Studies show that energy demand in Michigan is continually declining and that there are better alternatives to coal for Michigan's economic and environmental future.

We only have a short time to show that coal is not the future for Michigan!  Act now!

Sign the petition in support of better alternatives to dirty old coal!

Please download a petition and get support from people across your community too!

 

Thanks to you, Senator Russell Feingold (D-WI) introduced the Clean Water Restoration Act in the Senate on April 2, 2009.

For three decades, the Clean Water Act protected America's waters from industrial pollution, oil spills, sewage and outright destruction. Recent interpretations of the law have now put protection of drinking water sources for 110 million Americans in jeopardy.

Big polluters will be talking to our Senators, claiming the Clean Water Act should not cover numerous wetlands, streams, rivers and lakes that have been protected under the Clean Water Act. In just one year more than 500 enforcement cases have been dropped by the federal Environmental Protection Agency and Justice Department.

We cannot go back to the days of dirty water. Congress must reverse this damage and pass the Clean Water Restoration Act this year.

Connecticut has become the first state in the nation to ban the toxic chemical bisphenol-A (BPA) from infant formula and baby food cans and jars, as well as the full range of reusable food and beverage containers! Governor M. Jodi Rell (R) signed the legislation into law, which will take effect on October 1, 2011. BPA has been linked to a wide range of chronic diseases, including: obesity, diabetes, breast and prostate cancers, reproductive problems, brain damage, behavior changes, and early puberty in girls.

Thank you for being part of the diverse and broad coalition that made this victory possible! Your efforts successfully turned back intense opposition from the chemical, plastics, and canning lobbies.

We believe in America's ability to innovate and solve big problems. We've proven time and time again we can rise to the occasion and address major environmental challenges without harming the economy. Just think about the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act. Global warming and dirty energy put America's water resources at risk – now is the time to act!

On Earth Day, eighteen Pennsylvania State Senators introduced SB 777, state legislation that would protect rivers, streams, and aquifers (groundwater) that supply our public drinking water. This bill, the Safer Drinking Water Act, will provide special protection to any water that supplies the public with its drinking water.

Take Action Now: Urge your State Senator to support the Safer Drinking Water Act and push for a vote in the senate.

Federal legislation has been introduced in Congress that would ban the toxic chemical BPA from food and beverage containers.

BPA, first developed as a synthetic sex hormone, can be found in re-useable water bottles, the lining of your soup or soda cans, baby bottles, sippy cups, and other polycarbonate plastic products. It has been shown to leach from containers directly into food and beverages, especially when heated. Why is this a problem?

More than 200 studies have found that low dose exposures to BPA are linked to heart disease, breast and testicular cancers, reproductive problems, and other diseases reaching epidemic proportions in the United States. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted research that revealed detectable levels of BPA in the bodies of 93% of Americans.

New Jersey is running out of funds for open space, farmland and historic preservation. But borrowing more money is not the answer...

Unfortunately, after 3.5 years of inaction by Governor Corzine, there is push for a short-term funding “fix”. We believe it is likely to fail, hurts chances of adopting a long-term funding stream for open space, and continues the failed borrow and spend practices that put New Jersey into its fiscal mess in the first place. With each successive stop gap, it becomes harder to secure something better.

For 15 years Rhode Island has banned trash incineration because it's dirty, dangerous, and it burns resources that we can recycle.

Now, out-of-state energy giant Covanta is spending thousands of dollars a month to convince our elected officials to take a giant step backward and undo the incinerator ban.

Over the last several years, several companies have proposed legislation to get around Rhode Island's incinerator ban. At every turn, the legislature rejected those plans.

Construction is responsible for a whopping 40% of all mobile diesel emissions in the Northeast. It's time that our policies reflect government concern for the health of the workers and the public in and around those construction sites, particularly when they are located in dense urban areas - the Diesel Emission Reduction Act does just that.

 

If you are interested in how we can work together to protect water resources by curbing global warming while transitioning to a clean energy economy, please take action today!

You've probably seen a lot of talk in the news recently about the chemical, Bisphenol A, or BPA. Bans are now in place across the country, including Suffolk County NY, Chicago, IL and in the state of Minnesota. Companies like S.C. Johnson, Gerber, and Sonoco have stopped using the chemical in products intended for children.

