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Greenscaping the Shores of Lake St. Clair

Last Thursday, May 9th, marked the groundbreaking of a new greenscaping project at Lake St. Clair Metropark’s 42-acre parkin g lot. The project is a welcome addition to the park, which is Macomb County’s best access point to one of Michigan’s greatest natural treasures – Lake St. Clair. The parking lot is currently made of solid pavement. When it rains, fuel, oil, and other contaminants flow across the lot into Lake St. Clair, putting our health at risk, and causing problems like frequent beach closings.

The greenscaping project is a common-sense solution to stormwater pollution that residents of the area have been concerned about for years. The lot will be torn up, repaved, and dotted with retention ponds and greenery. The ponds and vegetation islands will collect the rainwater as it falls and naturally filter out the contaminants before the water flows back into Lake St. Clair.

Posted on May 21, 2013 | Filed Under Healthy, Safer Families and Communities, Protecting America's Waters | Leave a Comment

Safe Drinking Water in California; the Impossible Dream?

By Jennifer Clary, California Program Associate

In February two reports about Californians’ drinking water quality were delivered to the state legislature. The first report “Californians with Contaminated Groundwater” found that the source water for 21 million Californians is contaminated and that nearly half a million Californians have unsafe water at the tap (see footnote 1) . The second report “Recommendations Addressing Nitrate in Groundwater” provides 15 recommendations to prevent continued contamination of groundwater by nitrate and provide safe drinking water in two of California’s most intensively cultivated agricultural areas.

The highest priority recommendation from California’s State Water Quality Control Board is that “a new funding source be established to ensure that all Californians, including those in Disadvantaged Communities (DACs) have access to safe drinking water.” Read more…

Posted on May 17, 2013 | Filed Under Healthy, Safer Families and Communities, Making Democracy Work, Protecting America's Waters | 1 Comment

Stand With Gina for Mother’s Day

This Mother’s Day I had a lot to be thankful for. After celebrating the weekend with my beautiful daughter, enjoying flowers, presents, and all that spring has to offer; I took a few minutes to consider some of the environmental and health issues that mothers and their children are faced with every day.

Most mothers know children are more susceptible to respiratory illnesses from air pollution because their immune systems and lungs are still growing. Pollution from coal plants lead to countless health issues for children, including asthma. I want to thank my Senators Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin for standing up for the health of my family and all Michiganders by opposing the anti-Clean Air Act amendments proposed by Republicans during the Senate budget debate in March. Those dirty budget proposals would have blocked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) historic Carbon Pollution Standard, as well as other clean air standards that play a major role in protecting our children’s health.

Gina McCarthy, a mother of three and President Obama’s nominee to lead the EPA, also believes that our children deserve clean air to breathe. Throughout her career she has worked with Republicans, Democrats, industry leaders, and public health advocates to develop commonsense and bipartisan solutions to protect public health and reduce carbon pollution.

Over the course of the EPA nomination process, McCarthy has answered hundreds of questions submitted by Republicans on the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. In 2009, she was swiftly confirmed by the Senate to head up the Clean Air Division of the EPA, and this confirmation should be no different. Unfortunately, last Friday Republican members of the Committee put corporate polluters before kid’s health by boycotting the nomination of Gina McCarthy to be EPA administrator. Tell your senators that this is unacceptable! Read more…

Posted on May 15, 2013 | Filed Under Global Warming and a New Energy Economy, Healthy, Safer Families and Communities, Making Democracy Work, Protecting America's Waters | 2 Comments

Let EPA Do Its Job

Gina McCarthy

Gina McCarthy

By Lynn Thorp, National Campaigns Director

Today the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee was supposed to vote on the nomination of Gina McCarthy to be the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Clean Water Action fully supports this nomination, and we fully support letting EPA do its job.

I’ve been hearing a lot of Senate Republicans criticizing McCarthy and the EPA’s work. This morning they boycotted the hearing due to a perceived lack of “transparency.” And, because all 8 Republicans stayed home the Committee couldn’t vote. The nomination can’t move forward until they show up and vote. It is unacceptable obstructionism. It makes me wonder – who are they representing (hint – it’s not you and me)? Read more…

Posted on May 9, 2013 | Filed Under Global Warming and a New Energy Economy, Healthy, Safer Families and Communities, Making Democracy Work, Protecting America's Waters | 4 Comments

Supporting Science to Protect Drinking Water

By Lynn Thorp, National Campaigns Director

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, at the direction of Congress, is conducting a multi-faceted scientific study of the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water. Because this study is being conducted in a transparent, peer-reviewed process, EPA is consulting with its Science Advisory Board which convened a special panel to answer specific questions related to the five aspects of the hydraulic fracturing water cycle being covered in the project.

We think it’s a good way to celebrate Drinking Water Week.

You can read Clean Water Action’s comments to the Science Advisory Board Hydraulic Fracturing Research Panel here. You can learn more about the Study of Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources here.

Posted on May 8, 2013 | Filed Under Protecting America's Waters | 1 Comment

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