Into the Illinois River: 4 million pounds of toxic waste
We’ve dug up some disturbing news: In a single year, polluters dumped nearly 12 million pounds of toxic chemicals into the Mississippi River — and that’s just one of our rivers, including the Illinois, Ohio and Rock Rivers, that are being pumped full of dangerous materials.
I want to organize a high-profile media effort to put this story where it belongs: splashed across front pages throughout the state, especially in the home districts of our representatives on the U.S. House committee that will vote soon on the Clean Water Restoration Act.
Reps. Jerry Costello and Phil Hare are key swing votes on the committee from western Illinois. Their districts’ entire western borders are defined by the Mississippi River. Rep. Aaron Schock also sits on the committee. Peoria, the heart of his district, sits right on the Illinois River, into which 4 million pounds of chemicals were dumped.
Imagine when this hits every newspaper in their districts. That’s what your support today will help us do.
Can you help make it happen?
Last week, a front-page New York Times article reported that nationwide, polluters committed at least half a million violations of the Clean Water Act and contaminated the drinking water of 23 million Americans.[1] That’s incredibly alarming and completely unacceptable.
After the Times story broke, we reached our clean water petition goal, gathering 15,000 signatures to send to Congress, a big milestone that all of us can share in celebrating.
But first we need to turn up the heat — especially since a few ideological zealots in Congress are threatening to filibuster the Clean Water Restoration Act that we’re supporting.[2]
With your support, our media team will organize the events, produce the materials, and conduct the outreach it takes to earn news coverage — so we can make sure Costello, Hare, Johnson, and Schock, and their constituents, hear all about it. Can you chip in $50, $25, or even $10 to help spread the word?
https://www.environmentillinois.org/action/il-clean-water-fundraiser?id4=ES
I want to confront our congressional delegation with the truth about our state’s water polluters. To do it, we need to put the story where our representatives are sure to see it. You can help.
Together, we’ll keep building more momentum to restore the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers, and all of our state’s lakes, rivers and streams, to health. Thanks for making it possible.
Sincerely,
Max Muller
Environment Illinois Program Director
action@environmentillinois.org
http://www.environmentillinois.org
1. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/us/13water.html
2. http://www.healthylakes.org/great-lakes-congressional-watch/congressional-winners-and-losers/2009/06/19/good-and-evil-in-the-great-lakes-clean-water-debate
