Speeches - By Date

The National Conference of Black Mayors and the EPA have been good partners for many years. The MOU we will sign in a few moments will further strengthen our relationship and will help broaden your access to information about EPA = s programs and services. It will ensure that you and your members can get the information you need to help improve the environment in your communities, making them better places in which to live, work, and raise a family.

Making sure you know about everything from drinking and wastewater programs to indoor and outdoor air quality, brownfields reclamation, children = s health, and issues of environmental justice will help you better meet the needs of your constituents.

I = m pleased we are signing this MOU today. I should also mention that your organization has been selected to negotiate a Cooperative Agreement with EPA = s Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response to conduct Brownfields Training and Technical Assistance. A Project Officer has been assigned to work with NCBM through the grants process. We are very proud of this effort.

As I said a minute ago, I value the partnership between EPA and the National Conference of Black Mayors. That is why I was especially pleased by your adoption of a resolution which urges the 108^th Congress to enact multi-emissions legislation governing electric power generating utilities that will provide reductions in Nox, SO2 and Mercury emissions.

This multi-emission reduction strategy is embodied in the Clear Skies legislation, which the President has sent to Congress. Clear Skies will provide public health benefits to communities much faster, with more certainty, and at less cost to consumers than the current Clean Air Act. I hope Congress acts on your resolution B and on the President = s proposal B before it adjourns later this year.

So thank you, again, for being here and for your strong and ongoing commitment to partnering with the EPA.