1 Mississippi River Citizen Newsletter – October 18, 2012
By Annette Gomberg, 1 Mississippi Outreach Coordinator
Sunny days fishing and swimming off the dock. Canoe trips with your dad. Cart wheeling and splashing in shallow waters. Bird watching over beautiful vistas. The experiences we’ve had along the great rivers and lakes of our nation are ingrained in our memories. These shared experiences connect us to each other as families and Americans. It is a basic human right that all Americans have access to these shared public resources.
But until forty years ago, clean water wasn’t a basic right at all.
Courtesy Cleveland.com (Plain Dealer file)
Forty years ago today, a bi-partisan Congress passed the Clean Water Act (CWA) to protect our nation’s waters from toxic pollution and ensure they would be fishable and swimmable for future generations. The case for environmental protection was in the forefront of American minds as rivers caught fire, changed colors and endangered our health with dangerous toxins. While regulations had been in place since 1899 to prohibit the release of poisonous materials into waterways, it took these attention-grabbing, catastrophic events and the following public outcry for the United States government to take water quality seriously.
After 40 years of protections, it is hard to imagine a world where corporations are not held accountable for ruining the drinking water supply, public waters are only haphazardly defended or turning on your faucet releases poisonous water into your home. Without a strong Clean Water Act, however, the bad old days aren’t too far away.
We cannot go back on the great progress that we’ve made. We must continue to protect our waters and hold accountable those who pollute them. As we celebrate the success of the Clean Water Act over the last 40 years, we must also stay vigilant so this great law can continue to safeguard our waters for the next generation.
Through the Clean Water Act, environmental organizations, the Environmental Protection Agency and regular citizens have improved waters around the country, like the Mississippi River. But recent actions in Congress have attempted to undermine this law and weaken its protections. Without a strong Clean Water Act, our right to accessible, fishable and swimmable rivers and lakes is under attack. There are three BIG ways we can make a difference in our communities and, collectively, the nation by defending the Clean Water Act.
- Tell Congress You Care. – Clean water should not be a partisan issue. You have power to change the paralysis of Washington with your voice. Use your vote to speak your mind, not only in the presidential election, but in Congressional races, too. Do your homework; find out who supports the Clean Water Act and who seeks to weaken its authority. Call or write your representative so your voice is heard. With the election on the horizon, many elected officials are especially sensitive to the opinions of their constituents. Early voting has already begun in some states.
- Be the front line in your neighborhood. – In addition to voting, part of the Clean Water Act explicitly states that every citizen has the right to enforce it. Be aware of your surroundings; take on the shared responsibility in identifying polluters in your neighborhood and report them to the EPA. By attending town hall or county meetings, we can make sure special interest groups or corporations do not distribute incorrect or misleading information.
- Go out and enjoy the River! Fishing, hunting and wildlife tourism generates $145 billion dollars in our economy. 1 Mississippi’s newest blog post, Mississippi River: We Love What We Know, begins a series of posts to help us better appreciate the River’s recreational opportunities, the economic effects of tourism and highlight various towns along its banks.
Mississippi River at Chester, Illinois
Here are a few upcoming events to spark your interest in the Mighty Mississippi:
Free Guided Tours – Paddle and Explore the Big Sunflower River- Clarksdale, MS
Thurs, Nov 1 – Sun, Nov 4, 2012
Quapaw Canoe Company will lead trips through Delta National Forest on the Big Sunflower River. Come explore the River and discover big trees, deep woods, spectacular fall colors and abundant wildlife.
Breakfast with the Birds – St. Louis, MO
October 20, 2012
Please join the Audubon Center at Riverlands on Saturday, October 20, for a bird walk followed by free breakfast. Come see migrating birds, meet other local conservation enthusiasts, sportsmen, birders and, more importantly, come learn about how you can help protect the vitality of the Mississippi River Flyway.
“The State of the River” Mississippi River Forum – Minneapolis, MN
October 26, 2012
How healthy is the Mississippi River? The “State of the River” will provide a concise snapshot of the health of the River. Based on a broad range of water quality and aquatic ecosystem data, the report zooms in on the status and trends of 12 key indicators of river health, highlighting the swimming, fishing, aquatic life and emerging contamination issues facing the river, as well as priority solutions for each.