Clean Water Action is pleased to announce our Minnesota endorsements for November 8!
There is a lot at stake in this election. Clean water...clean air...the Great Lakes...and more will be impacted by who we send to Washington and St Paul. Clean Water Action has endorsed candidates who will fight for clean water and our communities. Learn more about them and remember to get out and vote on November 8th!
Angie Craig, US House of Representatives, Congressional District 2: Angie is the former vice president of global human resources for St. Jude Medical. In addition to being an experienced business executive, Angie has been an active member in the Twin Cities community for over a decade.
If elected, Angie will fight for stronger protections to protect clean water and put drinking water first, support investments in renewable energy and opportunities to create green jobs. She will also work to modernize our laws to keep pace with current health science and get toxic chemicals out of our homes and the products we use every day.
Deb Calvert, State Senate, District 44: Deb works at Mitchell Hamline School of Law supporting the president and dean and board of trustees. Previously, she worked in U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar’s state office. She currently serves on the Minnetonka Planning Commission where she takes the environment into consideration during decision making.
If elected, Deb would bring a breadth of knowledge on a variety of environmental issues to the legislature. She will fight for strong water quality protections, advocate for renewable energy and sustainable development, and work to protect the public from involuntary exposure to toxic chemicals used in everyday consumer products.
Steve Cwodzinski, State Senate, District 48: Steve is a retired American government and history teacher from Eden Prairie who hopes to bring the same values of civic duty and political efficacy that he taught in the classroom to the senate. He believes in sound state policies that promote environmental health.
If elected to the senate, Steve will work hard to protect our environment, safeguard water and air quality and improve transportation.
Dan Schoen, State Senate, District 54: Dan has been a strong advocate for protecting our environment and public health since his election to the house in 2012. He worked hard to help advance important legislation including the Firefighter and Children’s Health Protection Act and the Toxic Free Kids Act.
If elected to the senate, Dan would continue working to address climate change, safeguard our water resources and protect consumers from toxic chemicals.
John Marty, State Senate, District 66: Senator John Marty is an environmental champion with a strong history leading and supporting efforts to protect public health and the environment during his time in the Minnesota Senate. Since his election in 1986, John has demonstrated superior dedication to the issues that matter to Minnesotans — from defending environmental protections to safeguarding our drinking water quality to protecting consumers from toxic chemicals. John has also worked hard to advance Minnesota’s path to energy independence by passing meaningful clean energy policies.
If re-elected, John will continue his focus on building a sustainable economy and fossil-free fuel future and work to protect Minnesotans from pollution and toxic substances.
Melissa Hortman, State House of Representatives, District 36B: Representative Melissa Hortman has been a steadfast environmental champion since her election to the house in 2004. In addition to being a legislator, she is currently the Assistant Hennepin County Attorney. During her time in the legislature, Melissa has been a strong voice for the environment by working to advance clean energy policies and by tirelessly defending attempts to weaken or repeal progress already made.
If re-elected, Melissa will continue to be a tenacious environmental advocate by working to advance a comprehensive clean energy and climate action agenda.
Laurie Pryor, State House of Representatives, District 48A: Laurie is a former management analyst for the State of Minnesota and business consultant for Pryor, Roberts and Associates. She is a long-time Minnetonka resident who has spent decades contributing to the community as a volunteer.
If elected, Laurie will work to address the challenges of climate change, protect public health from toxic chemicals, advance clean energy in Minnesota, and safeguard our surface, ground, and drinking water.
Erin Maye Quade, State House of Representatives, District 57A Erin is a long-time community organizer who has worked in both the private and public sector to help families achieve greater opportunities.
If elected to the house, Erin will work to address climate change, protect water and air quality and promote clean energy.
View our complete list of endorsements here.
Hillary Clinton for President
The stakes could not be higher and the choice could not be clearer. That is why Clean Water Action has endorsed Hillary Clinton for President. Hillary Clinton is a fighter and has a strong history of protecting our environment, water, and health as First Lady, Senator, and Secretary of State.
She has called climate change the “defining challenge of our time”, proposed one of the most far-reaching environmental platforms in history, and incorporated a bold vision for environmental justice in her policies. She will continue President Obama’s legacy of action on climate — and expand on it, ensuring the nation meets the commitments made in Paris. She will also defend the Clean Water Rule.
FDA: Clean Up Our Food
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will soon decide whether 30 toxic chemical “food additives” will be prohibited.
Clean Water Action and other organizations submitted a petition to the FDA asking it to stop allowing phthalates as food additives. Thanks to mobilization efforts, over 9,000 people submitted comments to the FDA. If successful, the petition could lead to a new rule making it illegal to sell phthalate-contaminated food, which would be a big victory for public health and the environment.
