great lakes lobby day in d.c.

SPRING 2014 | MINNESOTA the clean water action newsletter

minnesotacurrents

For far too long, more than half of Minnesota’s stream miles have been without Clean Water Act protection and at risk from pollution

or destruction. Bad policy decisions in the past decade got us into this mess. And it is a mess. Those streams feed the drinking water for 979,000 Minnesotans and should be fully protected under the law, but that is no longer the case.

Good news this spring — the Obama administration released a proposal to protect clean water and restore safeguards for the streams that supply drinking water and for wetlands that protect Minnesota’s communities from flooding. These resources are the underpinning of Minnesota’s vibrant recreational economy — that’s jobs and businesses generating $12.5 billion each year. Take action to support this proposal and restore protections for Minnesota’s clean water, www.cleanwater.org/protect-clean-water

PROTECT CLEAN WATER

In early March, the Great Lakes came to the Nation’s Capital. The Annual Great Lakes Day is a gathering of Great Lakes advocates from across the region, who bring their love and passion for the Great Lakes to Members of Congress. Clean Water Action helped recruit and organize the Minnesota delegation of nearly a dozen community members, local government officials, and business owners. The group met with staff from all ten of Minnesota’s Congressional delegation, sharing local stories and issue concerns to make the case for continued Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding. The Initiative supports restoration and protection, preventing the spread of carp and other invasive species, and supporting EPA’s new plan to restore Clean Water Act protections for streams and wetlands (see below). EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy addressed this year’s Great Lakes Day participants, speaking at length about how EPA’s efforts to protect clean water will reinforce local stream and wetland restoration and protection progress across the region.

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GREAT LAKES DELEGATION. Participants in the annual Great Lakes Day event included, (left to right) Allison Wolf, Jill Crafton, Darrell Gerber, U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum, Carl Haensel, Jennifer Peters. Jennifer coordinates water programs on Clean Water Action’s national staff, and Darrell is a clean water expert and campaigner based in Clean Water Action’s Twin Cities office. Allison represents the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy. Carl owns and operates Namebini guided fly-fishing and lodging and is the volunteer Northern Minnesota Vice Chair for Minnesota Trout Unlimited. Jill is the volunteer Chair of the Izaak Walton League’s Great Lakes Committee, serves on the Board of Water and Soil Resources, and is a Commissioner on the Riley-Purgatory-Bluff Creek Watershed District Board.

Concerned consumers, health and environmental lead-ers converged on a Minneapolis Walgreens to urge the national chain to reduce its sale of products containing toxic chemicals. Organized by Clean Water Action and the Healthy Legacy Coalition, the April 16 event was part of a national “Mind the Store” day of action on toxic chemicals in consumer products, with similar events at more than 45 Walgreens branches around the country.

In the past year, more than 60,000 customers have written to Walgreens seeking an action plan on 100 of the most hazardous chemicals. A new study by HealthyStuff.org, touted by Minneapolis Mind the Store activists who returned suspect products and delivered customer-signed postcards to the store manager, found that many Walgreens products contain hazardous chemicals.

So far, Walgreens has not responded to customer letters or meeting requests to discuss how the company might adopt a comprehensive chemicals policy. In con-trast, other retail giants, including Walmart, Target and Bed, Bath and Beyond have all announced significant initiatives to disclose and limit known chemical hazards in products they sell.

Problematic products at Walgreens, according to HealthyStuff.org’s research range from household

cleaners and school supplies to pet toys and other everyday consumer products. Tests found PVC plastic, phthalates, organotins and heavy metals, all identified as potential health risks by state and federal agencies and health researchers.

walgreens challenged on toxics

MINDING THE STORE: Shoppers at a MinneapolisWalgreens this April, one of more than 45 events across the U.S. to spotlight toxic ingredients in consumer and personal care products sold by the chain, calling on management to acknowledgeand address the problem.

CLEAN WATER, CLEAN ENERGY & JOBS!Clean Water Action members and staff joined more than 500 people in the capitol rotunda on April 22, Earth Day 2014, to hear from clean energy leaders, including Gov. Mark Dayton and others. Speakers urged participants to keep fighting to increase Minnesota’s Renewable Energy Standard and invest in energy efficiency programs that work.

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Join us to make a difference with a variety of

hands-on activities and opportunities.Meet our staff,

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pthalates found in dust at all tested homesPthalates, identified as priority toxic chemicals by the Minnesota Department of Health are typically found in body products, vinyl plastics, cleaners and other con-sumer products. Phthalates have been shown to cause lowered testosterone, reduced sperm count, asthma and other health problems, and recent federal research found that phthalates are more likely to cause fertil-ity problems in men than in women. Pthaltes are also known to pose children’s health risks and could also impact boys’ future fertility.

Household dust from every home sampled during a recent project by Clean Water Action and the Healthy Legacy Coalition was found to contain pthalates. “It is sobering to learn my son’s exposure to chemicals could impact his fertility decades later,” says Martha Mori-arty, dust test participant and mother of two.

Based on national testing, pthalates are believed to be present in most Americans’ body tissues, and dust is one route of exposure. Because of children’s behavior, they tend to be more highly exposed to these chemicals in dust than adults. While this Minnesota test focused on six chemicals, other studies have detected up to 65 different chemicals in household dust.

There are currently no safety standards for chemi-cals in household dust and there is weak oversight of chemicals in consumer products, which are the source of the chemicals found in dust.

“These toxic chemicals are hidden in products,” says Clean Water Action’s Kim LaBo, Healthy Legacy Coalition Organizer. “We need stronger laws in place so that people, particularly children, are protected.”

The Minnesota Environmental Fund’s (MEF) workplace giving programs support Clean Water Fund and more than 20 other respected and responsible nonprofit environmental and conservation organizations. MEF’s local workplace giving option connects people to Minnesota’s environmental charities through payroll giving and employee engagement. Ask your employer to be part of MEF today.

minnesota environmental fund

GIVING TOXICS THE BOOT: Minnesota Professional Firefighters Association President Chris Parsons stands near a soot-covered uniform at a recent event with Clean Water Action and allies, organized to call for action on flame retardants and other toxic chemicals. Part of a national “Give Toxics the Boot” action highlighting connections between firefighters’ high work-related disease rates and toxic chemicals.

Chemical flame retardants used in furni-ture, electronics and other household products migrate into household dust and air and eventually into people’s bodies. The chemicals have proven ineffective at slowing or preventing fires, and exposure in homes and via toxic smoke during fires puts both homeowners’ and firefighters’ health at risk.

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CURRENTS is published by Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund. Reproduction in whole or part is permitted with proper credit. © 2014 All rights reserved.

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minnesotacurrentsSPRING 2014

Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund are members of the Healing Our Waters coalition and help to lead its

Minnesota programs to restore and protect the Great Lakes.