Gore also emphasized the role that the government has played in promoting concern for environmental issues.

"The Connecticut River community has a vision of a river with clean running water, migrating salmon, many recreational uses with protected open lands, wildlife areas, paths and access for everyone," Gore said. "Today the federal government is providing funds to start making that vision a reality."

But in addressing other issues, from global warming to the Clean Water Act, Gore seems to be making the environment a central political issue in his campaign.

"We have to make the 21st century the time that we right the environmental wrongs of our past," Gore said. "That is the 21st century that I want to create."

Gore also made it clear that taking active measures to improve aspects of the environment will not adversely impact the economic prosperity that has been achieved since he and President Clinton took office in 1993.

"Environmental protection and economic growth are not mutually exclusive," Gore said, noting the fact that the economy today is the strongest that it has been in US history.

The vice president was applauded for his commitment to the American Heritage River Initiative by Democratic New Hampshire Governor Jeanne Shaheen, who presented Gore with a map of the Connecticut River Valley.

"We're fortunate that the Vice President is spending more and more time in New Hampshire," she said.