857–4

Conversation No. 857-4

Date: February 15, 1973
Time: 10:40 am - 11:10 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Ronald Ziegler.

Pentagon visit
-Arrangements

Rogers C. B. Morton, J. Phil Campbell, Russell E. Train, William D. Ruckelshaus, John D.
Ehrlichman, and Richard M. Fairbanks entered at an unknown time after 10:40 am. Members of
the press were present at the beginning of the meeting.

Environmentalists

Photograph session
-Arrangements.

Sea life
-Ecosystem

Purpose of meeting
-Briefing statement
-Land use planning
-Mineral development
-Mining
 -23-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 857-4 (cont’d)




-Conservation guidance
-Endangered species
-Parks
-Interior Department
-Land use planning
-Mining
-1970 financial priorities
-Water
-Sewer plants
-Change in priorities
-Air quality
-Legislative proposals
-Criticism
-Press, Congress
-Cut-backs
-Counterattack
-New thrust
-Land management
-Power plants
-State responsibility
-Funds
-New money
-Land use bill
-Mining
-Power plants

Environment budget
-Programs
-Problems
-Limitations
-Debate over amounts
-Answer to critics
-Objectives
-Need to act
-New funding
 -24-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 857-4 (cont’d)




-President’s statement
-California
-Effectiveness
-Clean water
-Demand on budget
-Diminishing returns
-Congress
-Record of last four years
-Reversal of environmental destruction
-Results
-Crash programs
-Manufacturing
-Waste
-Esoteric programs
-Land use
-Beautification
-Clean water
-Clean air
-Farmers
-POWs
-Emphasis on conservation

Public attitudes
-Indifference to clean water and clean air
-Cities
-Florida
-Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, DC
-Beauty of country
-Environmentalists
-Legacy
-Parks
-Quality of life
-Beauty of countryside

Poll by conservationists
 -25-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 857-4 (cont’d)




-Land use
-Top priority
-Energy
-Administration’s record
-Clean air and clean water
-Food
-Individual responsibility
-Neighborhoods

Energy message
-Location of refineries, atomic generation
-Relation to environment
-Land use planning
-Free enterprise system
-Development

Florida Everglades
-Mangrove swamps
-Preservation
-Bird sanctuaries
-Golf course at Key Biscayne
-Canal development

Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 10:40 am.

Mangrove trees

Sanchez left at an unknown time before 11:10 am.

Everglades
-Gulf fisheries
-Development and conservation
-Danger of excessive conservation
-Environmental beauty
-Cities
 -26-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 857-4 (cont’d)




-Farms
-New York City

Environmental policy
-Positive thrust
-Spending
-Adequacy
-Military, schools
-Land use
-Energy
-Progress
-Publicity
-Turn-around in last four years
-Restoration of environment

Alaska pipeline
-Necessity of choice
-Conservation or energy
-Environmental safeguards
-Interior Department Studies
-Court case
-Technicalities
-Right of way
-Option
-Legislation

Energy problem
-Columbia Broadcasting System [CBS] news story
-Vietnam
-Scope
-Crisis
-Reasons
-Supply
-Increase in demand worldwide
-Worldwide demand
 -27-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 857-4 (cont’d)




-President's Southeast Asia trip, 1953
-US Ambassador in Saigon
-Hong Kong water
-Compared to meat crisis
-Positive light
-New sources
-Distribution
-Legacy of parks
-Public indifference
-Power shortages
-Fuel oil prices

Public attitude
-Concern for beauty of countryside
-Housing subdivisions
-Traffic jams

Energy message
-Congressional action
-Highway Trust Fund
-Traffic jams
-California, New York
-Smog
-Mass transit
-Freeway traffic
-Single occupancy vehicles
-President's experiences
-California
-Washington, DC traffic
-President’s experience
-California
-Key Biscayne, Florida
-Highway 1
-Highway Trust Fund
-Mass transit
 -28-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. Oct.-09)
Conversation No. 857-4 (cont’d)




Washington Post article

Morton, et al., left at 11:10 am.