Eight years after September 11th, sobering warnings remain unheeded regarding the vulnerability of U.S. chemical plants to terrorist attacks. Journalists across the country have repeatedly made their way into more than 80 chemical plants demonstrating the ease with which fence-line security can be penetrated. As President Obama said in 2006, "these plants are stationary weapons of mass destruction spread all across the country."

The potential for fatalities and economic disruption from an attack on one of these plants is staggering. A 2001 U.S. Army Surgeon General study estimated that in densely populated areas 900,000 to 2.4 million people could be killed or injured in a terrorist attack on a U.S. chemical plant in a densely populated area.

How and Why Clean Water Protections Are Being Weakened

Since the 1972 passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972, we have made great progress in cleaning up our nation's waters. But recently, longstanding protections have been rolled back and the Clean Water Act, considered one of the country's most successful environmental laws, is now failing to protect all of America's waters.

More than 80,000 synthetic chemicals have been produced for use in the US since World War II.  Yet very few of these have ever been adequately tested for their potential impact on our health.  Scientific evidence increasingly indicates that toxic chemicals contribute to this epidemic of diseases and disorders.  Clean Water Action is supporting “An Act for a Competitive Economy Through Safer Alternatives to Toxic Chemicals” which will establish a pragmatic, gradual approach to reducing health impacts from many toxic chemicals we are exposed to in everyday life.

Learn more about our everyday exposures to toxic chemicals, the details of the Safer Alternatives Bill and what you can do to help pass it.

The black smoke that pours out of diesel trucks, locomotives, city buses and school buses, is extraordinarily dangerous and poses shockingly high health risks. Diesel emissions have been shown to have 8 times the lifetime cancer risk than that posed by all the other 133 hazardous air pollutants combined. Disturbingly, the levels of diesel exhaust can be 5-10 times greater inside school buses than outside.

The fine particulates in diesel exhaust pollution cause asthma, heart attacks and premature death. The lifetime lung cancer risk from diesel pollution in Michigan is 298 times EPA’s acceptable cancer level of 1 in a million. Detroit is the 10th worse metro region in the nation for diesel pollution.

Safe Products Made Safely is a set of 10 fact sheets covering the scientific, economic and common sense arguments for passing the Massachusetts Safer Alternatives Bill.  Each title is the link to the pdf.

1. Scientists Sound Alarm for Our Health.  A large body of scientific evidence demonstrates that toxic chemicals are causing unexpected health damage and contributing to widespread diseases and disorders.

Perchlorate is a chemical used in solid fuel for missiles and rockets. Small amounts of perchlorate are used in car air bags, electronics, fireworks and fertilizer. Since the 1950s, over 870 million pounds of perchlorate have been manufactured in the United States. As a result of its manufacture, use and disposal, perchlorate is being discovered in soil, groundwater, drinking water, and irrigation water around the country. Perchlorate also occurs naturally in the environment, and has been found in the Texas and in the Southwestern United States. Perchlorate is the main ingredient in missile and rocket fuel and has been found in ground and surface water throughout the country since the 1950's.

Get tips for a healthy lawn without toxic chemicals.

Get the factsheet (pdf, 770 KB)

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Groundbreaking Progress In Connecticut

The debate over the science on global warming has shifted to a debate about how best to address the problem. Since 2002 Clean Water Action and Connecticut Climate Coalition supporters have been working to demonstrate public support to make a state global warming plan a reality.

In 2004 we worked to pass global warming goals legislation in the spring of 2004. The legislation adopted the New England Governors’ pollution reduction goals and mandated that the state release a climate plan by February 2005.

Flame retardants are widely used in a variety of products to prevent and slow the spread of fire. While fire safety is very important, some flame retardants contain toxic chemicals that get into the environment and into the human body, and have been linked to adverse health impacts.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are a class of flame retardants that are highly persistent in the environment. PBDEs accumulate in the food chain and in the human body. A common commercial form, known as deca-BDE, is widely used in televisions, computers, wires, cables and some textiles. However, safer alternatives are available.

Plans for the proposed Big Stone II coal plant near Milbank, South Dakota call for using massive amounts of water. In addition to the 3.2 billion gallon surface draw approved last year, co-owners have now filed for another 3.2 billion gallons from groundwater. With concerns about pollution growing and spiraling costs for the proposed coal plant, excessive water demands add another reason to say no to Big Stone II. This huge demand for water could be disastrous for the local area and farmers - as well as Big Stone Lake. For many years, water discharge has exceeded recharge, and experts say that previous underground water levels are not likely to return because of increased demand on a limited resource.