Plastic and paper bags fill up landfills, are incinerated to create unhealthful emissions, add needless costs to public works budgets, pollute our streams and add to neighborhood litter. They are also unnecessary.

The District of Columbia can reduce waste, protect and restore the waters of the District, clean up neighborhoods, beautify community parks and fund Anacostia restoration efforts by enacting B18-150, the Anacostia River Cleanup and Protection Act of 2009.

The proposed law will:

On May 28th, Miami-Dade County Commissioners will be asked by FPL to approve a hazardous rock-mining project. We are concerned this project will reduce agricultural land, threaten water quality and hamper current Everglades Restoration efforts. We need your voice to be heard!

Clean Water Action has been working with local allies to stop FPL from establishing a new mining operation because of its close proximity to Biscayne Bay and National Park and current concerns of saltwater intrusion into South Florida's drinking water supply.

We need your help in protecting Barnegat Bay, a critical ecosystem on New Jersey's coastline. Over 500,000 people live within the Barnegat Bay watershed year round, with double that number due to summer. The Barnegat Bay estuary covers 42 miles of shoreline and is home to crabs, fish, birds, and other wildlife. The continued economic and environmental health of the watershed and estuary is dependent on the continued health of its waters.

To our great dismay, Oyster Creek Nuclear Power Plant, the oldest plant in the country (40 years) recently received a license renewal that allows it to operate for another 20 years without cooling towers.

Last week, the Florida State Legislature passed Senate Bill 360 the so called "Community Renewal Act" which is an attack on communities that want planned growth to protect the quality of life of residents, control costs, and protect public health and the environment.

Senate Bill 360 would allow developers to gobble up sensitive and rural lands by easing restrictions, extending building permits and allowing unchecked development.

This year, we have an opportunity make real progress toward building a new energy economy -- to reduce global warming pollution, create jobs and improve the quality of life in the Granite State. The New Hampshire Department of Transportation wants to re-introduce passenger rail service linking Concord, Hooksett, Manchester, Bedford (for the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport), Merrimack, and Nashua with Boston.

UPDATE: Since the release of our "No More Toxic Tub" report last month, people have been speaking out across the country to get toxic chemicals out of our bath and beauty products. A few members of Congress have called for stronger legislation, but we need to keep the pressure on! Send your representative a message and call for stronger regulation from the FDA.

We need your help to make our message clear.  We need our elected officials to support strong regulation to get nasty contaminants like formaldehyde and 1,4 dioxane out of our bath and beauty products.

In January, H.R. 699 -- the Hard Rock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2009 -- was introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives. So far, Colorado Reps. Salazar, Polis, and DeGette have co-sponsored the bill. But Rep. Betsy Markey has not yet signed on. Please send Rep. Markey an email and ask her to co-sponsor this important bill.

The Hard Rock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2009 will help protect Colorado's environment when mining takes place in our state, including uranium mining. The U.S. EPA estimates that 40% of the west's watersheds have been polluted by mining, and with thousands of new mining claims across Colorado, this pollution will continue in the future.

In the last three years, thousands of uranium mining claims have been filed in Colorado, including claims just a few miles from the heavily populated areas of Fort Collins and Greeley. Companies are aggressively exploring for uranium and drilling test holes in many areas of Colorado.

These uranium mines will be either in-situ leach or open pit mines - both are very dangerous. In-situ leach uranium mines pump dangerous chemicals into the aquifer and groundwater to leach out the uranium, and then pump the groundwater to the surface to chemically extract the uranium from the water. Open pit mines involve digging massive open pits that extract uranium by mechanical means.

Real renewable energy creates thousands more green jobs for Florida families! Your voice is needed to tell Legislators to stop fooling around with our economy and adopt a truly Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS).

Sen. Lee Constantine recently introduced Senate Bill 2490 strongly reflecting the economic and environmental importance of excluding non-renewable nuclear power in an RPS. SB 2490 will require utilities to produce 20% of their electricity with renewable resources such as wind and solar by 2020.

In 2005, Rhode Island banned the sale of thermostats that contain mercury. However, remaining thermostats in Rhode Island homes contain over 3,600 pounds of mercury.

Now we need to require thermostat manufacturers to take responsibility for their toxic products and ensure that mercury thermostats are safely collected and recycled when they are removed from use. The Mercury Thermostat Pollution Prevention Act requires manufacturers to finance the collection and recycling of their mercury thermostats and pay a $5 incentive for each thermostat returned to their program.

