BOARD02200

• Board Meeting Date: 3/26/2001
• Description: CWCB Director's Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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But it's local people who see problems with their very own eyes who often know the best
solutions.

I learned this first-hand as Colorado attorney general.

I became highly Involved in the process of bringing people with diverse backgrounds together to
achieve shared goals. Whenever a problem arose between different levels of government and
groups of people - my phone started ringing.

I worked hard to build an honest line of communication between all levels of government,
environmentalists, property owners, businesses that create jobs and prosperity, and other
groups willing to work together to accomplish our common missions.

And I'm proud of our accomplishments in Colorado.

We preserved endangered species; we cleaned up mountain valleys polluted by mining; we
prosecuted polluters; and we worked to convert the Rocky Mountain Arsenal from a place
polluted by pesticides and nerve gas residues to a wildlife refuge once again thriving with
habitat.

But we couldn't have achieved those results, if we had not listened to all voices and Involved all
citizens.

That's a main reason why nearly 90 percent of Department of the Interior employees live and
work outside of Washington. And that's why I had a Simple request for Department employees
when I talked with all of them for the first time three weeks ago:

I asked for their help. I asked for their input. I asked for their ideas. I asked for their innovations.
And sometimes I'll even ask for their crilicisms. And today I ask the same from you. Well, except
for that .criticlsms" part.

Seriously, I make this commitment to you today: the Department of the Interior is your ally. We
are here to listen, provide help and work with you to accomplish our shared goals.

A prime example of government not listening to people happened just a few months ago, when -
in their final hours - the previous administration suddenly designated over 2.9 million acres of
national monuments. That's bigger than the state of Connecticut.

But the previous administration took little trouble to assure that the monuments can be
maintained. They didn't Include a single new ranger to protect the monuments and guide people
through the sites,

They didn't include a single dollar to build a visitor center. They didn't even include money to put
up one sign so visitors can actually find the new monuments. And worse yet, they didn't work in
concert with local property owners, elected officials and other people whose lives were affected
to ask their input or their ideas.

I'm dedicated to charting a new course. I'm opening up lines of communications that have not
always been properly fostered.

I want to partner with local people at the beginning of the process - not at the end. I'll ask for
their advice to find Innovative ways to care for and protect precious national treasures.

Clearly, this approach is challenging. It's easy for Washington to say we'll just set huge swaths
of the American landscape off-limits to Americans. Or, at the other extreme, to say we'll exploit
resources without worrying about the environment.

I favor neither of these approaches. I believe that we can be creative and innovative - that we
can have a vibrant, healthy environment - and utilize it, too.