We All Live Downstream

The Clean Water Movement

By Michael Kelly

It’s been a long summer in DC – and not just because of the heat.  It seems that there has been nothing but bad news coming out of Washington these days.  From the rise of the Dirty Water Caucus to H.R. 2018 (the Temper Tantrum in Writing) to the pointless histrionics over raising the debt limit (something Congress must do), political leadership in D.C. has never appeared more craven or our Government more broken.

Despite that all, there are bright spots.  Last week we found out that the “pollution diet” for Chesapeake Bay is on track.  The EPA announced new guidelines for mountaintop removal mining permits.  Congress even voted down a few terrible amendments to the Interior Department appropriations bill today.  Finally Clean Water Action joined our partners, Environment America and the National Wildlife Federation, today to deliver more than 170,000 comments to the Environmental Protection Agency in support of EPA efforts to fix the Clean Water Act.  170,000 Americans said no:  No to weakening the Clean Water Act; No to allowing polluters to pollute with abandon; No to the irresponsible debate in Congress about our environment and our health.

170,000 is a small city.  170,000 is a movement.  From the Pacific Northwest to New England to the Sun Belt and the Rust Belt – comments came from every Congressional district.  Today was uplifting – there are times with this Congress that we seem to be shouting into the void, alone except for our protest buttons.  Today was a reminder that we’re in this together. And there are a lot of us.  Thank you.

Check out Cleanwateraction.org for more information on the Dirty Water Caucus and find out how you can join the Clean Water Movement.

Posted on July 28, 2011  | Filed Under Global Warming and a New Energy Economy, Healthy, Safer Families and Communities, Making Democracy Work, Protecting America's Waters | 1 Comment

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