Texas

History

Celebrating Eighteen Years In Texas

Clean Water Action Grassroots Organizing Leads to Important Victories

Since starting in Texas in June 1988, Clean Water Action has built up an impressive membership base over 70,000 strong. Our coalition building and grassroots organizing have resulted in many notable victories at all levels of government. Clean Water Action's election campaigns have helped elect many pro-environment candidates to public office.

Yet much hard work remains. Texas still leads the nation in total toxic discharges into the air and water. Too many Texas elected officials place the interest of corporate polluters who contribute to their campaigns ahead of the public interest. And Texas' population boom is placing unprecedented stress on our natural resources. Clean Water Action's track record since 1988 shows that we can face these challenges with confidence. Clean Water Action will continue to work for safe and affordable drinking water, fishable and swimmable lakes and rivers, expanded recycling, renewable energy, and reductions in toxic waste.

Clean Water Action Texas Milestones

1988

  • Austin office opens.

1989

  • Houston office opens.
  • Clean Water Action's first state-wide lobby day brings citizens from around the state visit to Austin to visit their representatives.

1990

  • EPA declares the Houston Ship Channel a 'toxic Hot Spot', after Clean Water Action protests, media events and letter writing campaign.

1991

  • Austin bans the use of ozone-depleting chemicals (CFCs) within its city-limits.

1992

  • Texas bans the dumping of motor oil.
  • San Antonio sets up curb-side recycling.
  • Austin's citizens approve the Save Our Springs (SOS) referendum to protect Barton Spring
  • and the Edwards Aquifer.
  • Hunter Industrial Facilities is prevented from building the nation's largest toxic waste dump next to Lake Houston, drinking water source for millions.

1993

  • Austin elects former Texas Clean Water Action Program Director Brigid Shea to City Council.

1995

  • San Antonio passes the AGUA ordinance, protecting the Edwards Aquifer within its city limits.
  • Clean Water Action helps kill the 'Dead Fish Bill', which would have lowered standards for water quality in most of Texas' rivers and streams.

1996

  • Clean Water Action campaigning in Beaumont and Galveston helps congressional candidate Nick Lampson defeat anti-environmental Rep. Steve Stockman.
  • Clean Water Action's North Texas Campaign coordinator Lon Burnam elected to Texas Legislature.
  • Safe Drinking Water Act strengthened, includes right-to-know provisions

1997

  • Environmentalists elected to all seven city council seats in Austin.
  • Texas Community Project, a new project of Clean Water Action, begins

1998

  • Austin voters approve $65 million in bonds to preserve thousands of acres in the Barton Creek watershed in May.
  • Austin voters approve $47 million in bonds to buy land for parks, water quality and trails, mostly in East Austin, in November.
  • Coalition of anglers, environmentalist and public health advocates form Better Aquatic In Texas (BAIT) and win precedent setting rules on herbicide use and habitat development at the Texas Parks and Wildlife department.
  • Austin city council passes mandatory recycling ordinance for large apartment complexes.
  • Texas passes new Edwards Aquifer rules extending recharge zone protection rules to contributing zone.

1999

  • Texas Legislature establishes the first Renewable Portfolio Standard in the nation, setting a goal of producing 3% of our energy needs from renewables like wind and solar by 2009.

2001

  • Thousands of letters to EPA persuade Bush Administration to reverse course on lowering the arsenic standard in drinking water.

2002

  • Clean Water Action canvass teams help elect pro-environment candidates to the Barton Springs Edward Aquifer Board
  • Clean Water Action canvass teams help elect Patrick Rose to State Legislature by 335 votes in November.
  • Clean Water Action gathers over 10,000 petition signatures to so that Jackie Goodman, Daryl Slusher and Beverly Griffith can run again for Austin City Council.

2003

  • Clean Water Action helps pass light rail referendum in Houston and elect Bill White to Mayor's office in November

2004

  • Clean Water Action canvass teams help elect Mark Strama to State Legislature.

2005

  • Clean Water Action helps defeat proposal in legislature to restrict citizens' rights to contested case hearing.
  • Clean Water Action helps persuade Texas Legislature to increase renewable energy goals for Texas.
  • Thousands of letters from Clean Water Action members help persuade EPA to withdraw its proposal to allow partially treated to be dumped in our waterways
  • Clean Water Action canvass teams help pass Travis County bond initiatives to buy land to protect water quality and natural areas

2006

  • Clean Water Action canvass teams help pass City of Austin bond initiatives for affordable housing and to buy land to protect water quality and natural areas.

2007

  • Clean Water Action joins once again with over two dozen other citizen groups in the Alliance for a Clean Texas (ACT) to advocate for ambitious agenda at the Texas legislature.