Download This Version in Microsoft Word format
Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
COMMITTEE REPORT
May 12, 2004
H. 5172
Introduced by Reps. J.E. Smith, Allen, Altman, Anthony, Bailey, Bales, Barfield, Battle, Bingham, Bowers, Branham, Breeland, G. Brown, J. Brown, R. Brown, Cato, Ceips, Chellis, Clark, Clemmons, Clyburn, Coates, Cobb-Hunter, Coleman, Cooper, Cotty, Dantzler, Davenport, Delleney, Duncan, Edge, Emory, Freeman, Frye, Gilham, Gourdine, Govan, Hagood, Hamilton, Harrell, Harrison, Harvin, Haskins, Hayes, Herbkersman, J. Hines, M. Hines, Hinson, Hosey, Howard, Huggins, Jennings, Keegan, Kennedy, Kirsh, Koon, Leach, Lee, Limehouse, Littlejohn, Lloyd, Loftis, Lourie, Lucas, Mack, Mahaffey, Martin, McCraw, McGee, McLeod, Merrill, Miller, Moody-Lawrence, J.H. Neal, J.M. Neal, Neilson, Ott, Owens, Parks, Perry, Phillips, Pinson, E.H. Pitts, M.A. Pitts, Quinn, Rhoad, Rice, Richardson, Rivers, Rutherford, Sandifer, Scarborough, Scott, Simrill, Sinclair, Skelton, D.C. Smith, F.N. Smith, G.M. Smith, G.R. Smith, J.R. Smith, W.D. Smith, Snow, Stewart, Stille, Talley, Taylor, Thompson, Toole, Townsend, Tripp, Trotter, Umphlett, Vaughn, Viers, Walker, Weeks, Whipper, White, Whitmire, Wilkins, Witherspoon and Young
S. Printed 5/12/04--S.
Read the first time April 27, 2004.
To whom was referred a Concurrent Resolution (H. 5172) to recognize and celebrate the thirty-fourth Earth Day on April 22, 2004, to reflect on the rich history of the environmental movement in South Carolina over the last thirty years, and to praise the South Carolina Heritage Trust Program and its staff for its efforts in protecting, etc., respectfully
That they have duly and carefully considered the same and recommend that the same do pass:
WILLIAM MESCHER for Committee.
TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THE THIRTY-FOURTH EARTH DAY ON APRIL 22, 2004, TO REFLECT ON THE RICH HISTORY OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT IN SOUTH CAROLINA OVER THE LAST THIRTY YEARS, AND TO PRAISE THE SOUTH CAROLINA HERITAGE TRUST PROGRAM AND ITS STAFF FOR ITS EFFORTS IN PROTECTING AND PRESERVING THE ENVIRONMENT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS OF SOUTH CAROLINIANS.
Whereas, Earth Day is an international event in which the world pauses to appreciate the value of our environment and our natural resources and to focus on promoting environmental responsibility; and
Whereas, in the first biblical directive on the subject of Nature, man was given dominion over "the fish of the sea and the fowl of the air and every creeping thing" with great importance placed on man preserving and protecting the resources of the land and sea; and
Whereas, recognizing the land as sacred, native cultures in Australia and North America have long believed that people are only a part of a greater system and are present in a mortal form for only a fleeting moment in time; and
Whereas, Earth Day was first celebrated on April 22, 1970, and continues to be celebrated annually to heighten the awareness of the mutual responsibility that all individuals worldwide have to act as trustees of the environment; and
Whereas, in South Carolina, thirty years ago there were very few state parks and no national monuments or parks in the State. There were few environmental regulations and natural resources; land, water, plants, and animals were considered commodities rather than valuable resources to be protected; and
Whereas, the environmental movement came along in the mid-1970's and taught us the intrinsic value of the environment in its natural state; and
Whereas, in 1974, the Nature Conservancy launched the idea of establishing a "natural heritage" inventory and each state surveyed its land and its species with the ultimate objective of using the information gathered to protect spectacular landscapes and rare species; and
Whereas, in cooperation with the Nature Conservancy, the South Carolina Wildlife and Marine Resources Department, later renamed the Department of Natural Resources, established the South Carolina Heritage Trust that became the nation's first natural heritage program; and
Whereas, thirty years later, South Carolina now boasts sixty-nine State Heritage preserves, numerous Nature Conservancy preserves, and a network of land trusts protecting private land under conservation easements; and
Whereas, natural preserves are our sacred groves. They are the best of nature in South Carolina, and the people of the State are their stewards with the government as their trustee; and
Whereas, the members of the General Assembly are proud to recognize the role that the South Carolina Heritage Trust Program and its staff have played over the years to protect the State's most precious resources and urges all South Carolinians to view nature with a renewed sense of wonder, a sense of what is holy, and a sense of what is moral, and to strive to take great care of the earth, the water, its creatures, and its people. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:
That the members of the South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, recognize and celebrate the thirty-fourth Earth Day on April 22, 2004, reflect on the rich history of the environmental movement in South Carolina over the last thirty years, and praise the South Carolina Heritage Trust Program and its staff for its efforts in protecting and preserving the environment for future generations of South Carolinians.
This web page was last updated on Thursday, June 25, 2009 at 10:03 A.M.