124 STAT. 4761 PROCLAMATION 8611—DEC. 2, 2010 Proclamation 8611 of December 2, 2010 40th Anniversary of the Environmental Protection Agency By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation From the air we breathe to the water we drink, the quality of our envi- ronment has a profound effect on our public health, the well-being of future generations, and the vitality of our economy. Just four decades ago, smog choked communities across America, pollution clotted nu- merous waterways, and our Nation watched in shock as Cleveland’s Cuyahoga River ignited from a tragic accumulation of industrial waste and sewage. Americans realized that we must work together to pre- serve the beauty and utility of our planet, and we have come to expect clean air and drinking water. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was created in 1970 to protect Americans’ health and our natural resources from pollution. Since its formation, EPA has responded to our Nation’s most urgent environmental challenges, including industrial waste polluting our waters, acid rain poisoning our forests and lakes, the thinning of the ozone layer that shields the Earth, and safe handling of electronic waste. Throughout its history, EPA has been a champion for healthy families by reducing the environmental risks that affect children, fos- tering cleaner communities, and building a stronger America. Looking to the future, we must safeguard the rich resources that have supported centuries of American growth and economic expansion, while also protecting the clean air and water that has helped keep our families healthy. To carry out these obligations, EPA will continue to make clean air, safe water, and unpolluted land a priority, and encour- age America to be a leader in environmental protection through pollu- tion prevention and the development of clean-energy alternatives to fossil fuels. The advances we make today will build a sustainable fu- ture for our country, creating new clean-energy jobs and laying the foundation for our long-term economic security. Four decades after its creation, EPA is building on its legacy of respon- sible stewardship and advancing environmental quality in the face of new challenges. As we strive to protect the integrity of our planet in the 21st century, EPA continues to lead on critical global issues like reducing mercury pollution, fighting for environmental justice in over- burdened communities, and confronting global climate change. The work of EPA benefits every American by making our environment safer and healthier while securing the path to a better future for our children and grandchildren. NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Con- stitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Decem- ber 2, 2010, as the 40th Anniversary of the United States Environ- mental Protection Agency. I call upon all Americans to observe this an- niversary with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities that honor EPA’s history, accomplishments, and contributions to our envi- ronment.
