Presidential Document2023-08938
Earth Day, 2023
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
April 26, 2023
Signed
April 21, 2023
Issuing agencies
Executive Office of the President
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 80 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 80 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 25267-25269]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-08938]
Presidential Documents
Federal Register / Vol. 88 , No. 80 / Wednesday, April 26, 2023 /
Presidential Documents
[[Page 25267]]
Proclamation 10556 of April 21, 2023
Earth Day, 2023
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
America's natural wonders help define who we are as a
Nation. They unite and renew us, a constant reminder of
something bigger than ourselves. But nature is not only
a catalyst for reflection--it demands action. On Earth
Day, we celebrate the modern environmental movement
that kicked off 53 years ago, when millions of
Americans of every age and background first rallied
together to change our laws and become better stewards
of our planet. Because of their courage and commitment,
the Environmental Protection Agency was created to
safeguard our environment and the health of all
Americans, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration was established to help protect our
ocean. The Congress passed the Clean Water Act to
restore our rivers and streams; the 1970 Clean Air Act
to slash deadly emissions; and the Endangered Species
Act, which has helped prevent 99 percent of potential
extinctions of species under its care. Advocates have
since built a global coalition that today will see a
billion people worldwide take action to protect the
Earth. Their work has called us all to conscience and
has inspired us to reject the false choice between a
sustainable planet and a strong economy. Today we are
continuing to prove that we can and must demand both.
This work has never been more urgent. Climate change is
a clear and present danger--in the words of UN
Secretary General Antonio Guterres, it is a ``code red
for humanity.'' We see it across the world and in every
corner of our country: more destructive hurricanes and
tornadoes; more severe and longer-lasting droughts; and
wildfires that have destroyed millions of acres--more
land than many whole States. Extreme weather is
disrupting our supply chains and overwhelming our
energy grids, costing America $165 billion in damages
last year alone and often hitting low-income
communities hardest. Deforestation, biodiversity loss,
toxic spills, and plastic pollution only make things
worse. Our economy, our national security, and our
children's futures are at stake.
When I was sworn in as President, we set groundbreaking
goals to cut America's greenhouse gas emissions in half
by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 in order
to keep global warming below the critical 1.5-degrees-
Celsius threshold. We immediately rejoined the Paris
Agreement and have worked to strengthen global
resilience--rallying 130 nations to commit to slashing
methane emissions, working to halt deforestation, and
putting healthy ecosystems at the heart of healthy
economies. At home, we are in the midst of a
generational upgrade in our infrastructure; and we
passed the most aggressive climate investment law in
history, making record investments in green
manufacturing, clean public transit, and climate-smart
agriculture while giving families tax credits to make
their homes more energy efficient. In the first 2 years
of my Administration, more solar, wind, and battery
storage technology were deployed in the United States
than any prior 2-year period. In 2022 alone, wind and
solar provided nearly three-quarters of new power
generation capacity in the United States. We are making
the United States the world's electric vehicle leader,
building a nationwide network of 500,000 charging
stations and providing tax credits
[[Page 25268]]
to help families afford electric cars and save on the
cost of gasoline. Throughout, we are making sure that
the technology powering our clean energy future is made
in America by American workers, creating good-paying
union jobs. Since we know environmental factors can
impact businesses and markets, I have made sure that
pension fund managers can continue to take those
factors into account.
As we unleash this new era of economic growth powered
by clean energy, we are also making historic
investments in environmental justice--cleaning up toxic
waste, improving air quality, capping old oil and gas
wells, and expanding safe outdoor spaces across the
country so communities smothered by the legacy of
pollution can rebuild. We are working to replace every
lead pipe left in America so children everywhere can
turn on the faucet and drink clean water, and we are
partnering with communities to get dangerous ``PFAS''
chemicals out of their water supplies. To complement
and enable these efforts, today I signed an Executive
Order committing the Federal Government to
incorporating environmental justice perspectives,
values, and considerations into our work. I have also
committed to working with the Congress to quadruple
American support for global climate finance, unlocking
the additional pools of private investment needed to
bring the world along. There is no denying that we are
in this together.
At home, we have also deepened our conservation work,
preserving our natural wonders as bridges to our past
and future. Our ``America the Beautiful'' Initiative
aims to conserve at least 30 percent of our Nation's
lands and waters by 2030; in its first year, we
protected more territory than any administration since
President John F. Kennedy's. Last Earth Day, I signed
an Executive Order strengthening America's forests to
harness their power in the fight against climate change
and reduce wildfire risk. I have designated magnificent
lands from Avi Kwa Ame--or Spirit Mountain--in Nevada
to Camp Hale in Colorado as national monuments,
restored protections to treasures like Bears Ears and
Grand Staircase-Escalante in Utah, and acted to protect
the Tongass National Forest and Bristol Bay in Alaska.
The environmentalist and author Rachel Carson once
wrote: ``Those who contemplate the beauty of the Earth
find reserves of strength that will endure as long as
life lasts.'' Today, we renew that strength to keep
building on our progress. The challenges we face are
great, but our capacity is greater. The inspiring
passion of young people and climate activists, civil
society and Indigenous communities, and thoughtful
consumers and forward-thinking businesses is
galvanizing the world to finally deliver a more
equitable, prosperous, and just planet, preserved for
generations to come.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., 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,
2023, as Earth Day. Today, I encourage all Americans to
reflect on the need to protect our precious Earth; to
heed the call to combat our climate and biodiversity
crises while growing the economy; and to keep working
for a healthier, safer, more equitable future for all.
[[Page 25269]]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twenty-first day of April, in the year of our Lord two
thousand twenty-three, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and forty-
seventh.
<GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT>
(Presidential Sig.)
[FR Doc. 2023-08938
Filed 4-25-23; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3395-F3-P
</pre></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on April 26, 2023.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.