Former President Carter, who died Sunday at the age of 100, left behind a history of pioneering energy and environmental policy.
During his one term in the Oval Office, Mr. Carter's impact continued long after his presidential term ended, from new conservation mandates to the creation of the federal Department of Energy during the repeated energy crises of the 1970s. He took a wide range of actions on issues that held power.
Seven months after taking office, Carter signed the Department of Energy Organization Act in August 1977, officially establishing the department. This law consolidated a number of existing agencies under the umbrella of new federal ministries. This realignment was primarily in response to the oil crisis of 1973, the same month that the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) imposed an embargo on countries that had supported Israel during the Yom Kippur War.
Amid national anxiety over energy supplies, Mr. Carter was an early advocate of energy efficiency, particularly the use of renewable energy to achieve America's energy independence. One of his most notable efforts was installing 32 solar panels on the roof of the White House in 1979. The installation comes two years after a tax credit was established for homeowners who install solar-powered water heaters.
In his remarks to mark the installation, he expressed concerns about the United States' dependence on foreign imports for energy that will remain relevant in 2024 and that the United States will They called for 20 percent of their energy to come from sunlight.
“Solar energy doesn't pollute our air or water. There's no shortage of it. No one can embargo the sun or interrupt its delivery to us,” Carter said. Ta.
The 39th president's emphasis on energy efficiency contrasts with the optimistic tone of his successor, President Ronald Reagan, who lost in a landslide in 1980. It is well remembered as a symbol that appealed to people to make great sacrifices. The panel was eventually removed from the White House during the Reagan administration. Although this measure is often referenced as reflecting that contrast, its removal was not completed until 1986, midway through the Reagan administration's second term. The period and month after the solar tax credit expires. The series of panels was reinstalled decades later under former President Obama.
Despite Carter's emphasis on renewable energy, he was also a major supporter of the domestic coal industry. He was elected by a coalition of Democrats, including southern and Appalachian miners who are now firmly Republican, and promoted coal as a resource that would reduce America's dependence on Middle Eastern oil.
In a 1979 speech in the Bluegrass State, he referred to a coalition of major oil producers and said, “I would rather burn a ton of Kentucky coal than buy another barrel of OPEC oil and become dependent on it.'' It’s better,” he said. He made a similar point in a 1978 speech, saying, “For now, we have no choice but to continue to rely heavily on fossil fuels, and coal is our most abundant fossil fuel.” In a 1980 campaign speech in Illinois, he told union miners, “My goal as President of the United States is for Arab oil to replace Illinois coal in the world energy market.”
Mr. Carter also leaves behind an extensive legacy on conservation, including the signing of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) in 1978, which created 10 new national parks and preserves in the state covering 56 million acres. There is. During his presidency, he created 39 new national parks. The National Park Service named him an Honorary National Park Ranger in 2016.
As recently as 2022, the then 97-year-old former president cited Alaska's environmental conflicts and appealed a proposed road through Alaska's Izembek National Wildlife Refuge that would connect the towns of King Cove and Cold Bay. submitted. Carter said on appeal that the road construction violates ANILCA, writing that an earlier ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that allowed the road construction was “not only seriously erroneous, but dangerous.” The Biden administration announced support for the road in November.
Mr. Carter, an engineer by training, also opposed his Democratic colleagues in Congress in his plan to eliminate several federal water projects that he believed were financially wasteful and harmful to rivers.
“[I]”Many of his decisions seemed sound if your concern was the wise management of the nation's finite natural and financial resources,” historian Rick Perlstein wrote in his book “Reaganland.” I'm writing. “But what seemed like an inexplicable outrage to the engineers often seemed like a matter of life or death to the legislators in the district where the project was taking place.”
Those who objected included former Rep. Mo Udall (D-Ariz.), who said, “Tucson and Phoenix.” [were] If Carter's planned “hit list” goes through, it will wither and blow away. ”
Congress and President Carter's White House ultimately reached an agreement that would reduce funding for 18 projects on the list, but nine others remained unaffected.
Biden's Interior Department praised Carter's environmental legacy in a statement after announcing his death.
“President Jimmy Carter epitomized what it means to live a life of faith and service to others. His love and preservation of our shared public lands leaves a tremendous legacy. The department will continue to recognize his work at the Jimmy Center. “Carter National Historical Park will continue to honor this selfless public servant for generations to come,” Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in a statement. I would like to express my heartfelt condolences.”
