Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 79 (April 24, 2015)
Page Range
22871-22872
FR Document
2015-09727
Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 79 (Friday, April 24, 2015)
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 79 (Friday, April 24, 2015)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 22871-22872]
From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-09727]
Presidential Documents
Federal Register / Vol. 80 , No. 79 / Friday, April 24, 2015 /
Presidential Documents
___________________________________________________________________
Title 3--
The President
[[Page 22871]]
Proclamation 9259 of April 21, 2015
Earth Day, 2015
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Forty-five years ago, millions of Americans celebrated
the first Earth Day in cities across our Nation. Having
borne witness to years of environmental neglect, these
ordinary citizens gathered in the streets, in parks,
and on college campuses to demand change and commit to
leaving a healthier planet for the next generation.
Faced with contaminated rivers and polluted cities,
they stood up, spoke out, and fought for air, water,
and wildlife protections. Their voices galvanized a
movement--leading to the creation of the Environmental
Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air Act,
the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act--
and ignited a spirit of stewardship that continues to
drive us to meet the challenges of our time.
Today, our planet faces new challenges, but none pose a
greater threat to future generations than climate
change. Science tells us the earth is warming--last
year was the planet's warmest on record, and 14 of the
15 warmest recorded years have come in the first 15
years of this century--and human activity is the
primary driver of the rapid warming of the past half-
century. Climate change will have profound impacts on
all humankind, and many Americans are already feeling
the effects. The costs of more severe weather disasters
can be measured in lost lives and livelihoods and in
billions of dollars of emergency services, and the
costs will only increase with time. Firefighters are
braving longer wildfire seasons; farmers are
confronting adverse growing conditions; and our
children and most vulnerable populations are
experiencing a range of climate-related health effects.
As a Nation, we must act before it is too late. That is
why my Administration has taken a series of ambitious
steps to combat climate change and protect our planet
for our children and grandchildren. As part of my
Climate Action Plan, we have proposed the first-ever
carbon pollution limits for existing power plants. We
have also partnered with communities to prepare for the
impacts of a changing climate that we can no longer
avoid. And I have protected more than 260 million
additional acres of public lands and waters,
safeguarding the natural bounty of our planet for ages
to come.
The United States is committed to our role as a global
leader in the fight against climate change, and last
year, we jointly announced with China ambitious but
achievable new targets for reducing greenhouse gases. I
am also ensuring that our Federal Government leads by
example by working to reduce Federal greenhouse gas
emissions by 40 percent. My Administration will
continue to engage with key stakeholders at home and
abroad who share our hope for a cleaner world.
Protecting our planet will also require us to change
the way we use energy, and my energy strategy
recognizes this critical need. My Administration has
made the largest investment in clean energy in American
history, and today the United States generates more
renewable energy than ever before--we harness 3 times
as much wind power as we did when I took office and
solar electricity generation has increased 20-fold.
Mayors, Governors, and business leaders across the
country are taking steps to deploy clean
[[Page 22872]]
energy, boost energy efficiency, and create more
sustainable communities and supply chains. We are
promoting energy efficiency in our buildings and cars
and working to ensure our Nation is a leader in the
energy sources of tomorrow.
As caretakers of our planet, we all have an obligation
to combat climate change and protect our earth for the
next generation. The decisions we make today and in the
years ahead will have a profound impact on the world we
leave behind, and we must each do our part. We can
reduce the energy used in our homes and offices; we can
help protect our resources by recycling as part of our
everyday routine; and we can raise our voices to
support policies like the ones my Administration has
put forth to protect our environment while
strengthening our economy. On Earth Day, let us join
with communities around the world, and as one people--
who share one planet--let us recommit to meeting the
test of our time and continuing our work to build a
cleaner, safer, more stable world.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim April 22, 2015, as
Earth Day. I encourage all Americans to participate in
programs and activities that will protect our
environment and contribute to a healthy, sustainable
future.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twenty-first day of April, in the year of our Lord two
thousand fifteen, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and thirty-ninth.
(Presidential Sig.)
[FR Doc. 2015-09727
Filed 4-23-15; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3295-F5