Take Action: Write to Governor Carcieri and your state legislators today to urge them to support the Mercury Thermostat Pollution Prevention Act.

Senate Bill 360 by Senator Mike Bennett threatens to derail smart growth and Florida's future!

This bill would remove critical growth management authority by the state's Department of Community Affairs, eliminate transportation concurrency and Development of Regional Impact review in some communities.

Developer over-speculation and not the regulation of Florida's growth management process contributed to Florida's economic collapse. Now those same developers are trying to use the financial crisis to eliminate oversight and limit public participation.

Florida is vulnerable to the effects of global warming and climate change driven by greenhouse gas emissions. Our leaders must act now to prevent sea level rise and water shortages and other impacts linked to climate change by moving ahead with renewable, sustainable, less water-intensive energy technologies.

Take Action: Tell your Representative that strong legislation is needed to create an investment in renewable energy and protect Florida's environment, health and economy.

This week the State Legislature held hearings on House Bill 27 and Senate Bill 753, legislation to defund the Inter-County Connector (ICC). The ICC is an 18.8 mile toll-highway with a price tag of $3 billion plus, almost $200 million per mile and is ranked by national environmental groups as one of the worst projects in the US.

At a time when Maryland faces a $2.5 billion budget shortfall this one mega-project drains fiscal resources from public transit, public health, education and environmental protection. That's why we are working to defund the ICC and shift transportation funds to maintain critical transportation infrastructure and public transit.

Yearly, diesel emissions cause 237 deaths, 340 heart attacks and 3,399 asthma attacks in Pittsburgh alone according to the Clean Air Task Force¹!

School buses emit diesel particulates from their tailpipes and studies show that this polluted air gets trapped inside the bus with our children. Diesel emissions can aggravate asthma, cause lung damage, and other respiratory problems.

These are alarming facts! Please support the Allegheny County Partnership to Reduce Diesel Pollution's efforts to protect our kids by signing this petition.

Don't let your elected official destroy a deal that protects Florida's economic and water security! The River of Grass Initiative is our only chance to secure necessary land critical to the Everglades and safeguard our water supply. Florida can't afford to pass it up!

Bisphenol A (BPA), a toxic chemical that is the building block of polycarbonate plastic, is widely used for a number of consumer products. More recently, BPA has been found in baby bottles. BPA is also in the epoxy resins used to line cans of baby formula, and other foods, and has been found to leach into food and beverages. The Department of Public Health in Massachusetts has the authority to regulate toxins in children's and household products, but it needs support from the Governor.

We need your help to flood your legislators with letters and faxes urging him to support 100 foot stream buffers on all streams in Pennsylvania.

Instead of supporting Clean Water Action's proposal to require at least 100 foot buffers on all streams in our state, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is now proposing just a voluntary program. They would encourage developers to include buffers on their sites by agreeing to eliminate state review of stormwater plans that include buffers.

What's wrong with a voluntary buffers program?

Regionally, construction equipment is responsible for 40% of all mobile diesel pollution in the Northeast.  In Rhode Island construction equipment emits more toxic diesel soot than trucks, buses or even airplanes. Each year 51 premature deaths, 80 heart attacks and numerous other problems such as cancer, respiratory diseases, asthma attacks and cardiovascular disease are caused by diesel pollution in our state.  

Pennsylvania has more miles of polluted waterways that any other state in the nation. Help Springfield Township enact a proposal to curb this disturbing trend. Science has shown that buffer zones along streams protect our waterways from sedimentation, non-point source pollution, flash flooding and ultimately lower costs associated with the treatment of drinking water.

New Jersey currently has mandatory buffer protections throughout the state, Pennsylvania has not yet enacted a statewide policy on this issue. We urge individual municipalities and residents to set the example and approve the best methods to control water quality in their own backyards.

Say yes to safer and more sustainable packaging options

Because polystyrene (commonly known as Styrofoam™) is harmful to public health, costly to communities, and a big marine debris and litter problem, Clean Water Action is sponsoring legislation, AB 1358 (Hill, Nava, Brownley), to ban polystyrene food take-out packaging and encourage safer and more sustainable alternatives.

President Obama has proposed $10.5 billion for the federal Environmental Protection Agency, a 34 percent increase over 2009. The proposal provides $3.9 billion for drinking water and sewer funding and $475 million for Great Lakes restoration.

