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The oil and gas industry wields enormous political power. Massive spending on elections and lobbying, a relentless spin machine and agency capture at all levels of government have given fossil fuel companies outsized influence on our political, legislative and regulatory processes. The oil and gas industry has parlayed that power into loopholes, exemptions, and special treatment in nearly all of our federal environmental protection laws, the tax code and even Covid relief legislation. This means that we pay with risk to our health and environment when the industry profits.

Clean Water Action

The Minnesota Legislature has been in session since January 6th, without many final actions to show for the time spent. In the past 12 weeks there has been a flurry of activity in the House and Senate, although from the perspective of clean water there are stark contrasts between the directions that they are headed in the remaining weeks until they adjourn on May 16th.

Senate

In the Senate, leadership has refused a hearing on legislation to ban PFAS in food packaging, a commonsense measure to protect Minnesotans from chemcials that risk human and environmental health.

Instead, the Senate has

Good news! According to a new report from the Mind the Store Coalition nearly 70% of the 50 largest retailers in the country have improved toxic chemical safety programs over the past five years. That means we can find safer products with fewer hazardous chemicals linked to cancer, reproductive disorders or birth defects when we shop. These chemicals are often found in everyday products like cleaners,food packaging, and shampoos and moisturizers. We’re exposed without our knowledge (or consent) to chemicals like PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) on a daily basis. These chemicals often