SPOKANE, Wash.- Spokane’s Expo 74’ was notable not only for being the smallest city to ever host a World’s Fair, but also for being the first such event with an environmental theme. President Richard Nixon utilized the expo to highlight his administration’s green policies.
The Nixon Administration was one of the first modern presidencies to tackle environmental conservation as a key political priority. The nation’s first Californian created the Environmental Protection Agency and signed both the Clean Air Act and the Endangered Species Act.
In his Expo 74’ speech, Nixon emphasized Washington’s conservationist policies.
“The State of Washington…I think is generally recognized to be the first State in the nation in terms of trying to protect the environment. We congratulate this state, its governor and its legislators,” Nixon said.
Nixon gave his Expo 74’ remarks in the shadow of Watergate, which would ultimately cause him to resign from the presidency.
However, his attendance at the fair illustrated that his legacy included both scandal and a significant record of environmentalist efforts which formed the foundation of contemporary climate reduction efforts by the federal government.
Environmentalism will Whether the 37th president will be mentioned during the festivities is currently unclear.
