MINNEAPOLIS -- Today Clean Water Action in partnership with 13 Minnesota environmental, civic, and citizen organizations delivered a letter in support of PFAS prevention legislation to Minnesota state lawmakers. These bills include:
• Information Disclosure (SF450 / HF372)
• Firefighting Foam Loophole Closure (SF776 / HF742)
• Non-Essential Use Ban (SF834 / HF1000)
• PFAS Ban in Juvenile Products (HF552)
• PFAS Ban in Ski Wax (SF669)
• Medical Monitoring
Minnesota is currently spending millions of dollars to clean up PFAS from the water and environment. By passing these pieces of PFAS legislation the Minnesota legislature will be preventing the need for future costly cleanup and more importantly, protecting the health of Minnesotan communities.
"It’s vital we pass legislation banning PFAS, educating consumers about the products they purchase, and giving Minnesotans the right to pursue legal action against companies for exposing them to toxic chemicals," said Avonna Starck, Clean Water Action Minnesota State Director. "This is fiscally responsible, environmentally necessary, and will have a positive impact on public health for generations to come."
"PFAS contamination affects every single community in Minnesota," said Steve Morse, Executive Director of the Minnesota Environmental Partnership. "Those who’ve suffered the worst health impacts, from Bemidji to Cottage Grove, can attest that it’s past time for businesses to phase out PFAS substances. MEP and our member organizations support every effort to keep these unsafe chemicals out of our waters, our fish, and our bodies."
"The origin story of PFAS begins here, in Minnesota. We therefore have an obligation to lead on
this issue, said Andrea Lovoll, Legislative Director of the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy "Enacting laws that help equip our state agencies with critical data to aid their public health and environmental response is common sense."
Organizations signing:
Eureka Recycling
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
Land Stewardship Project
League of Women Voters Minnesota
Learning Disabilities Association of America
Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy
Minnesota Environmental Partnership
Minnesota Herpetological Society
Minnesota Ornithologists Union
Minnesota River Valley Audubon Chapter
Minnesota Well Owners Organization
Sierra Club North Star Chapter
Vote Climate
Download the full letter here.
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Clean Water Action works at the national, state and local level to develop strong, community-based environmental leadership and bring together diverse constituencies to work cooperatively for policies that improve lives and protect water. Clean Water Action has been in Minnesota since 1982, focused on finding solutions to health, consumer, environmental and community problems and working to protect our water and our people. Learn more at http://cleanwater.org/MN
