Draft FY 2011-2015 EPA Strategic Plan

Dear EPA, Population growth is an internal factor that can no longer be ignored. Unsustainable population growth is a major driver of the many environmental challenges we face and, if left unaddressed, will most certainly undermine the EPA's ability to reach its goals. It is time for a council to be formed to discuss and select options (open to the EPA) that promote sustainable population growth for the benefit of the environmental health (and human physical health) of the nation. Sincerely, M. McIntosh

Unsustainable population growth is a major driver of the many environmental challenges we face and will undermine the agency's ability to reach its goals if left unaddressed. Little attention was given to the issue of overpopulation in your plan, though it is critical that you address this issue seriously, and soon. I feel that overpopulation is the single greatest threat to the environment and all species that inhabit it. Overpopulation has already begun to take its toll, and its effects will quickly worsen and spiral out of control if the population is allowed to grow. If concrete action is not taken soon we may lose the chance to counteract the effects of overpopulation. Thank you for considering my comments. Sincerely, Yvette Pozzato Member, Center for Biological Diversity

There's only one mention -- on page 24 -- in the EPA draft five-year plan of another important issue: overpopulation. Under the heading "External Factors and Emerging Issues," the agency says population growth is an issue that "can create long-term challenges that run deep and across many EPA programs." Unfortunately, it's the only page in the entire document that even mentions population. Population is an internal factor that's been around -- and roundly ignored -- for a long time. Unsustainable population growth is a major driver of the many environmental challenges we face and will undermine the agency's ability to reach its goals if left unaddressed. Many years ago there was an active organization called Zero Population Growth, but I haven't heard a whisper of concern about population for years.

As you continue to consider how to solve a myriad of environmental issues, it is imperative that you recognize and work to solve the problem of unsustainable population growth, a major driver of the many environmental challenges we face. If unaddressed, overpopulation will undermine the agency's ability to reach its goals. Please do not ignore this very serious issue. Thank you.

Please seriously consider the fact that unsustainable population growth is a major driver of the many environmental challenges we face and will undermine the agency's ability to reach its goals if left unaddressed. The survival of the human race depends on it! Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Amy Irene Anderson 1824 Route 212 Saugerties, NY 12477

I write to urge that the EPA Strategic Plan take much more note of the destructive role of excessive global population growth. Our planet cannot sustain the huge population increase of the past 100 years, that is due in part to Republican policy from Reagan to Bush that cut off aid to UN family planning programs as well as making family planning very difficult in the US. The EPA needs to formalize the consequences of this religion-driven policy, which should have no place in the governance of the US and our relations with UN policies.

POPULATION is scarcely mentioned as a major driver of environmental degradation in this report and I believe it is a major contributor to the costs of protecting the environkent and our national and planetary resources. Many countries have successfully implemented policies which encourage smaller, healthier families. While this may be beyjnd the scope of the EPA to institute, I heartily recommend at least a more prominent and more comprehensive recognition of the impact of population on these issues. Susan Justice 188 S Santa Rosa St Ventura, CA 93001

Overpopulation is an internal factor that's been around -- and roundly ignored -- for a long time. unsustainable population growth is a major driver of the many environmental challenges we face and will undermine the agency's ability to reach its goals if left unaddressed. Please realize this is very important!!!Sincerely, Joyce Cope, Ormond Beach, Florida

THE WORLD IS OVERPOPULATED. PEOPLE NEED TO STOP BREEDING. IT IS THE SOURCE OF EVERY PROBLEM. WE ARE AT A BREAKING POINT. ONLY IGNORANT PEOPLE ARE HAVING OFFSPRING. IT IS NOT AN ENTITLEMENT, ONLY THE EGO AND OTHER FACTORS. NOBODY SHOULD HAVE OFFSPRING, IT IS A SELFISH AND SELFISH AND MORE SELFISH ACT. WHEN THE WORLD PERISHES, ALL OF US GO, RICH AND SMART AND COMELY ARE NOT EXEMPT. YOU MUST MUST MUST STAVE OVERPOPULATION NOW

Failing to include the effect of population growth during planning, nullifies any planning to improve the environment. Katherine Coats, retired 119 Second Ave. SE Magee, MS 39111 umome@hotmail.com

Unsustainable population growth is a major driver of the many environmental challenges we face and will undermine the agency's ability to reach its goals if left unaddressed. Overpopulation is a HUGE issue and we cannot continue to ignore it.

Human overpopulation is the #1 environmental issue. Why is the EPA not informing the public? By 2020 we will hit peak oil according to IEA. Britian's top scientist has advised by 2030 we will need 50% more food and energy! By 2040 we will need 50% more water! DO SOMETHING!!! PLEASE TELL PEOPLE TO STOP HAVING BABIES. LET'S TRY FOR 1 CHILD HOUSEHOLDS TO STOP THE UPCOMING DISASTER. ALL OF THIS IS NOT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT GLOBAL WARMING. We are using 50% of all of the fresh water available on Earth leaving all other species to compete for what is left. Just recently 10 countries have declared water scarcity. The US is on a highway to hell with every other country on Earth. That's just the human toll. We know lots of people will die. However, we are losing species at the rate of 1 species per HOUR, a 10,000 time accelerated rate of extinction due to human activities. Human agriculture is the #1 reason for species destruction. We have poisoned 22,000 miles of rivers in the US from animal farming, from the meat industry alone. Human overconsumption of meat, eating meat, causes 40% more C02 emissions than all transportation combined. WE ARE ADDING 200,000 HUMANS TO EARTH DAILY = A MEXICO EVERY YEAR 1/2 AND AN AFRICA EVERY 10 YEARS.

The document needs to address the population issue. Population is an internal factor that's been around -- and roundly ignored -- for a long time. Uunsustainable population growth is a major driver of the many environmental challenges we face and will undermine the agency's ability to reach its goals if left unaddressed.

The EPA strategic plan for managing environmental threats in the coming decades ignores the importance of population growth and the pressures that it causes on all facets of the environment. I ask that specific remedies for the continued growth in the U.S. population be included in the strategic plan.

Dear EPA, You have a BIG job, keeping track of so many environmental factors that affect the health of our country. It has come to our attention that the issue of unsustainable population growth is not being seriously addressed. It's a tough one, but definitely impacts on the country's carbon footprint. What can you do to address this internal factor as part of the critical environmental issues? A favor of a reply is requested. Thank you very much Deborah Cake dayspring@rcn.com

Overpopulation is an issue that needs to be addressed much more widely than it currently is being addressed. A mention on one page of the report is not enough.

As a Newsweek reporter pointed out in the South American World Environmental Conference, every damage was discussed except the root cause: human over-population. It's the elephant in the room that must be addressed before a catastrophic calamity. Earth's maximum sustainability was reached in the 1960'. When is someone going to be brave enough to say the emperor has no clothes? Epidemics, pollution, extinction and world misery is on the march as people have too many children and the world applauds. Stupidity and lack of social conscience abounds. I did a paper in college in the '60's and listed the dire warnings. Since then, it's worse. I'm told politicians don't want to offend and lose votes. Other nations will cry genocide. How self-serving. Linda Law

Overpopulation needs to be seriously addressed. It is very much an underlying cause for many ecological problems from pollution to resource management. Please make a solid assessment and plan focusing on education to help limit further population explosion.