Welcome Change: Assessment of the Obama Administration's First-Year Environmental Record

In his first year in office, President Barack Obama and his administration have taken a remarkable number of actions to address a wide variety of environmental challenges. From investing in clean energy technology through the stimulus bills to increasing energy efficiency, the Administration has done more in its first few months to protect our air, water and communities than we’ve seen in the last decade.

The hallmark of the administration’s first year record was the decision to put the nation on a path toward a cleaner energy future. President Obama has also made important progress across a range of environmental policies, in contrast to the previous administration, which was one of the worst on record. While much work remains to be done, the level of protection has been raised in many areas, damage from the previous administration has been reversed, and good policies already in place have been retained.

This January 2010 issue paper focuses on areas where environmental protections have been improved during Obama’s first year in office, and assesses where the country stands in the year ahead.