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Conversation: 857-004

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Start Date: 15-Feb-1973 10:40 AM

End Date: 15-Feb-1973 11:10 AM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Ziegler, Ronald L.Morton, Rogers C. B.Campbell, J. PhilipTrain, Russell E.Ruckelshaus, William D.Ehrlichman, John D.Fairbanks, Richard M., IIISanchez, Manolo

Recording Device: Oval Office

857-004.mp3

NARA Description:

On February 15, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, Rogers C. B. Morton, J. Philip Campbell, Russell E. Train, William D. Ruckelhaus, John D. Ehrlichman, Richard M. Fairbanks, III, and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:40 am to 11:10 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 857-004 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

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.