State of the Rivers? Your wish list for tonight’s State of the Union address

January 24, 2012

Amy Souers Kober
Senior Director of Communications

Will President Obama mention rivers in his State of the Union address tonight? After all, few things are as important to our health, economy, and quality of life as clean water – right?

Last year the President caused a stir when he highlighted salmon management as an example of government inefficiency. “The Interior Department is in charge of salmon while they’re in fresh water, but the Commerce Department handles them when they’re in salt water,” Obama said. “I hear it gets even more complicated once they’re smoked.”

Whether or not the President makes another salmon joke this year, we hope his speech reflects the value Americans place on a healthy environment, and the fact that environmental protection, energy security, and jobs go hand-in-hand.

If you could write the President’s speech, what river issue would you have him feature in this year’s State of the Union? The world’s tallest dam removal? The need to shore up clean water protections? The Keystone XL pipeline victory over Big Oil?

Share your wish list in the comments section below (hey, you never know, the speechwriters might be listening…)

Comments List

Submitted by Kelly Janes at: January 24, 2012

Wise floodplain use protects people from flooding and erosion hazards while providing valuable ecological services and important habitat. Lets look beyond engineered solutions to ways we can develop with nature instead of always against it.