Editors' Summary: One of the most serious tasks Americans face in the near future is electing a president to lead the nation into the 1990s. Environmental law and policy are heavily influenced by the decisions made by elected officials and their senior appointees, and environmental issues should command close attention as voters and opinion leaders approach the 1988 election.

The Environmental Law Reporter has invited several leading presidential candidates to present their views on environmental law and policy. This month, Al Gore describes the nation's traditional commitment to environmental protection, but concludes that the Reagan Administration gutted these programs during its early years. Even now, he says, the Environmental Protection Agency lacks true top-level support, and the next president must move vigorously to make up for lost time. Mr. Gore outlines areas on which to focus: law reform, hazardous waste, enforcement, better science, radon, wetlands, international issues such as ozone and the greenhouse effect, and land conservation and solid waste disposal. Central to environmental success, he observes, is presidential leadership with vision that reaches internationally and long into the future.