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On the last business day of the Bush administration, many people are looking forward to the promises and challenges of the next administration. Still, most are also speculating on how George W. Bush will be remembered. When it comes to the environment, Bush's record and legacy is difficult to determine.
As a protector of the oceans, Bush appears to be a strong environmental advocate. All told, President Bush set aside 335,000 square miles of the Pacific Ocean, more than anyone else in history, as protected territory. At the same time, he opposed restrictions on the Navy's use of sonar which is widely thought to lead to the stranding and death of whales.
Most environmentalists look at other, less conflicted, issues when judging the administration's record. Pointing to limits of the endangered species list and reduced restrictions and regulations on everything from toxic waste to air and carbon pollution, they say that the best eight years looked more like "the worst of times" than the best.
Planet Green NGO partner NRDC has assembled an interactive timeline to help you review the record in full.
For more environmental politics, don't miss Focus Earth: January 17, 2009: Detroit Auto Show and Bush's Environmental Record .
Read more about green politics:
How to Write Your Elected Officials
Green Glossary: Single Issue
How Can Obama Save the Planet? Read The 100 Day Action Plan E-book
Help Influence President-Elect Obama's Urban Policy
Forget Democrat or Republican, Vote Green!
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