Filter By:
Type
State
Priority
Posted On
Search Results
Minnesota's 2016 Legislative Session in Review
As the brief 2016 legislative session ended, it was clear that this session would end like the 2015 legislative session did, riddled with missed opportunities to protect Minnesota’s environment and public health. The legislature managed to pass a $182 million supplemental budget bill that included environment and natural resources, and agriculture provisions. While lawmakers did act favorably on a few of our priorities, they failed miserably in other areas including: advancing clean energy, safeguarding public health, funding cleanup of the St. Louis River, and funding important modernization
Cleaning Up Corporate Ag, Cleaning Up Our Water
There’s nothing better on a spring or summer day in Minnesota than enjoying a relaxing day in the sun, swimming or fishing on your favorite lake or river. Unfortunately, in many parts of the state this isn’t possible or safe because the water isn’t clean enough. Excess chemicals, fertilizers, and sediment from irresponsible agricultural practices are among the biggest obstacles to the quality and health of Minnesota’s rivers, lakes, and streams.
While these pollutants find their way into our waters in various ways, runoff from single crop farmland is one of the largest contributors
Hook the Big One, Not a Wad of Eurasian Milfoil
The fishing opener is this weekend and thousands of anglers will be getting out on Minnesota’s lakes and rivers looking to hook the big one! Unfortunately, many lakes and rivers are either infested with or threatened by invasive species. The threat of invasive species is real and smacking us across the face every time we get out and try to enjoy our favorite waterways. They come in the form of aquatic plants such as Eurasian Milfoil; larger aquatic animals like Invasive Carp or Zebra Mussels; or very small animals like the spiny waterflea. Though the waterflea may be small in stature, they are
Our disconnect with water: Scott Pond and linking individual actions to the health of our waters
Earlier this month, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) and Department of Health released an advisory to avoid contact with Scott Pond in Lincoln, Rhode Island due to the presence of blue-green algae in the water.
Not only should adults avoid contact with the water, it said, but so should pets. And children. It also advised against eating any fish taken from the pond. It then proceeded to list off a litany of potential side effects from contact with the algal-tainted waters: irritation of the skin, nose, and eyes, stomachache, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Fun stuff
Diving into the Legislature
You never know what you might run into when activists descend on the statehouse for the Environment Council of Rhode Island’s (ECRI) annual Lobby Day.
Last Wednesday, I was greeted in the rotunda by a group of our allies in the Energize Rhode Island coalition wearing snorkels to demonstrate the kind of gear we’ll all need if we don’t fight the sea level rise that is resulting from Climate Change.
Each year around Earth Day, people from ECRI’s 60 member organizations set up tables with information about their issues, hold a brief speaking program and enter the House and Senate chambers to talk