JFK SENDS MESSAGE TO CONGRESS ON CONSERVATION
"JFK's Conservation Policy versus Today's Environmentalism," by Nancy Spannaus, December 18, 2018, www.americansystemnow.com/
"Special Message to the Congress on Natural Resources" February 23, 1961. Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, John F. Kennedy, January 20 to December 31, 1961, United States Government Printing Office, Washington, 1962.
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On February 23, 1961, President John F. Kennedy sent a special message to Congress on the topic of conservation of America's natural resources.
The President pledged to issue Executive Orders or directives to a) redefine responsibilities b) establish a Presidential Advisory Commission of Natural Resources and c) instruct the Budget Director to formulate principles for the application of fees, permits, etc.
President Kennedy listed the following targets for conservation and development...water resources, electric power, forests, public lands, ocean resources and recreation.
The President concluded his message with these words...
"Problems of immediacy always have the advantage...those that lie in the future fare poorly...for attention and money. Only through...cooperation of State and local governments and private industry can (conservation) be done wisely and effectively. We must understand our resources problems, and we must face up to them now. The task is large but it will be done."
Nancy Spannaus argues that JFK's pursuit of conservation, like FDR's before him, was "very different from the predominant view today." She writes that both JFK and FDR not only sought to conserve natural resources but also to develop new resources through "great projects" that would "radically change nature for the better."
The first POTUS to use the "bully pulpit" to elicit public support for conservation of natural resources was Theodore Roosevelt, who said...
"The conservation of natural resources is the fundamental problem. Unless we solve that problem it will avail us little to solve all the others."
SOURCES
The President pledged to issue Executive Orders or directives to a) redefine responsibilities b) establish a Presidential Advisory Commission of Natural Resources and c) instruct the Budget Director to formulate principles for the application of fees, permits, etc.
President Kennedy listed the following targets for conservation and development...water resources, electric power, forests, public lands, ocean resources and recreation.
The President concluded his message with these words...
"Problems of immediacy always have the advantage...those that lie in the future fare poorly...for attention and money. Only through...cooperation of State and local governments and private industry can (conservation) be done wisely and effectively. We must understand our resources problems, and we must face up to them now. The task is large but it will be done."
Nancy Spannaus argues that JFK's pursuit of conservation, like FDR's before him, was "very different from the predominant view today." She writes that both JFK and FDR not only sought to conserve natural resources but also to develop new resources through "great projects" that would "radically change nature for the better."
The first POTUS to use the "bully pulpit" to elicit public support for conservation of natural resources was Theodore Roosevelt, who said...
"The conservation of natural resources is the fundamental problem. Unless we solve that problem it will avail us little to solve all the others."
SOURCES
"JFK's Conservation Policy versus Today's Environmentalism," by Nancy Spannaus, December 18, 2018, www.americansystemnow.com/
"Special Message to the Congress on Natural Resources" February 23, 1961. Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, John F. Kennedy, January 20 to December 31, 1961, United States Government Printing Office, Washington, 1962.
TR on the Stump (1912)
NY Times Photo Archives
