Obama Earns Praise for Green Action in First 100 Days

"Today, on my 100th day in office," said the President, "I've come to report to you, the American people, that we have begun to pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off, and we've begun the work of remaking America. (Applause.) We're working to remake America."

Obama outlined the situation he faced on Inauguration Day January 20, 2009.

"On our first day in office we found challenges of unprecedented size and scope," he told the town hall meeting. "Our economy was in the midst of the most serious downturn since the Great Depression. Banks had stopped lending. The housing market was crippled. The deficit was at $1.3 trillion. And meanwhile, families continued to struggle with health care costs, too many of our kids couldn't get the education they needed, the nation remained trapped by our dangerous dependence on foreign oil."

President Barack Obama takes questions from the audience at a town hall meeting at Fox High School. (Photo courtesy The White House)

"Now, after 100 days, I'm pleased with the progress we've made, but I'm not satisfied," Obama said. "I'm confident in the future, but I'm not content with the present - not when there are workers who are still out of jobs, families who still can't pay their bills; not when there are too many Americans who can't afford their health care, so many of our children being left behind and our nation is not leading the world in developing 21st century energy. I'm not satisfied. And I know you aren't either."

Environmentalists across the country may not be completely satisfied with President Obama's performance during his first 100 days in office, but many of them are pleased.

Sierra Club Executive Director Carl Pope said, "It is difficult to overstate the tremendous progress President Obama has made in just 100 days. He has moved swifter and smarter than any president in recent memory. While naysayers warned of doing too much too quickly, President Obama maintained his resolve and his boldness is backed by overwhelming majorities of the American public."

"President Obama has done more to lay the foundation for the clean energy future in three months than has been done in the previous three decades," said Pope. "His economic recovery plan, the budget, and a sweeping set of executive branch actions amount to a huge down payment on a cleaner, more prosperous future."

"We have finally closed the books on the Bush era of climate denial once and for all. President Obama and his team of the best and the brightest have restored credibility, competence, and the rule of law to our government," said Pope. "Science is allowed to lead and agencies like the Department of Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency are once again in the business of protecting the public and our planet."

Wesley Warren, director of programs for the Natural Resources Defense Council, said, "In just 100 days, President Obama has swung the door open on energy, environment and climate that will move America in a new direction on these critical issues. Amid great challenges, Obama has set a new course for America that will lead to a new approach to energy, create millions of jobs, and reduce the carbon pollution that threatens people's health and the climate."

The Obama administration has taken historic steps to curb greenhouse gas pollution, passed a budget that invests in clean energy, urged Congress to pass legislation limiting carbon emissions, pushed for higher fuel efficiency standards.

The NRDC and other conservation organizations, however, object to the Interior Department's support of removing some populations of wolves from the federal Endangered Species List.

On Monday, President Obama addressed the 146th annual meeting of the National Academy of Sciences, the first time since President John F. Kennedy that a president has spoken at the Academy during his first 100 days in office.

Obama announced new initiatives and investments in scientific research, innovation, and education, declaring once again to restore science to its rightful place. "The days of science taking a back seat to ideology are over," he said.

President Barack Obama addresses the National Academy of Scientists (Photo courtesy NAS)

The President committed to doubling the budgets of three key science agencies - the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy's Office of Science, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. He also announced the launch of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, a new Department of Energy organization modeled after the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

Union of Concerned Scientists' Francesca Grifo said scientists are enthusiastic about progress made in the first 100 days.

"We are thrilled that President Obama has taken a personal interest in depoliticizing the federal government's use of science and is taking steps to address this challenge," she said today. "Scientists are heartened by commitments from officials at all levels to improve transparency, strengthen protections for scientists, and seriously consider the science when crafting regulations that protect the public."

Congressional Democrats, naturally, expressed their support for President Obama's actions since Inauguration Day.

At a press conference in the Capitol this morning as the House was voting on Obama's first budget, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, "It's a budget that reduces taxes, lowers the deficit, and creates jobs. It is a budget that is marked by its transparency as it honors the three pillars of the Obama initiatives; energy, health care and education. And those issues are issues that have been the hallmark of the first 100 days."

Pelosi gave the President top marks for his first 100 days, saying, "This budget and the recovery package that is its bookend are the greenest. This is the greenest budget in history and the stimulus is the greenest recovery package as well. We're here to observe the first 100 days marked, as I say, by these two budget initiatives but also by many pieces of legislation in between ... the legislation for the public lands bill, was the biggest conservation bill in nearly a generation.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid too praised the President for enacting the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009.

"I am especially grateful for the very first act this new Senate passed," said Reid. "Through one of the most important conservation efforts in more than a generation, we protected more than two million acres of wilderness, more than a thousand miles of scenic rivers, and thousands more miles of new trails for future generations to enjoy."

"I wish we could say that Republicans chose to work with us on each one of these efforts. It would have been good for the country if they had. But we still extend an open hand across the aisle. We still reserve for Republicans a seat at the table."

House Minority Leader Republican Congressman John Boehner of Ohio had no praise for President Obama's first 100 days in office.

"America has lost more than two million jobs in the last three months, so this is no time for Democrats in Washington to be taking a victory lap," he said. "It's time to hit the 'reset button' and for the Administration to begin keeping its promises of a ‘new era of responsibility,' more transparency, and more bipartisan cooperation by working with Republicans to ensure that Washington is making the same sacrifices that families and small businesses are forced to make every day.

"The President's first 100 days can be summed up in three words: spending, taxing, and borrowing," Boehner said.

While criticizing Obama, Boehner did say, "Republicans will continue reaching out to the President to find common ground and offer superior policy alternatives when we disagree."

Senate Minority Leader Republican Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky also was critical. "The administration's plan revolved around a trillion dollar stimulus that was neither timely, targeted, nor temporary — as well as a decision to press forward on several major, controversial legislative proposals," he said. "And if the President's budget is fully implemented, it would double the national debt in just five years and nearly triple it in 10."

Tonight, President Obama will hold a nationally televised press conference from the White House on the work of his administration during its first 100 days.

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