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President's Environmental Youth Awards

04/15/1999
President's Environmental Youth Awards
                     Thursday, April 15, 1999

     On behalf of President Clinton and Vice President Gore, I am pleased to welcome you to today's President's Environmental Youth Awards presentation. The President and Vice President both believe deeply in the idea that a clean environment is one of the greatest monuments one generation can leave to the generations to come.

     That is why the President and Vice President pay special recognition to the young people of this country who have worked so diligently to protect and nurture our waters, air and land. They are protecting the world they will inherit.

     Today we are recognizing 50 exceptional students from across the nation who have applied ingenuity, commitment and a deep concern about the world around them to the critically important task of safeguarding our environment.

     These students have brought better recycling to their communities, preserved sensitive land to protect wildlife and native plants, explored new environmental technologies and educated others about the impact each and every one of us can have on the environment.

     We are very proud of all of you for the outstanding work you have done. At EPA, we take heart that we have such a promising next generation of environmental scientists, educators and leaders.

     I would like to thank the mentors, teachers, parents, family members and, again, the sponsors for supporting and guiding these talented students as they created these projects.

     Let me also thank Mr. Christian Haub, President of A&P supermarkets and The American Business for Environmental Leadership, for honoring the students again this year with a dinner last night at the National Press Club.

     But mostly I want to thank these young people who saw a problem in their communities and went to work solving it. All of you should feel free to give themselves a pat on the back. You've earned it. But then I hope you're ready to roll up your sleeves and get back to work. There's still much to be done and we need your leadership -- now and in the years to come.

     And now, let us proceed to the presentation of the awards.