Bob Wendelgass - President and CEO

You’ve probably seen the photos or heard the stories about rivers that caught on fire, smog that was thick enough to choke on, “dead” lakes like Lake Erie, and polluters able to do whatever they wanted to with no accountability. It all seemed so “normal”. And it was, until some people decided to speak up and do something.

It’s hard to believe that we’re already in the final months of 2021. This is the time of the year when many of us gather with our communities -- whether they are our family, our friends, or our neighbors. This year I am thinking about another community -- the community of Clean Water members and activists -- and how much people like you matter.

Normally my Thanksgiving message is pretty easy -- I talk about the things that Clean Water has to be thankful for and then profusely thank our members for the support throughout the year. And we do have plenty to be thankful for and I will thank you, but I also want to acknowledge that 2020 has been a long, tough year.

The Clean Water Scorecard for the 116th CongressProtecting our water, health, and environment shouldn’t be a partisan issue -- but it has been, in the US Congress. For the fifth time since 2010, support for common sense legislation to safeguard our water, address the climate crisis, fix our democracy, and put people first broke down along party lines.

Today we endorsed Joe Biden for President. Why? Because he has bold plans to address the climate crisis and environmental racism, to protect our water, and to reverse the damage done by President Trump.

We are angry and we are anguished, yet again. We are anguished because the unjust killing of George Floyd has again laid bare the oppression and racism that lead to daily harassment, injury, and death of our black and brown neighbors. We are angry because people who are crying out for justice and peacefully demanding accountability have been met with violence and arrest across the nation, and the President is threatening to deploy the military on the streets of our cities.

I hope that you and your family are well and that you are staying healthy. We understand the challenges we're all facing right now while dealing the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis. And we know that has to come first.

As I look back on 2019, there are plenty of times that it would have been easy to get frustrated, throw my hands up, and lose hope. But I didn't -- and Clean Water members and supporters had a lot to do with that.

I think I can speak for all of us here at Clean Water Action when I say our members and supporters give us hope and keep us going.

Why do so many Members of Congress stand by – or, even worse, pile on – whenever the Trump Administration advances another one of its reckless anti-environment giveaways to big polluters?

Maybe it’s because things have been systematically rigged to boost the influence wielded by big polluters and other corporate special interests. When people like you who care about clean water are effectively shut out – or worse, ignored by those elected to represent us – bad things can happen.

Clean Water members and activists are part of a big story. It's a story that special interests and their allies in Congress and the White House don’t want to hear.