Help beat polluters to the punch! Congress needs to hear from all of us.

Take Action: Urge your Representative and Senators to support the president's 2010 budget proposal for the EPA.

Congress recently passed and the President signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. This legislation will provide states with funding that they can use for projects that will protect drinking water sources, promote new energy solutions that address global warming and create hundreds of thousands of jobs.

Did your Senators and Representative vote for this important legislation? Send them a thank you note. If your elected officials voted against progress toward a new energy future express your disappointment and ask them to ensure that we make strong investments in clean energy, water infrastructure and energy efficiency.

Providence County is ranked in the worst 6% of all U.S. counties for health problems caused by diesel emissions. Lung cancer, heart and asthma attacks, chronic respiratory diseases, impaired lung growth in children, and premature death all result from our exposure to diesel.

Congress recently voted on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. As a result New Hampshire will receive funding that it can use for projects that will protect our waterways, invest in cleaner transportation initiatives- such as rail transit, and promote new energy solutions that address global warming and create jobs.

Thank your Representative and Senator Jeanne Shaheen for voting to pass this important legislation.

However, one of our Senators, Judd Gregg, did not vote at all. Write to Senator Judd Gregg and let him know you're disappointed that he didn't take a stand and didn't vote to support New Hampshire's clean energy future.

Fossil fuels are polluting the air, warming the planet and soaring in price.
Texas' dependence on fossil fuels and nuclear power is an economic burden on its citizens and a threat to public health. As our population increases, we must prioritize clean energy and energy efficiency to protect public health and the environment, keep electricity affordable and bring jobs to Texas.

Over ninety per cent of Texas' electricity comes from dirty sources of power that put public health at risk. Texas leads the nation in emissions of greenhouse gases and toxic mercury from coal plants, and much of Texas' smog problem is due to coal. Two-thirds of Texans live in cities that are in violation of federal, health-based clean air standards.

Texas is fortunate to have a rich aquatic heritage, with nine major aquifers, fifteen major rivers, over 200 reservoirs, 3700 streams, and more than 300 miles of coastal waters. But population growth, drought and climate change are depleting water supplies at alarming rates. Public officials at all levels of government need to act now to conserve water for the future.

Texas' population is projected to double by 2060, with most newcomers settling in our urban areas. Unless we conserve, this will require new sources of water and new treatment capacity at great expense.

The Texas Legislature voted in 2007 to restore funding cuts to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) after years of budget cuts and deterioration of our state parks. The restored funding has allowed TPWD to replace staff that had been let go and make badly needed repairs to our crumbling parks. However, the funding is NOT adequate to fund the acquisition of new parks.

Texas ranks 49th among all states in per capita spending on parks, and less than 3% of Texas' land is in public hands. Our population is projected to double by 2060, with most newcomers moving to the cities. We lose an average of 160 acres to urban sprawl each day. Texas has not had a major program for acquiring and developing new parks since 1967.

In November 2008, the Virginia Coal and Energy Commission voted to move forward on a comprehensive review of the potential impact of uranium mining in Virginia. Earlier last year, during the 2008 Virginia legislative session, the House Rules Committee killed an attempt to fund a related study. These efforts are widely viewed as initial steps towards lifting a ban on uranium mining in Virginia that has been in effect since 1982, after uranium was discovered in an area used for cattle, hay and timber.

We need your help to flood Governor Rendell with letters and faxes urging him to support 100 foot stream buffers on all streams in Pennsylvania.

Instead of supporting Clean Water Action's proposal to require at least 100 foot buffers on all streams in our state, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is now proposing just a voluntary program. They would encourage developers to include buffers on their sites by agreeing to eliminate state review of stormwater plans that include buffers.

What's wrong with a voluntary buffers program?

Clean Water Action and coalition partners call on our leaders and on all sectors of society to embark on an Energy Empowerment Revolution that will protect all the inhabitants of this state from the ravages of recession and cold winter winds and to secure the future for our children and our planet. Please take a moment to review the Declaration of Energy Empowerment's (Link to Declaration PDF) goals calling for $1 billion dollars to weatherize every building and home in Massachusetts. This initiative would create over 10,000 jobs, help pull people out of poverty with decent paying jobs, and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

On November 4, America sent a message to Washington. It's time for change.

