NOAA TO PARTICIPATE IN HISTORIC WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE
ON COOPERATIVE CONSERVATION
Public and Private Sector Participants Will Consider the Advancement of President Bush’s Cooperative Conservation Vision

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, along with other federal agencies, will participate in a conference in St. Louis, Mo., later this month to provide a forum for a diverse group of leaders to exchange information. The conference, convened by the White House Council on Environmental Quality, will identify innovative and effective approaches to promoting cooperative conservation.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez; NOAA Administrator Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr.; Commerce Deputy Assistant Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere Timothy R. E. Keeney; NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator William T. Hogarth; National Ocean Service Assistant Administrator Richard Spinrad; and Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research Assistant Administrator Richard Rosen are among the invited guests who will discuss strengthening shared governance and citizen stewardship.

The three-day conference launches a new conservation dialogue and philosophy for the 21st century that builds upon the legacy of a much similar convocation of leaders by President Theodore Roosevelt at the start of the last century. President Bush signed Executive Order #13352 on August 26, 2004 which directs the Departments of the Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Defense and the Environmental Protection Agency to implement laws relating to the environment and natural resources in a manner that promotes cooperative conservation, with an emphasis on local inclusion.

NOAA has a long history of cooperative conservation efforts. From improving habitat and rebuilding fishery stocks to helping mitigate the effects of drought and reduce the damage from natural disasters, NOAA has always relied on partnerships to help achieve its mission. The conference will feature case studies highlighting some of the very best examples of cooperative conservation. More information on NOAA’s cooperative conservation activities can be found at http://www.conservationconference.noaa.gov.

The White House Conference on Cooperative Conservation will be held at the St. Louis Convention Center, 701 Convention Plaza, St Louis, MO 63101, from August 29-31, 2005. Media with valid press credentials are invited to register for the conference online http://www.conservation.ceq.gov/media.html. For more information on the conference agenda, access http://www.conservation.ceq.gov. For all media logistics questions, please contact Megan Barnett, 202-456-6224.