Nation's Environment Continues to Improve, Says Pacific Research Inst. Report; Stats Show Positive Trends in Air, Water, Toxics, Forestry

4/21/2003

From: Susan Martin of the Pacific Research Institute 415-955-6120

SAN FRANCISCO, April 21 -- Government data confirm that environmental quality continues to improve in the United States, according to the 2003 Index of Leading Environmental Indicators, 8th Edition, released today by the Pacific Research Institute and the American Enterprise Institute.

"Consistent with the research we've done over the past eight years, the Index demonstrates that despite the 'doom-and-gloom' mentality in mainstream reporting, the facts clearly show that environmental quality has improved continuously over the past 30 years," said author Dr. Steven Hayward.

In this year's report, Dr. Hayward provides analysis of current trend data on air quality, water quality, and toxic substances, with a special section on American forests.

The data, all from government sources, show the following:

-- Air quality is perhaps the greatest environmental success story of the last generation. The number of days in "exceedence" of the EPA's air-quality standards has declined nearly 50 percent over the last decade, with a 60-percent drop in California alone.

-- While water quality remains a difficult medium to measure, with only 19 percent of river and stream miles assessed in the most recent U.S. Geological Survey's National Water Quality Inventory, local success stories continue to demonstrate substantial improvements.

-- The level of toxic releases has declined 51.2 percent since 1988, according to the EPA's Toxics Release Inventory (TRI), a reporting system for more than 650 chemicals. "The reduction in the use of chemicals, even as industrial output and economic activity grow, is a sign of the increasing efficiency of our industrial plants and de-materialization of the economy," says Hayward.

-- The total area of forests nationwide has been fairly stable since about 1920 and actually increased between 1990 and 2002. How to manage these lands is a source of political contention. "On private lands, more aggressive thinning and management practices can proceed without legal and bureaucratic interference, and as a result they are managed in a more sustainable manner," said Hayward.

This year's Index also includes a "Top10" list of the best news features and editorial analysis of the past year on environmental issues.

"Mainstream environmental journalism is becoming more accurate and more positive," said Hayward. "This past year offers some outstanding examples of sound reporting."

--- To purchase a copy of the Index of Leading Environmental Indicators, 8th Edition or to schedule an interview with the author, please contact Susan Martin at 415-955-6120 or smartin@pacificresearch.org.

------ For more than two decades, the Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy (PRI) has championed freedom, opportunity, and personal responsibility through free-market policy solutions. PRI is a non-profit, non-partisan organization. To learn more visit PRI's Web site at http://www.pacificresearch.org.