Obama Defends Environmental Legacy, Rips Climate Change Deniers

— -- President Obama defended his legacy on the environment and criticized climate change denial Wednesday in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, saying "smart" environmental and economic policy aren’t mutually exclusive.

“There is no contradiction between being smart on the environment and having a strong economy, and we've got to keep it going,” Obama said.

Appearing at the 20th anniversary of the yearly Lake Tahoe Summit, Obama spoke about the importance of protecting and preserving the environment and targeted Republican critics skeptical of climate change –- referencing Donald Trump, though not by name.

“The fact is that it's man-made,” he said. “It's not, 'We think it's man-made.’ It's not, ‘A lot of people are saying it's man-made.’”

Protecting the environment, he said, won’t happen “if we pretend a snowball in winter means nothing’s wrong...if we boast about how we’re going to scrap international treaties.”

He announced several new White House environmental initiatives, and thanked retiring Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid for "working hard to preserve the national gifts of Nevada and these United States of America."

"The light Harry lit shines bright as ever [on Lake Tahoe]," he said.

The outgoing president also promised to return to the lake after leaving the White House.

"This is really nice, I will be coming here more often," he said. "My transportation won't be as nice, but I'll be spending more time here."

Obama said the visit reminded him of "The Godfather II," and a scene in the film where Fredo Corleone, one of the main characters, is killed while fishing on Lake Tahoe.

"'The Godfather' II is maybe my favorite movie. As I was flying over the lake I was thinking about Fredo," he said, to laughter. "It's tough."

California Gov. Jerry Brown and Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer preceded Obama and Reid, who introduced the president.

The Nevada Democrat praised Obama for protecting more than 260 million acres of public land and waters. Republicans have criticized Obama for using executive authority to create national monuments, a cornerstone of his environmental legacy.

Last week, Obama celebrated the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service by designating a new monument in Maine and expanding the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument off of the coast of Hawaii to create the largest marine protected area in the world.