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President Clinton and Vice President Gore:
Protecting Our Environment and Public Health
Over the past seven years, President Clinton and Vice President
Gore have significantly strengthened protections for the environment
and public health, and won new resources to help states and communities
protect their water, land and coasts. Here are some of the ways the
state of Oregon has benefited:
Accelerating Toxic Cleanups. Nationwide, the Administration has completed 525 Superfund cleanups since 1993, more than three times the number completed in the previous twelve years. In Oregon, 3 Superfund cleanups have been completed since 1993.
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Superfund -- Administration initiatives have steered more than $110 million to more than 300 communities to assess, clean up and redevelop brownfields – abandoned, contaminated sites, usually in distressed urban neighborhoods. Oregon has received 6 grants totaling $1.7 million.
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Brownfields Administration initiatives have steered
more than $110 million to more than 300 communities to assess, clean
up and redevelop brownfields abandoned, contaminated sites, usually
in distressed urban neighborhoods. North Dakota has received two grants
totaling $400,000.
Strengthening Water Quality Protections. Through a variety
of programs, the Administration has provided significant new resources
to states and communities to safeguard public health by improving drinking
water and to protect rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. These include:
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Clean Water State Revolving Fund This fund supports low-interest loans to help communities build and upgrade sewage treatment plants and other wastewater systPs. Since 1993, the Environmental Protection Agency has provided $10.7 billion to states for these loans. Oregon has received $125.7 million.
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Drinking Water State Revolving Fund This fund, proposed by President Clinton and enacted in 1996, supports low-interest loans to help communities build and upgrade their water treatment systPs. Since 1997, the Environmental Protection Agency has provided nearly $3.5 billion to states for these loans. Oregon has received $52.1 million.
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Polluted Runoff Grants These grants help states and communities develop programs to combat the largest rPaining threat to water quality – polluted runoff from sources such as farms and city streets. Since 1993, EPA has provided grants totaling nearly $900 million. Oregon has received $13.9 million.
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Rural Water Grants -- These grants and loans provide special assistance to small rural communities to upgrade their drinking water systPs. Since 1993, the Department of Agriculture has provided nearly $9 billion in loans and grants. Oregon has received $229.7 million.
Protecting Local Lands. The Administration has won significant
new resources to help states, communities, and landowners protect farms
and other local green spaces that support wildlife, recreation, and
water quality.
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Land and Water Conservation Fund Since 1993, the Department of the Interior has provided states and communities with $81.5 million through the Land and Water Conservation Fund to acquire and protect threatened lands. Oregon has received $1.3 million.
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Conservation Reserve Program This Department of Agriculture program provides payments to farmers who rPove environmentally sensitive lands from production and improve thP by restoring wildlife habitat, planting windbreaks, or creating streamside buffers. Since 1993, farmers in Oregon have received funds to protect 405,704 acres.
Protecting Our Coasts and Estuaries. Grants from the National Coastal Zone ManagPent Program help states develop and implPent plans for the protection and sustainable managPent of coastal resources. The National Estuarine Research Reserve SystP provides grants to states to help protect and restore estuaries, where ocean and fresh water mix. Through these two programs, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has provided $466 million to states since 1993. Oregon has received $12.3 million.
April 2000
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