WEBVTT

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Hello , I'm Rachel Jacobson , Assistant

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Secretary of the Army for installations ,

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energy and environment . On April 22nd ,

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the United States Army will join

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communities across the world to

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celebrate Earth Day as we have done for

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more than 50 years . This year's theme

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planet versus plastics , 60 by 40

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calls for a 60% reduction in the

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production of plastics by 2040 . The

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reasons are simple . Plastics are the

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most common type of marine debris with

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at least 14 million tons added to the

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ocean annually that plastic debris ends

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up being consumed by more than 200

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species . The army is doing its part to

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address the threat of plastics but

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without compromising readiness , the

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army is committed to phasing out the

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procurement of single use plastic and

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styrofoam dishware used in our

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installation dining facilities by 2030 .

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However , we also commit that this

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phase out won't affect your ability to

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get plastic water bottles , packaging

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or materials used for operational or

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mission needs or increase the cost of

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food or goods you and your families

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purchase in dining facilities ,

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commissaries or exchanges . But we have

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more Earth Day news to announce the

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army will release a new Chesapeake Bay

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strategy which updates our 2010

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strategy and sets forth how the army

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will do our part to ensure a healthy

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future from one of our nation's most

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important watersheds . The army

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operates 14 major installations

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totaling more than 330 square miles in

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the Chesapeake Bay watershed . So our

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effort to eliminate all forms of

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pollution into the Bay is vital to the

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future of the watershed . It also

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demonstrates our support of the defense

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communities that are essential to our

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mission . Besides our work to address

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the threat of plastics and our renewed

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commitment to a healthy Chesapeake Bay .

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I am excited to announce that the

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former army compatible use buffer

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program or a CUB will now be the

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Army Readiness and Environmental

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Protection integration program or army

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rep . This evolution of the program

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demonstrates the army's commitment to

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achieving readiness through

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conservation . Our new subtitle for

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army R I in the 2003 National Defense

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Authorization Act Congress created RPI

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which allows each military department

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to work with landowners in the vicinity

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of a military installation to protect

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land off base , whether to avoid

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incompatible development or to offset

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the degradation of species habitat .

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Congress has in recent years expanded

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rai authorities now allowing off bases

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conservation investments that can help

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mitigate the on base effects of climate

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change . These win win solutions

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reflect collaboration with other

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federal agencies , states , tribes ,

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land trusts and willing private

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landowners from now . On army will play

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a bigger role in these critical

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conservation partnerships . I encourage

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you to join me in celebrating Earth Day

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planet versus plastics and consider

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participating in Army Earth Day events

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near you as we celebrate Earth Day .

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This year , take some time to learn how

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you too can help reduce the use of

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plastics and contribute to a healthier

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safer planet . Thank you very much .