Happy Earth Day!
It’s not often that the President of the United States is here in our region for an occasion like Earth Day, but it’s certainly fitting that he is.
Here in the Pacific Northwest, we believe in caring for the Earth, our common home. We are proud of our conservation ethic, our determined leadership to reduce pollution, our contributions to climate research, and our commitment to secure a just and responsible transition to a clean energy future.
It is gratifying that President Biden recognizes this and has chosen to spend time in this great green land of Cascadia on Earth Day. Here’s an annotated look at his plans for the day, as announced by the White House press office:
DAILY GUIDANCE AND PRESS SCHEDULE FOR
FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2022In the morning, the President will receive the President’s Daily Brief. This meeting will be closed press.
[These Daily Brief meetings, in which the President receives important information on what is happening in the country and the world, are always closed to the press.]
Then, the President will deliver remarks on Earth Day making the case for his bold agenda to tackle the climate crisis, safeguard our nation’s forests, and bolster our resilience in the face of threats like wildfire. These remarks at Seward Park in Seattle, Washington will be covered by the out-of-town pool.
[An event at which only pool coverage is allowed is simpler to plan and implement, with a lighter footprint, due to having a smaller media presence. The event will likely be recorded and broadcast through the White House website, however.]
In the afternoon, the President will deliver remarks on his recent actions to lower costs and give families more breathing room, and will call on Congress to pass his plan to lower health care and energy costs. These remarks at Green River College in Auburn, Washington will be open press.
[Open press means that media outlets can apply to send representatives to cover an event. The White House ensures that there is sufficient room for a larger number of correspondents and photographers to report on the President’s comments.]
After, the President will travel to Wilmington, Delaware. The departure from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport will be open press. The departure from Philadelphia International Airport and the arrival at Delaware Air National Guard Base will be covered by the out-of-town pool.
SCHEDULE
09:00 Pacific THE PRESIDENT receives the President’s Daily Brief Closed Press
09:15 Pacific Out-of-Town Pool Call Time 10:30 Pacific THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks on Earth Day making the case for his bold agenda to tackle the climate crisis, safeguard our nation’s forests, and bolster our resilience in the face of threats like wildfire Seward Park, Seattle, Washington
Out-of-Town Pool12:30 Pacific THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks on his recent actions to lower costs and give families more breathing room, and will call on Congress to pass his plan to lower health care and energy costs Green River College, Auburn, Washington
Open Press14:15 Pacific THE PRESIDENT departs Auburn, Washington en route Seattle, Washington Auburn Municipal Airport
Out-of-Town Pool14:35 Pacific THE PRESIDENT departs Seattle, Washington enroute Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Open Press22:15 Eastern THE PRESIDENT arrives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia International Airport
Out-of-Town Pool22:40 Eastern THE PRESIDENT arrives in New Castle, Delaware Delaware Air National Guard Base
Out-of-Town Pool###
Representatives of NPI will be covering the event in Auburn at Green River College, and we will share highlights here on NPI’s Cascadia Advocate later in the day. We will be watching the Earth Day event at Seward Park as well via livestream while setting up our gear in Auburn.
The Washington Post reports that the Seward Park event will be tree-focused:
Biden to issue Earth Day order to safeguard old-growth forests
The order, which the president will sign Friday in Seattle, aims to slow climate change by storing carbon in trees
President Biden will sign an executive order on Friday in Seattle laying the groundwork for protecting some of the biggest and oldest trees in America’s forests, according to five individuals briefed on the plan who spoke on the condition of anonymity because it was not yet finalized.
Biden will direct the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to define and inventory mature and old-growth forests nationwide within a year, three of the individuals said. He will also require the agencies to identify threats to these trees, such as wildfire and climate change, and to use that information to craft policies that protect them.
While this might not sound like a big climate action step, it is nonetheless significant. As TreePAC Chair and NPI Advisory Councilmember Steve Zemke has written in this space, we lack useful and actionable data about our trees and forests at every level: local, state, and federal. This executive order could help with that. On its own, it’s not going to mitigate climate damage, but it could set the stage for the adoption of policy directions and policies that we need.
NPI’s 2021 research found overwhelming support in Seattle for protecting the Emerald City’s urban forests, with more than seven in ten voters expressing support for a range of tree protection ideas tested in July and October. One of those ideas was recently approved by the Seattle City Council.
It appears that the White House plans to get President Biden back to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport by helicopter rather than entirely by motorcade. That ought to lessen the severity of any traffic impacts in South King County stemming from Biden’s visit to the Green River College in Auburn.
