Page "Environmental movement in the United States" Paragraph 42

In the 1980s President Ronald Reagan sought to curtail scope of environmental protection taking steps such as appointing James G. Watt who was called one of the most " blatantly anti-environmental political appointees ".

The major environmental groups responded with mass mailings which led to increased membership and donations.

The large environmental organization increasingly relied on ties within Washington DC to advance their environmental agenda.

At the same time membership in environmental groups became more suburban and urban.

Groups such as animal rights, and the gun control lobby became linked with environmentalism while sportsman, farmers and ranchers were no longer influential in the movement.