Despite strong scientific evidence showing harmful health effects, the FDA still allows the use of 30 different toxic phthalates for use as “food additives.” Phthalates are hormone-disrupting chemicals linked to severe genital birth defects in baby boys. They’re also linked to learning disabilities, asthma and allergies. Clearly, they don’t belong in food.
Phthalates are being found in the food we eat — particularly foods such as meats, dairy and oils that are high in fat. According to one study, eating fast food has been shown to increase the level of phthalates in our bodies by 40%.
These chemicals can end up in food during processing. Many of the materials used during food processing, from the plastic equipment to the plastic gloves workers wear, contain phthalates. Food packaging is another source of phthalate exposure.
In fact, 4,000 to 6,000 chemicals are used in food packaging and the majority of these chemicals have not been reviewed for safety. To learn more about the problem of secret, toxic chemicals in food packaging, read California Clean Water Action’s report “What’s in the Package? Unveiling the Toxic Secrets of Food and Beverage Packaging.”
Year of Water Action
Water is our middle name here. That’s why we were thrilled to see Governor Dayton announce the next year in Minnesota is the “Year of Water Action.”
“We have a shared responsibility to protect Minnesota’s precious lakes, rivers, and streams for future generations. That starts with fostering an ethic of water conservation in our communities,” said Governor Dayton. “Throughout the next year, we must raise awareness of the challenges facing Minnesota’s waters and highlight ways that Minnesotans can take action.”
The challenges are aplenty! Being the Land of 10,000 Lakes, thousands of miles of rivers, and millions of acres of wetlands, we have a lot of water to protect. From aquatic invasive species to runoff from industrial agriculture, lead in our drinking water to deteriorating water infrastructure, we have our work cut out for us. We wholeheartedly thank and support Governor Dayton’s leadership on protecting one of our most precious resources, our water.
Thank you Governor Dayton!
We look forward to working with him and his administration over the next year to take actions and implement innovative and long term solutions to the many challenges facing us here in Minnesota to ensure clean and safe water for everyone.
Great Lakes Restoration Conference
In September, Clean Water Action Water Program Coordinator Steve Schultz joined more than 400 other Great Lakes advocates in Sandusky, OH at Cedar Point for the 2016 Great Lakes Restoration Conference. Hosted by the Healing Our Waters – Great Lakes Coalition, the conference is the largest annual gathering of Great Lakes supporters and activists. Participants learned about important Great Lakes restoration issues and projects as well as developed strategies to advance federal, regional and local restoration goals for one of our greatest natural treasures, the Great Lakes.
Workshops focused on protecting the lakes as a source of drinking water for more than 40 million people. One session focused on what residents of Toledo, OH endured in August 2014 when their water was deemed unfit for drinking for three days due to a toxic algae bloom caused by excess nutrients in Lake Erie from industrial farm runoff.
Another workshop featured activists from Flint, MI who told their stories about the struggle with lead-poisoned drinking water in their community. Their presentation focused on how the community has suffered because of ill-informed decisions that led to kids and community members being exposed to unhealthy levels of lead in their drinking water for months. Both of these presentations emphasized the importance of community involvement in local decisions to help protect health and drinking water sources and put drinking water first.
Other topics included urging both of the Presidential candidates to make Great Lakes funding and restoration a priority if they are elected, reducing pollution from industrial agriculture that is wreaking havoc on the Great Lakes, stopping the spread of invasive species in the lakes, as well as other presentations addressing ongoing Great Lakes restoration and protection strategies. We are already looking forward to next year’s conference that will be held on the far east side of Lake Erie in Buffalo, NY.
Clean Water’s Annual Fall Fundraiser!
November 17, 2016 5:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Red Stag Supperclub 509 1st Ave. NE Minneapolis, MN 55413
Join us for a raffle, drinks, and hors d’oeuvres to support our efforts to protect Minnesota’s water, environment and public health on November 17 from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m.
There will be a short program at 6:00 p.m. where we’ll celebrate recent victories, discuss our current priorities, and present our Legislator of the Year awards.
Thank you to our sponsors:
- Lake: Aveda, The Red Stag Supperclub
- River: Rich Ginsberg, Vic Moore, Rebecca Sluss
- Stream: Patience Caso, Thom Petersen, Jim Falk, Jerry Foss, Elizabeth Dickinson, Carolyn Carr, Communications Workers of America MN State Council
- Legislators: Senator Jim & Gayle Carlson, Senator Scott Dibble, Senator Chris Eaton, Senator Kevin Dahle, Senator Kari Dziedzic, Senator Ron Latz, Senator Melissa Halvorson Wiklund, Representative Dan Schoen, Representative David Bly, Representative Sandra Masin, Representative Dave Pinto, Representative Mike Freiberg, Representative Melissa Hortman
