Finally, we will work to pass consumer protection bills with measures that: (1) allow more customers to sell back to the grid the excess energy they produce with their private renewable energy sources; and (2) ensure new power generating sources are the most cost effective once all costs are considered.

Priority: Stop Trashing Michigan Tick, tock. It’s 2009, and each year Michigan is still importing millions of tons of trash from other states and Canada.

Why? Because Michigan is the cheapest trash dumping ground in the region. During the last legislative session, the Michigan House of Representatives did some heavy lifting by voting to increase the state’s dumping charge from a ridiculously low 21¢ per ton to $7.50 per ton. However, the Michigan Senate refused to take up the bills so the House measures died in the Senate. Clean Water Action will renew its campaign to get the Michigan Senate to act in 2009.

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4 FORMER CLEAN WATER ACTION STAFFER SARAH ROBERTS WINS STATE REPRESENTATIVE RACE Continued on page 2

Clean Water Action’s 2009 Legislative Agenda

Priority: Re-energizing, Rebuilding and Repowering Michigan At the strong urging of Clean Water Action and its partners, Michigan launched its clean energy future last Fall when the Michigan Legislature passed bills assuring the state’s electric utilities will get at least 10% of their energy from renewable sources by 2015 and decrease their energy use by 1% each year after 2012. But this was only the first modest step into a clean energy economy. During the 2009-2010 legislative session, Clean Water Action will continue its efforts to make Michigan a leader in clean renewable energy and energy efficiency. Other states in the Midwest, like Minnesota and Illinois, already have laws requiring 25% of the state’s energy to come from renewable sources by 2025. Because nearby states have much stronger renewable energy laws, they are better able to compete for renewable energy projects. We must dramatically strengthen Michigan’s renewable energy laws to position ourselves as leaders in this vital and growing sector of the U.S. economy. Clean Water Action will also be working to increase energy efficiency opportunities for consumers because energy efficiency is the best investment of our money, and it creates thousands of good-paying jobs that can’t be outsourced.

Clean Water Action’s Michigan Director Cyndi Roper (left), former Clean Water Action staffer and current Executive Director of the Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association Jennifer Alvarado (2nd from left) and Policy Associate Susan Harley (3rd from right) join Governor Jennifer Granholm and other energy advocates at the September bill signing for Michigan’s first installment of clean energy legislation.

OUR WATER, OUR HEALTH, OUR FUTURE

Clean Water Actionsustaining news

VOL. 23, NO. 1, WINTER 2009

Editor: Cyndi roperEditorial Advisors: Dave Dempsey,

Christy Mcgillivray, Katie Kelly, nikki Motson, and susan harley

Layout: rose homa

Clean Water action, founded in 1972, is a national non­profit organization working for clean, safe and afford­able water, prevention of health-threatening pollution, creation of environmentally friendly jobs, and empower­ment of people to make democracy work. Clean Water action organizes strong grassroots groups, coalitions and campaigns to elect environmental candidates and to solve environmental community problems.

President: John DeCockManaging Director: Kathleen aterno

National Communications Director: David holtzNational Development Director: Jon scott

National Program Coordinator: Lynn thorpNational Campaigns Director: Paul schwartz

Michigan Director: Cyndi roperMichigan Campaigns Director: Christy Mcgillivray

Michigan Policy Associate: susan harleyEast Lansing Canvass Director: steve Pultz

Ann Arbor Canvass Director: greg sobczynski

Mid-Michigan Office1200 Michigan avenue, suite a

east Lansing, Mi 48823Phone: 517.203.0754 • FAX: 517.203.0760

Cyndi roper: croper@cleanwater.orgsusan harley: sharley@cleanwater.org

nikki Motson: elansingcwa@cleanwater.orgDan owen: dowen@cleanwater.org

Lake St. Clair Office38875 Harper Avenue, Clinton Twp., MI 48036Phone: 586.783.8900 • FAX: 586.783.4033

Chris Johnston: cjohnston@cleanwater.orgheather Major: hmajor@cleanwater.org

West Michigan Office949 Wealthy street se, suite 207

Grand Rapids, MI 49506Phone: 616.742.4084 • FAX: 616.742.4072

Marta Johnson: mjohnson@cleanwater.org

Ann Arbor Office205 1/2 n. Main street, ann arbor, Mi 48104Phone: 734.222.6347 • FAX: 734.222.6473

Christy Mcgillivray: cmcgillivray@cleanwater.orgKatie Kelly: kkelly@cleanwater.org

Copyright © 2009. all rights reserved. reproduction in whole or part is permitted

with proper credit.