Our country faces unprecedented challenges. In November, unemployment reached 6.4% - the highest level in 14 years. America is still addicted to oil. The global warming crisis goes unabated.

With this election, Americans signaled we are ready to find new, lasting solutions to our energy, economy, and global warming challenges.

Our country faces unprecedented challenges. In November, unemployment reached the highest level in 14 years. America is still addicted to oil. The global warming crisis goes unabated.

With this election, Americans signaled we are ready to find new, lasting solutions to our energy, economy and global warming challenges.

Now is the time to Repower, Refuel and Rebuild America. By investing in clean energy, we can cut our dependence on oil, get clean electricity and reduce Global Warming pollution.

These investments will create millions of good-paying jobs in the hardest-hit construction and manufacturing sectors and create pathways out of poverty for the most affected communities.

Even though the Pequannock River is supposed to receive the highest level of protection in the state, the river is suffering from high temperatures, dead fish and low water levels. (Source: The Bergen Record)

Why? For the past 15 years, water laws protecting this river have not been upheld, allowing for the City of Newark to essentially run the river dry.

The Chesapeake Bay is in trouble.

This is no longer news, but the recent meeting of the Chesapeake Executive Council (a decision-making body that includes the Governors of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, the Mayor of the District of Columbia and others) confirmed that the existing 2010 cleanup deadline will not be met. Participants in that meeting agreed that setting long term deadlines no longer made sense, and that our elected leaders of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed need to take short term actions with near term deadlines to accelerate progress.

Protecting America's waters cannot wait any longer.

As a result of weakened regulations and poor enforcement from the Bush administration, today nearly 60% of our nation's water is unprotected from pollution and damaging development. This includes the drinking water consumed by 110 million Americans, and more than 20 million acres of wetlands that provide habitat for birds and other wildlife.

The Clean Water Restoration Act would protect these waters and wetlands, and reassert the original intent of the Clean Water Act - which is to protect all of America's waters.

Clean Water Action is working to make a clean, renewable energy economy a reality in Minnesota and on the national level. We advocate for strong, science-based policies both in the State Legislature and Congress.
In the state, Clean Water Action advocates for a variety of clean energy policies, focused primarily on Cap, Auction and Trade legislation - to reduce Global Warming pollution quickly and effectively.

Did you know that Lennar Corporation is again seeking a bailout from developer-friendly Miami-Dade County by requesting to move the Urban Development Boundary?

We must tell our Commissioners to say no to building the "Parkland" Development and adding 6,941 homes within 2 miles of Everglades National Park.

You can help protect our economy, community, and the environment from the enormous costs of sprawl by taking action now!

On September 3rd, 2008, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed the addition of the BoRit Asbestos Site, located by the Wissahickon Creek at the intersection of Whitpain Township, Upper Dublin Township and Ambler Borough, to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL).

PBDEs - flame retardants that are rapidly accumulating in our bodies and the Great Lakes - are toxic to animals and may threaten our own health. HB 4465 would phase-out deca-BDE, the only remaining commercial polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) not yet banned in Michigan, in certain products for which effective, safer, affordable alternatives are already in use.

To protect Michigan's children, our firefighters, and the Great Lakes, Michigan needs to pass HB 4465 immediately. Please e-mail your representative today!

Learn more or take action now by personalizing the message to your state representative.

The science is clear: we need to quickly reduce the pollution that leads to global warming in order to avoid severe impacts.

The future is clear: we can stop global warming by making a clean, efficient and renewable energy future for our nation.

A recently released study by the Union of Concerned Scientists and more than 50 independent scientific experts shows that if global warming goes unchecked by late this century, summers in large parts of Connecticut could resemble sweltering summers today in Georgia.

Without strong action on global warming Connecticut could face the following:

The Florida Department of Community Affairs' (DCA) received thousands of comments from Hold the Line activists and Clean Water Action members and responded by strongly opposing Miami-Dade County's ill advised efforts to develop outside our Urban Development Boundary (UDB).

If County Commissioners do not rescind these amendments, the DCA's objections could cost the county hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal costs.

Let's keep the pressure on! Please tell Miami Dade Commissioners that it is wrong to waste our taxpayer dollars to help private development interests!

