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MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2002

President Bush is promoting Earth Day with the "Clear Skies" initiative, one of his new environmental priorities.

But don't think George W. is turning into Al Gore, who was known to bore -- or thrill, depending on the perspective -- audiences with his inner knowledge of green issues. Gore will be speaking on environmental issues today, too, as he blasts Bush for his policies.

Other administration officials will also fan out to promote the Bush administration's environmental friendliness in light of Earth Day. Secretary of Interior Gale Norton will be in Florida to talk about the Everglades, Assistant Secretary Neal McCaleb will be in Oklahoma hanging with school kids in Tahlequah and wildlife guy Craig Manson will return "home" to New Mexico to visit with children in Albuquerque.

Where will the more industry-friendly Interior officials be? The department didn't release their schedules, so The New York Times talks about their pasts: Deputy Secretary J. Steven Griles was a former mining lobbyist, for example.

All of this doesn't matter, though, says Norton. In an editorial published in The Times, she says the real environmentalists are every day citizens who work to conserve the land.

Get the Story:
Gale Norton: Helping Citizens Conserve Their Own Land — and America's (The New York Times 4/20)
High Administration Officials Have Links to Energy Industry (The New York Times 4/21)
Bush Policies Have Been Good to Energy Industry (The New York Times 4/21)
President to Use Earth Day to Sell Environmental Plan (The New York Times 4/22)