Celebrating Earth Day

Celebrating Earth Day
Friday, April 22, 2005

April 22nd is Earth Day!

Earth Day is a reminder of our collective responsibility to protect our children's health and preserve our environment for future generations. Important environmental protections such as the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act are facing serious threats as outlined in a new report titled, "Protect Our Children and Our Future." These threats could reverse decades of bipartisan progress on the environment. Under the president's proposed budget for FY 2006, Minnesota stands to lose over $32 million in promised funds for conservation, environmental protection and critical habitat in our state.

Even worse, the Republican-controlled House passed an Energy bill (H.R. 6) that rewards industry for anti-environmental practices and shifts the burden of energy costs onto taxpayers. The bill gives more than $22 billion in taxpayer subsidies to the coal, nuclear, oil and gas industries and provides broad new access for energy developers to enter our precious public lands - including opening up the Artic Refuge to oil and drilling. A common-sense Democratic amendment that I supported will help increase our energy efficiency standards, eliminate special interest subsidies, and invest those recourse in emerging technologies to create a better future for our children. Unfortunately, it was defeated by Republicans. To read about this amendment,
(http://www.mccollum.house.gov/vertical/Sites/%7B6CD95013-7C42-4AD8-A464-EB8D8679E9C9%7D/uploads/%7BD3714CD9-0DEE-4E4B-88BE-16DF9749E99E%7D.PDF).

In celebration of Earth Day, I re-introduced the Mississippi River Trail Study Act, a bill that would begin the process of establishing a national trail along the Mississippi River. This legislation would ensure that future generations can appreciate, understand and enjoy this great river. (http://mccollum.house.gov/index.asp?Type=B_PR&SEC=%7BB187649B-3F55-4792-9AE8-A28ACAF4305E%7D&DE=%7B8CCF3BA7-7D8E-4F7E-889C-CAEF9E6CAA6D%7D) for more info on the Mississippi River Trail Study Act.

http://mccollum.house.gov/index.asp?Type=B_PR&SEC={B187649B-3F55-4792-9AE8-A28ACAF4305E}&DE={BAB9C94D-9D86-4096-8BC3-9EA891CC7887}