE PRESIDENT: David Bernhardt. Come on up. Thank you. (Applause.)

    SECRETARY BERNHARDT: Good afternoon. It is an honor to serve a President who has been focused on conservation stewardship since day one. The President mentioned that he signed into law the largest public lands legislation in over a decade. Thank you all on your side.

    We are aggressively implementing this act, which, among other things, designated 1.3 million acres of public land as wilderness, as you said. To put that into perspective, 1.3 million acres exceeds the entire size of the state of Rhode Island.

    Today, the geographic area of our nation's wilderness system is actually larger than every state in the union except for Texas and Alaska. We are ensuring that future generations receive the benefit of an enduring wilderness system.

    Mr. President, throughout your term, Interior has also been focused on strengthening the North American Wildlife Conservation Model, which is the best in the world. The model was originally conceived by American hunters and anglers, who were the first to crusade for wildlife protection, and retain some of today's most important conservation leadership.

    The success of this model depends on a strong federal-state partnership and the continued commitment and preserva- - and participation of the hunters and anglers. These important relationships were frayed under the prior administration. In contrast, your administration has fostered stewardship collaboration by working with the states, not unilaterally, on our shared mission to conserve fish and wildlife and preserve their habitats for future generations.

    For example, since 2017, at Interior we have released 292 million sportfish, which provide recreational angling opportunities while contributing to species restoration and recovery goals. We have removed 325 barriers opening over 8,000 river miles for native fish through our National Fish Passage Program.

    Public access and outdoor recreation opportunities are critical for wildlife conservation. Since January of 2017, across the refuge system, we have devoted more than $52 million to restore, retain, and enhance access to outdoor recreation sites and support habitat infrastructure. During that time, we've also opened or expanded hunting and fishing access to 385,000 of acres on refuged lands.

    And last month, we announced our plan to open or expand an additional 1.4 million acres in several national wildlife refuges and fish hatcheries for new hunting, fishing, and recreational activities. America leads - (applause) - it's a big number.

    The reality is that America leads the world in wilderness and wildlife conservation efforts. And under President Trump's commonsense leadership, every day at Interior we are increasing access to our public lands, increasing recreational opportunities on those public lands, and enhancing our conservation efforts.

    So, thank you. (Applause.)