By Matt Sepic, KWMU
St. Louis, MO – Top Bush Administration officials will be in St. Louis this week for a conference on environmental conservation. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is scheduled to speak at lunchtime Monday.
The Defense Department has a conservation program for the 25 million acres of public land that is uses.
White House Council on Environmental Quality spokeswoman Michele St. Martin environmental groups, ranchers and others will also be there. "And they're all going to come together to share their knowledge and experience, talk about innovative and effective approaches to expand local involvement, broaden cooperative conservation partnerships, and make citizen stewardship the future of American conservation."
The conference starts Monday morning at the America's Center downtown.
Interior Secretary Gayle Norton and Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns will also address the conference.