FOLLOW-UP TO LAKE TAHOE PRESIDENTIAL FORUM

                                              Release No. 0392.97

                                                                 

Remarks
                              OF 
                     SECRETARY DAN GLICKMAN
           FOLLOW-UP TO LAKE TAHOE PRESIDENTIAL FORUM
               LAKE TAHOE, NV -- OCTOBER 30, 1997

Thank you. It's great to be back in Tahoe. Last time I was here, I went
hiking in our National Forest with Vice President Gore. That experience
taught me 2 things: 1) Never, ever go hiking with someone who's training for
a marathon -- especially with news cameras in tow, and 2) No matter how
advanced and high-tech our society gets, it's places like Tahoe that keep us
centered. There's nothing quite like a placid lake or a silent forest to put
things in perspective.

President Clinton understands this. He approaches America's natural
treasures -- from Lake Tahoe to the Grand Canyon -- from a perspective
similar to American Indians who believe that we are the keepers of 7
generations. We must make decisions not simply for ourselves, but also for
our great grandchildren's great grandchildren.

That long perspective makes our mission in Lake Tahoe crystal clear. I'm
proud to be here today on behalf of President Clinton, Vice President Gore,
and a strong cabinet contingent -- Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt,
Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater and Carol Browner, Administrator of
the Environmental Protection Agency who all wanted to be here today. They
and their staff -- along with the folks at the Army Corps of Engineers --
make up the heart of the federal end of this endeavor. Each of us has been
challenged by this effort, and I think there's a strong, unanimous sentiment
that in what we've accomplished here lies a lesson for governance in the
21st century.

I'd like to thank Senator Harry Reid who came up with the idea of this
effort and pitched it to  President Clinton. I'd also like to thank Senators
Bryan, Boxer and Feinstein, and Congressmen Fazio, Gibbons and Doolittle.
They've been invaluable partners. They can't be here because Congress is
still in session, but there can be no question of their devotion to Lake
Tahoe. We understand that Governor Wilson is in Europe. We look forward to
his return, so he can join the state of Nevada, the Washoe tribe, the Tahoe
Regional Planning Agency and the federal government in this historic non-partisan effort to keep Tahoe blue.

Now, that I've talked about who isn't here, I'd like to recognize some key
folks who are present: Governor Miller, of Nevada, Chairman Wallace, of the
Washoe tribe, and Jim Baetge, Executive Director of the Tahoe Regional
Planning Agency. Your leadership in this effort reflects the ideal of
American democracy -- government  of, by and for the people.' It doesn't
matter if you're a local, state, federal or tribal leader .. or just a
concerned citizen, we are all here for one, united purpose.

I also want to pass along President Clinton's special thanks to the many
people -- I couldn't possibly name you all -- who burned the midnight oil
long after all the speeches and fanfare to turn our grand vision for Tahoe's
future into a concrete strategy. 

Thanks to the commitment behind this document, we will start down a road
that will help guarantee that our grandchildren and their grandchildren can
stand right here, breathe in the fresh air, take in the natural splendor,
and utter the only word that seems to fit: ...Wow. He hope that our work may
allow them to look into the  lake of the sky,' see themselves and the
heavens above, and know -- with the same certainty we do today -- that they
are in a special place, that Lake Tahoe is a gift from God.

We are here today to reaffirm the President's commitment to Lake Tahoe
through 36 projects worth $50 million. We are also here today not just to
solidify a federal interagency partnership ... not just to sign an agreement
among governments, but to make a pact between humanity and this sacred place
that we hope will survive in perpetuity.  

While our formal agreement lasts for 2 years, in reading through this
document, you'll see that many of the projects are built to last much longer
than that. It's certainly President Clinton's hope that the spirit of this
alliance lives on forever.

As head of the federal interagency partnership, I would like to briefly
highlight some of the Administration's commitments:

-- USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service will run a backyard
conservation initiative -- helping private landowners prevent soil erosion
into the lake. 

-- The USDA Forest Service will develop a watershed assessment to help us
better understand the root causes of stress on the Basin's ecosystem -- of
which the lake's fading clarity is one symptom. The Forest Service will also
eliminate more than 100 miles of road, and restore the land to a more
natural state. We will also repair about as many miles ... all of that over
the next 10 years. And, we'll carry out prescribed burns on 1,000 acres of
forest annually -- to clear out brush that might otherwise cause a massive
conflagration that threatens Tahoe communities. We'll also do an
environmental analysis of Cave Rock -- a sacred site for the Washoe tribe --
and allow their people -- for the first time in a century -- to have access
to the lake at Tyler Creek.

-- The Army Corps of Engineers will parallel USDA's watershed efforts by
working with private forest landowners, so they, too, can help restore the
natural health of the Basin. The Corps will also carry out a special effort
at Trout Creek, the main tributary to the Upper Truckee River, which is the
largest contributor of sediment to the lake.  

-- EPA will take the lead on water clarity -- providing technical support,
monitoring and funding for non-point pollution control efforts -- such as
the use of vegetative buffers between the lake and the land to keep urban
runoff and car pollution from harming the water.

-- The Department of Interior will set up a geographic information system
for Lake Tahoe to monitor water quality and soil erosion and give us a sense
of our progress. The Department of Interior will also work on a number of
items from conducting a geological survey, to drawing up digital maps of the
lake, to looking into whether we can reintroduce the Lahonton cutthroat
trout to the waters here.

-- The Department of Transportation will help build a transit center which
has been a local priority for almost a decade. Their goal will be an
efficient mass transit system that cuts down on the number of vehicle miles
driven around the lake, reducing air pollution which is the leading source
of the nitrogen that fuels the algae blooms that fog the water.

We will also today sign several documents:

-- Washoe Tribal Chair Brian Wallace and Forest Supervisor Juan Palma will
sign short-term special-use permits to allow the tribe access to Meek's
Creek Meadow and the Taylor Creek. These short-term permits will allow the
tribe access to the lake while we complete environmental review requirements
needed to issue long-term permits.

-- The Intergovernmental Memorandum of Agreement reaffirms the federal,
state, Washoe, and Tahoe Regional Planning Agency commitment to the Tahoe
compact and to working together on an Environmental Improvement Program that
will guide our actions over the next 10 years. 

-- The Federal Interagency Partnership Agreement formally commits all the
federal partners to enhancing the environmental, economic and cultural value
of the Tahoe region. Specifically, we agree to: meet regularly at all levels
of government; establish a Lake Tahoe Basin Advisory Committee of
government, non-profit and private folks; and provide input and federal
resources to support the environmental improvement plan.

This Administration has worked hard to navigate complex natural resource
issues. From the Pacific Northwest to the Florida Everglades, from
sustainable development to global warming -- we haven't shied away from some
of the more difficult, contentious debates of our time. 

We do so not because we relish conflict, but because these are high-stakes
decisions about America's future. They involve passionate feelings on both
sides. Unfortunately, personal convictions all too often become hardened
positions, and people stop talking to each other, and start talking at one
another.

One thing I've enjoyed about Tahoe is that the usual seismic rift between
economic and environmental interests is largely nonexistent here. Of course,
there are differences, but people listen to one another and -- for the most
part -- understand that everyone at the table is genuinely trying to protect
the lake and all its riches -- economic and intangible.

There is a lesson for the world here in Tahoe: we do not have to make a
choice between material and natural wealth. It is a false choice. One we
must transcend if we are to leave as our legacy a livable world. On behalf
of a grateful President and a grateful nation, I'd like to thank the people
of Tahoe for showing our nation the promise of a sustainable future. This
Administration intends to be here working with you for a very long time.

                                #

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