Wasting Water Hurts the Environment and our Economy

Rhode Island's water is shared by all of us. Drinking water, tourism, economic development, fisheries and much of our recreation depends on the state's clean flowing rivers and streams. With proper planning and use, the region's ample rainfall will continue to provide adequate water for Rhode Island's needs in the future.

Unfortunately, Rhode Island doesn't have a plan in place that will ensure enough water is available to supply all of our needs. It's time to share our water more wisely. Support the Rhode Island Shared Water Resources Act.

We Must Take Action Now

The Rhode Island Energy Independence & Climate Solutions Act will protect our environment and revitalize our economy. Global warming threatens Rhode Island's environment, economy, and infrastructure. Warming temperatures and a shifting climate threaten delicately balanced ecosystems and the ability of natural species in Rhode Island and Narragansett Bay to survive. The costs of inaction to the threat of global warming are great; addressing this problem now through measured efforts is more responsible and less costly than reacting to what effects will come our way.

Take Action: Urge your lawmaker to support the Energy Independence & Climate Solutions Act! 

Plans for a new coal plant -- Big Stone II -- near Milbank, South Dakota call for using billions of gallons of water. This threatens Big Stone Lake and takes us in the wrong direction.

We should, instead, be using clean, abundant, renewable energy to meet our needs -- avoiding damage to our air and water. We need to send a clear message that investing in dirty coal is not the answer.

Pennsylvanians get their drinking water from our state's more than 83,000 miles of waterways, acres of lakes, reservoirs and wetlands, and a natural system of underground aquifers.

Unfortunately, many of these vital water sources have been contaminated or are at risk of contamination.

Despite their importance, drinking water sources receive no special protection from pollution and polluting activities in Pennsylvania! Without action, our drinking water sources are in danger.

The petition will be used to support Clean Water Action's direct efforts to help get this bill passed.

Sign the petition

The science is clear: deep reductions of global warming pollution are needed to avoid severe impacts of global warming including floods, drought, and threats to water resources.

The solution is clear: we can stop global warming and boost our economy by taking bold action now to build a clean, efficient and renewable energy future for our nation

A recently released peer-reviewed study by more than 50 independent scientific experts shows that if global warming goes unchecked, by late this century, summers in places like Massachusetts could resemble sweltering summers today in Georgia.

Canada and other states continue to flood Michigan with their garbage because it's dirt cheap to dump here. In 2005, 6.2 million tons of Canadian and out-of-state trash were dumped in Michigan!

That's 100,000 tons more than in 2004. Nearly one-third of all the garbage in our landfills comes from outside Michigan and it comes here for two simple reasons:

• We're the cheapest dumping ground in the region; and
• We have too much landfill space.

You can help fight the trashing of our beautiful state! Write your State Senator and Representative today and urge them to stop the flood of trash into Michigan.

Gov. Rick Perry is calling for doubling the number of nuclear reactors in Texas. Luminant, formerly TXU Corp., in proposing two new reactors at its Comanche Peak nuclear plant southwest of Dallas. Exelon Corp. wants to add two reactors in Victoria County in Southeast Texas.

Both the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) say a surge toward nuclear to meet the country's energy needs and curb global warming is unwise. Clean Water Action agrees.

Nuclear power is not the answer to global warming:

Texas' dependence on fossil fuels and nuclear power is an economic burden on its citizens and a threat to public health. As our population increases, we must prioritize clean energy and energy efficiency to protect public health and the environment, keep electricity affordable and bring jobs to Texas.

To beat back global warming, we need to summon a new natural resource — real political will.  Help raise the voices of Great Lakes residents on federal climate change legislation!

Sign up to be a Climate Precinct Captain with 1Sky and Clean Water Action today!        

Join Clean Water Action & 1Sky Michigan to send a clear message to our leaders that America wants bold action on climate change. Tell them to support solutions for a better future for the Great Lakes State and the rest of the nation!

Coal-burning power plants are the largest industrial source of mercury emissions in the United States, and ten percent of these emissions come from plants in Texas - more than any other state. Five of the nation's top ten emitters of mercury are in the Lone Star State.

When mercury is released into the air, it settles in rivers, lakes, and streams. Bacteria in the water convert it to methyl mercury, a very toxic form of mercury. The toxic mercury bioaccumulates in the bodies of animals. Eating contaminated fish is the main way people are exposed to unsafe levels of mercury. Unlike with some other toxins, there is no way to clean or cook mercury out of fish.