Mike Matz Quotations

Let's celebrate the progress we're making in preserving a good piece of our 'original earth' -? the wilderness areas on public lands that belongs to all of us, no matter where we live.

Wilderness preservation is one area of environmental progress where Congress could write a surprisingly impressive record of accomplishment in 2006. In state after state, ordinary citizens inspired by these successes are working hard to encourage Congress to complete action on other pending wilderness proposals.

When church groups, rod and gun clubs, small business owners, and local government leaders come together with hiking and conservation groups, it makes a powerful point to our elected officials.

What we are seeing this Earth Day is nothing less than a grassroots renaissance as more and more Americans speak up for preservation of wilderness. Across America, ordinary people are getting together, rolling up their sleeves to work collaboratively on these proposals. Because this is happening from the ground up, they are finding workable solutions that draw broad, bipartisan public support.

It may not be the usual way of doing it. In fact, I know it's not. But if we're going to run in the Kentucky Derby, I want a live horse, not one that's used up.

It's probably not what we wanted. It may force us to use him too early. I just hope we can get good position -- that's what we hired Edgar (Prado) to do.