University of Virginia Library

Election '72

A Common Cause

"Restoring nature to its
natural state is a cause beyond
party and beyond factions. It
has become a common cause of
all people of this country."
With these words Richard
Nixon alarmed the nation of
the perils of pollution and with
energy unequaled since Teddy
Roosevelt, he spearheaded an
attack on the problems facing
the American environment.

President Nixon has
energetically taken up
Roosevelt's cause of
conservation by proposing and
implementing dramatic changes
to combat pollution.

He created the Council on
Environmental Quality, (CEQ),
which serves to provide the
President and federal
departments and agencies with
policy guidance for
environmental quality
activities.

He called for the
establishment of the
Environmental Protection
Agency, (EPA), which has
enforced the laws against
pollution and improved
environmental control efforts.

He established the National
Industrial Pollution Control
Council to advise the President
and the CEQ concerning what
industries can help to preserve
the environment.

Most importantly, he
proposed a new Department of
Natural Resources (as part of
his overall plan to reorganize
the executive branch) to
provide a central source of
responsibility for natural
resources programs.

The President has
demonstrated his serious
commitment to improving the
quality of life by assigning high
funding priority to
environmental programs.

In accordance with the
fiscal 1973 budget, there will
be: a sixfold increase in budget
authority for pollution-control
programs now in EPA from
$431 million in 1969 to 2.5
billion in 1973, a doubling of
outlays for EPA air pollution
control programs since 1969,
and a ninefold increase since
1969 in budget authority to
correct pollution at Federal
facilities.

Effective enforcement of
environmental policy and law
is further evidence of the
Nixon commitment. EPA
director, William Ruckieshaus,
a Nixon appointee, gained the
reputation as "the best friend
of private enterprise since Karl
Marx," after refusing Detroit's
request for a one year
extension for the development
of auto emission control
devices.

Also, the Justice
Department reported that 239
criminal cases have been
brought against alleged
polluters in the last two fiscal
years to date, far more than
during any other
administration.

President Nixon has moved
decisively to protect the
American environment. In
terms of both leadership and
action, he has, more so than
any American President before,
channeled the full resources of
the federal government into
this crucial fight for survival.