Following September 11, pundits and politicians told us the tragic events had "changed the world." There's no doubt that Americans' sense of domestic security has been shaken to the core. But basic American values have not changed, including the public's support of clean air, clean water and wild forests. Unfortunately, the environmental debate in the U.S. Congress, after a brief hiatus, appears to be pretty much the same as it was before September 11.

The energy industry and its allies still want to drill, dig and destroy our way out of dependence on oil. The Bush Administration, despite its new role as leader of a global coalition against terrorism, is still refusing to take action against global warming. And the Administration has already renewed its moves to allow roadbuilding and logging in wild forests set aside for protection by the Clinton administration, ease environmental safeguards for mining on public lands, reverse a phaseout of snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park, make it easier for developers to destroy wetlands and bar the reintroduction of grizzly bears in the Northwest.

There was however some good news in 2001. The public defended the establishment of new national monuments, soundly supported increased protections for our wild forests, and pressured the EPA to force General Electric to clean up PCBs in the Hudson, and adopt more stringent requirements for getting arsenic out of our drinking water.

Undoubtedly, the number one issue we face in 2002 is energy. The Senate has introduced a new bill that reflects the current situation and offers genuine solutions-in stark contrast to the bill passed by the House-and is based on the premise that the best way to ensure our energy security is through higher fuel economy standards and greater use of renewable energy such as wind and solar power. It recognizes that drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a shortsighted solution and will not address our overdependence on oil.

Next year, as our country, and the world, grapple with combating terrorism and man's inhumanity to man, we will have to redouble our efforts to protect the natural heritage in which we take refuge.