Congress needs to address the issue of protecting the environment, but without overly strict regulations or rules. Opportunities for environmental improvements are not limited to Federal Government actions - States, tribes, local communities and individuals must be included. One-size-fits-all requirements handed down by the federal government are not the best solutions to protect our environment. It is nonsense to think that a bureaucrat in Washington, D.C. cares more about our environment in Wyoming than those of us who live and work in the state. We need to allow states to take a greater role in environmental protection. Further, personal actions such as recycling, planting trees and volunteering to pick up litter can also go a long way in improving and keeping our environment safe for generations to come. That's a goal we all share.

This country does quite a bit already to protect our environment. We spend billions of dollars every year on clean-up and protection. Just to put in perspective, over the last 30 years, our Nation has made great progress in providing for a better environment and improving public health. During that time, our economy grew 164 percent, the population grew 39 percent, and our energy consumption increased 42 percent, yet air pollution from the six major pollutants decreased by 48 percent. In 2002, state data reported to EPA showed that approximately 251 million people (or 94 percent of the total population) were served by community water systems that met all health-based standards. This number is up from 79 percent in 1993.

In the end, it’s about results. The facts speak clearly: the air is cleaner, the water is purer, and the land is better protected. Now and into the future, we need to employ the best science and data to inform our decision-making. Our policies should encourage innovation and the development of new, cleaner technologies.