Chamber Touts Progress on Environment

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States Chamber of Commerce today highlighted the significant role business has played in cleaning the nation's environment, stressing that a strong economy is critical to environmental protection, and released a report on the "myths" and "facts" pertaining to the environment.

"Economic growth and environmental progress are not incompatible pursuits," said William Kovacs, Chamber vice president of environmental policy. "A strong economy enables us to pay the bill for a clean environment."

The air and water are cleaner today than on any previous Earth Day, due to technological innovations and tremendous gains in efficiency achieved by business, the Chamber noted. If business is freed from over-reaching government regulations and frivolous lawsuits, then it will continue to create the wealth and technology needed to improve the environment.

Since 1970, the six most common air pollutants have decreased by more than 25 percent while GDP increased 161 percent, energy consumption increased 42 percent, and vehicle miles traveled increased 149 percent, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Over the past 15 years, the number of unhealthy air-quality days has declined by two-thirds in major cities across the country. And two-thirds of the nation's waters are safe for fishing and swimming today, compared with only one-third in 1972.

With expected technological and efficiency improvements, in the next 20 years business will reduce its rate of carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 30 percent per unit of GDP, according to the Chamber.

"Responsible business and environmental leaders can work together to ensure a healthy environment and economic growth," said Kovacs.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation representing more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector and region.

# # #

04-52

See a copy of the Chamber's report: "Top 10 Environmental Myths"