A Letter From the President

December 5, 2012 Dear Ray: Thank you for writing.  The Chimney Rock site in southwestern Colorado incorporates spiritual, historic, and scientific resources of great value and significance.  On September 21, 2012, I was proud to sign a Presidential Proclamation designating Chimney Rock as a National Monument. America’s natural resources and landscapes are among our Nation’s most precious treasures, and we have an obligation to protect them for future generations.  That is why my Administration is taking action to preserve and restore our land, water, and air.  Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, I increased funding for hazardous waste cleanup, wastewater and drinking water infrastructure construction, and projects that improve our Nation’s parks and wildlife refuges.  I also signed the Omnibus Public Land Management Act—the most extensive expansion of land and water conservation in more than a generation. To further safeguard our natural heritage and historic landmarks, I was proud to launch the America’s Great Outdoors initiative.  Building on input from tens of thousands of people across our country, my Administration is joining with communities, landowners, sportsmen, businesses, and partners at every level of government to reconnect Americans with the natural world and lay the foundation for a more sustainable planet. We all share the responsibility to help protect the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the land that supports and sustains us, and my Administration remains committed to tackling these and other tough problems.  I encourage you to learn more about our efforts atwww.WhiteHouse.gov/energy/our-environment.  You can also read about the America’s Great Outdoors initiative at AmericasGreatOutdoors.gov. Thank you, again, for writing. Sincerely, Barack Obama