Leon Billings recently gave several speeches that relate to Senator Muskie's role as a legislator, focusing for the most part on his environmental record. One of those speeches was given at an event celebrating the role of former Senator Howard H. Baker, Jr. (Republican of Tennessee) in crafting the 1970 Clean Air Act.

Cleaning Americas Air - Progress and Challenges
Remarks by Howard H. Baker, Jr.
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
March 9, 2005
Read Senator Baker's remarks.

In the Shadow of Greatness
Remarks by Leon G. Billings
Cleaning Americas Air - Progress and Challenges
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
March 9, 2005
Read Leon's remarks.

Edmund S. Muskie's Legacy: Lessons for Today
Muskie School of Public Service
Portland, Maine
April 13, 2005
Read Leon's speech.

The Muskie Legacy: Policy and Politics
A Lecture by Leon G. Billings
April 14, 2005
Read Leon's lecture.

Leon Billings was asked to keynote a clean water conference in Missouri in March, 2004. He used the opportunity to trace the evolution of Federal involvement in water pollution policy; discuss the bipartisan nature of the environmental laws which were enacted under the leadership of Ed Muskie; and outline the role for the Federal government to keep its commitment to clean water in the future. Read Leon's address.

The Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division Muskie-Chafee Award honors a current or former federal employee who, in large measure through government work, has made significant contributions to protecting our nation's environment, public lands, and natural resources, and fulfilling of our nation's responsibilities to Native Americans and their natural resources.

This year's recipient is Dianne M. Shawley, a Senior Counsel in the Environmental Enforcement Section of the Department of Justice and a member of that section since 1989. Ms. Shawley achieved groundbreaking results in a series of landmark nationwide settlements under the Clean Air Act with major companies in heavily polluting industrial sectors, including the weed products industry, the steel mini-mill industry, the petroleum refining industry, and the agribusiness industry. Ms. Shawley's expertise has been particularly effective in bringing heavily polluting industrial facilities into compliance with the Clean Air Act's Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) program. Ms. Shawley has become a nationally recognized authority on PSD issues, and an advocate for a national approach to Clean Air Act compliance.

Learn more about the Muskie-Chafee Award.

On October 12, 2003, Maine's Portland Press Herald published an article about Leon Billing's involvement in the Clean Air Act. An excerpt follows:

Leon Billings had a front-row seat for the creation of the 1970 Clean Air Act, the sweeping national legislation that over the past three decades has dramatically improved air quality in the United States.

As staff director of the U.S. Senate's clean air subcommittee, Billings helped write the legislation. He participated in the back-room debates, and watched as industry officials tried to intimidate his boss, Democratic Sen. Edmund S. Muskie of Maine, into backing down from measures that would clean the air but cost them money.

Now, more than 30 years later, Billings is alarmed by the changes in clean air policy that the Bush administration wants to make.

Read the rest of the article.

• Read Leon Billing's remarks about environmental rights. Although first delivered in 1997, they are still relevant today.
• Read Jack Sando's humorous remembrance about a speech that he wrote for Senator Muskie.
• Read the text of the Spring Campaign Update for the Muskie School of Public Service.
• Muskie Foundation Newsletter -- December, 2001
• Muskie Memorial Dedicated in Rumford, Maine -- August, 2000.
• The Muskie-Chafee Award -- The 2000 award recipient announced.