Included in this issue:

• Delaware News Source Illuminates Toxic Threat to Water Supply
• Anacostia Restoration Fund Survives Threat of Budget Grab
• Offshore Drilling and Uranium Mining – Preventing Disaster

And more...

Chesapeake Currents|online, Summer 2010

Last year, with the help of Clean Water Action members, the District set up a new fund supported by a fee on plastic and paper bags to help restore the Anacostia River and other District waterways. However, within a few months, this fund was threatened by proposals to raid the money to support other programs. One of the many positive aspects of the legislation that imposed a fee on bags was that it would generate money for river clean-up efforts, and thus provide funding during challenging fiscal times.

Chesapeake Currents|online, Summer 2010

Chesapeake Currents|online, Summer 2010

Last fall and winter, Clean Water Fund worked with local allies in Prince William and Loudoun Counties to hold workshops on 21st Century approaches to managing our water resources. This fall, we will be organizing follow-up workshops that explore ways in which reducing water waste, including water re-use and other money-saving techniques, will help communities to develop sustainable water management practices.

Stories in this issue:

• Mixed News On The Water Bond!, page 1
• Unveiling Toxic Secrets, page 2
• Letter from the President, page 3
• Upstream Solutions, page 4
• Big Oil Attacks Climate Change, page 5
• Clean Water: Now and For the Future, page 6
• Blugirl Art, page 7
• Clean Water Blog, page 7
• CA Legislative Update, page 8

California Clean Water Currents, Summer 2010 (pdf, 2.2 MB)

In this issue of Minnesota Currents|online:

2010 Legislative Summary

The 2010 legislative session ended in the early morning hours of May 17 after a brief special session was called by the Governor. Fights over the state budget and funding for health care and education dominated the atmosphere at the Capitol, making it a tough year to pass meaningful environmental legislation. However, once again Clean Water Action was able to celebrate several legislative victories this session. In addition to passing another bill to keep toxins out of our environment, we were able to stop attempts to weaken current environment laws and move Minnesota towards dirty energy options.

In this issue of New Jersey Currents|online:

Welcome to New Jersey Environmental Federation's Summer 2010 Newsletter, Clean Water Currents! We hope you have had an amazing kick-off to the summer! We have been very busy community organizing, lobbying, and conducting research, education and other programs on environmental issues that impact our air, land, and water resources ... and of course the Jersey Shore!

Minnesota Currents|Online, Summer 2010

The 40th anniversary of Earth Day meant time for a celebration at Clean Water Action.

See more photos from our Earth Day celebration

Clean Water Action members, volunteers, allies and staff celebrated Earth Day’s 40th Birthday with food, fun and activism!

One of the main activities featured at this year’s Earth Day celebration was having consumer products tested by an XRF analyzer, a device used by the Food and Drug Administration, which uses X-ray fluorescence to detect the presence of heavy metals in products. We tested numerous toys and household items to find out whether they were healthy or sick. Fortunately, the majority of the products we tested were safe but we did find a few sick ones.

By Jenny Vickers, Communications Coordinator, New Jersey Currents|online, Summer 2010

Like vitamins, nutrients are thought to be good for you, but too many can also make you sick. In New Jersey, our aquatic ecosystems are showing severe signs of stress from excessive nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus which can come from many sources including synthetic fertilizers*, discharge from wastewater treatment plants, overflowing septic systems, and runoff from croplands and builtup areas.

Minnesota Currents|Online, Summer 2010

The drinking water sources for nearly 1 million Minnesotans are at risk of losing Clean Water Act protections. Congress now has an opportunity to fix this and restore protections weakened by the Supreme Court and Bush Administration.

For those whose water sources are no longer protected under the Clean Water Act, the status quo means increased contamination risks. Communities also face the prospect of higher water costs as expensive filtration and disinfection technologies are deployed.