Where I Stand— Mike O’Callaghan: New award for president

Tuesday, July 3, 2001 | 9:25 a.m.

Mike O'Callaghan is the Las Vegas Sun executive editor.

MEMBERS OF THE SIERRA CLUB, the Wilderness Society, Alaska Rainforest Campaign, Defenders of Wildlife, American Rivers, Scenic America and all other protectors of Mother Nature please stand back and listen. Allow me to nominate President George W. Bush for the 2001 Champion of the Environment Award. Don't laugh, no person in recent history has done more to wake up environmentalists than our present chief executive. Republican President Theodore Roosevelt was one of our first great conservationists but his accomplishments may be surpassed by the man occupying the White House today.

Some of us thought that Ralph Nader was being selfish, when helping elect Bush in November 2000. Nobody suspected that Nader was only acting to protect the fragile environment in which we live. Although Nader has always acted a little strange and more then a little self-centered, few people could believe he was willing to sacrifice Clinton's progress in protecting the quality of our air, water, forests and parks. Nader was only helping defeat Al Gore to encourage the donation of millions of dollars to environmental protection groups. Shame on us who believed he was being selfish.

Open threats to roadless forest areas, proposals for oil drilling off the shores of Florida and in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; proposed timber sales in Alaska's Tongass National Forest; and attacks on National Monuments have resulted in alarm among millions of Americans. This response hasn't been missed by the White House but several photo opportunities outdoors with the president haven't quieted environmentalists. It has, however, increased the flow of green cash into their programs.

Not only have the voices representing the White House increased the activity of the usual environmental groups but a new voice has been added. The $4.8 billion Pew Charitable Trusts has stepped up to the plate to take a swing at the environmental threats.

In a recent press release the newly created Pew Wilderness Center stated: "The Pew Wilderness Center will rejuvenate the public's interest in the wilderness with a massive advertising campaign in eleven targeted states for 10 years ...

"The Pew Wilderness Center will also lend support to citizen-led efforts across the country to protect more public lands as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. It will accomplish its mission through commissioning new research; conducting symposia; building public education campaigns; collaborating with federal agencies, academics, environmental organizations, other organizations; and producing an annual publication that will chart progress in securing wilderness protection."

The Pew Wilderness Center also polled Americans to learn that 47 percent believe preserving wilderness is a higher priority than tax relief. The PWC reports, "The survey focused on gleaning people's attitudes toward, and knowledge of, wilderness protection of public lands in their states. The survey inserted three questions designed to compare wilderness protection to prominent issues of the day. In contrast to results on tax relief, one in three people believe that wilderness protection is a higher or much higher priority when matched against education, while two in five feel that wilderness protection is a higher or much higher priority than social security."

The New York Times recently reported that the Pew Charitable Trusts gave more than $52 million last year to reduce greenhouse gasses that contribute to global warming; protection of old-growth forests and wildlife; and conservation of marine resources.

When giving our new president the 2001 Champion of the Environment Award some recognition should also be given to Ralph Nader for helping create the recent surge to protect the environment in which we live.