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<br />Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by <br />The Hon. Gale Norton, Secr.tary of the Interior <br />NatIonal Environmental Pollj:y Institute Summit <br />Marriott Metro Center, Washington. DC <br />March Sth, 2001, 9 a.m. Eastern <br /> <br />Thank you, Congressman Ritter for that kind Introduction. <br /> <br />It is wonderful to be here this morning. I'm honored to have been asked by Congressman Ritter <br />to speak to you today. <br /> <br />Congressman Ritter - and the National Environmental Polley Institute - have long been leaders <br />In strengthening partnerships among communities, among businesses and environmentalists, <br />and among federal, state and local governments. And I'm pleased to help begin the NEPI <br />summit today. <br /> <br />So far, I've had a very busy, exciting and productive five weeks as Secretary of the Interior. I've <br />learned, I've listened, I've started the budget process, and last weekend I made a quick journey <br />back West - to prepare for pOSSible forest fires and begin preparation for the 200111 anniversary <br />of the Lewis and Clark expedition. <br /> <br />And the trip reminded me that as honored as I was when President Bush asked me to work in <br />his administration, and serve as Secretary, It wasn't easy to leave my home out West In <br />Colorado and move inside the Beltway. <br /> <br />But the change in scenery wasn't the only Interesting experience I've had in the last few months. <br />If you watched television or picked up a newspaper during my confirmation hearings, you may <br />have noticed some groups decided that attacking me might fill their fund-raising coffers. <br /> <br />When those groups unleashed their version of what I supposedly stood for the last 20 years - I <br />wondered where I had been, or If they had mistakenime for another "Gale Norton." <br /> <br />You could say the honeymoon enjoyed by the Bush ~dministration was about as long as the <br />one enjoyed by that couple from 'Who Wants to Mar;ry a Millionaire." <br /> <br />But there's a real problem facing Washington D.C. - too often groups are pit against each other. <br />And unfortunately, political conversation too often becomes shrill and divisive. <br /> <br />And that's why this Summit's theme Is also one of my top priorities as Secretary: We must move <br />past geographic and partisan barriers so we can brirjg state and local priorities to Washington. <br /> <br />President Bush campaigned on changing the tone I~ Washington. And President Bush Is <br />committed to empowering local people with more of it heir own resources and with a larger voice <br />in their government. i <br /> <br />And It's one of the reasons I am firmly dedicated to a process called the "Four C's": they are <br />consultation, cooperation, communication ... and all ,In the service of conservation. <br /> <br />Between landowners and environmentalists; between stale officials and federal officials. And of <br />course between each of you here today and the Department of the Interior. <br /> <br />From the federal level, we need some standards. W,e, need scientific Information that everybody <br />around the country can utilize and learn from. . <br /> <br />Unfortunately, some in Washington think they unde~stand an Issue because they've flipped <br />through a binder full of briefing papers; some In Washington believe the free market cannot be <br />the environment's friend; some In Washington believe the only way to protect the environment is <br />through Washington-based command and control. . <br /> <br />8 <br /> <br />., ". <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />j <br />