Website: www.cleanwateraction.org/mi

Priority: Reducing Michigan’s Diesel Pollution Problem Did you know the toxic contents of diesel pollution pose eight times the lifetime cancer risk of all 133 other hazardous air pollutants combined? According to the Clean Air Task Force, diesel emissions in Michigan cause 450 premature deaths, 650 non-fatal heart attacks, and 10,000 asthma attacks every year. Detroit’s air quality is the 10th worst of any metro area in the United States. In Wayne County, the lifetime cancer risk is 429 times greater than EPA’s acceptable level of 1 in a million. Diesel pollution affects everyone in the state. Drivers are exposed to extremely high levels of toxic emissions while commuting. Children breathe these harmful fumes every day, and diesel pollution inside school buses can be 5-10 times worse than outside air. In addition to cancer risks posed by diesel emissions, the soot content of diesel exhaust carbon rivals the warming impact of carbon dioxide and is contributing to the devastating impacts of climate change. The good news: there’s an easy solution to decrease the harmful effects of diesel pollution. By installing Diesel Particulate Filters (DPFs), it’s possible to achieve greater than 90% reductions in harmful emissions in diesel exhaust. Clean Water Action and our partners will work to enact policies to address diesel emissions. We’ll fight to make sure all types of diesel vehicles are retrofitted with DPFs and federal monies are designated for this purpose. We will also work to pass anti-idling regulations reducing the amount of diesel emissions that pollute Michigan’s air.

Priority: Maintaining Public Control of Michigan’s Water Clean Water Action will continue fighting to protect all of our waters, ensure communities have a say in major water decisions, and keep our water from being commercialized by greedy private interests. While the House broadly supported maintaining public control of our water, the Senate Republican leadership refused to enhance Michigan’s water security by strengthening the public trust and putting the public interest before that of corporate interests (see A Look Back at 2008, page 3). We will redouble our efforts to ensure the Michigan Senate embraces the public interest in water over private corporate interests during this legislative session.

Priority: Safer Children’s Products Legislation The holiday rush is over, and your children’s new toys sit piled around the house. Many of us don’t think twice about the chemicals that make up those toys. Even if we did, as consumers there’s no way for us to know what may or may not be in a toy; there’s certainly no list of ingredients. Over the past year, we have been working diligently with partner organizations to secure support from incoming lawmakers for strong legislation making children’s products safer. Fifty-four state representatives have signed a pledge supporting the following protections, and many more have expressed support for comprehensively addressing the issue:

• Eliminating added lead, mercury, and arsenic in kid’s products; • Identifying other chemicals of concern; • Ensuring consumer “right-to-know” about chemicals of highest concern; and• Jumpstarting Michigan’s economy with green chemistry and safer alternatives.

Clean Water Action’s 2009 Legislative Agenda – continued

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The toxic contents of diesel pollution pose eight times the lifetime cancer risk of all 133 other hazardous air pollutants combined.

2 • CleAn WATeR ACTIon • sUsTAInInG neWs • Winter 2009

OUR WATER, OUR HEALTH, OUR FUTURE

CleAn WATeR ACTIon • sUsTAInInG neWs • Winter 2009 • 3

A Look Back at 2008The 2008 elections will go down in the

record books for Clean Water Action as the first time we made more than 500,000 contacts with Michigan voters. Our staff and volunteers made more than one-half million voter contacts at the door, on the phone, by email and through the mail! By all accounts, Clean Water Action led the environmental charge in electing pro-environment lawmakers throughout the state. Our election efforts were rewarded. We helped elect to Congress Gary Peters (CD 9) and Mark Schauer (CD 7), two long-time friends and environmental champions. We pitched in to help with the election of Barack Obama. We played a major role in electing Diane Hathaway to the Michigan Supreme Court, defeating the anti-environmental Chief Justice Cliff Taylor. And we played a key role in the victories of several local candidates in Kent County. Perhaps most importantly, we helped elect a true pro-environment majority in the Michigan House of Representatives. While 32 out of 38 endorsed candidates won their races, we’re proudest of the tremendous efforts we put in to electing pro-environment lawmakers in 8 of the closest contests in House Districts 21 (Dian Slavens), 23 (Deb Kennedy), 24 (Sarah Roberts), 32 (Jennifer Haase), 39 (Lisa Brown), 62 (Kate Segal), 91 (Mary Valentine) and 101 (Dan Scripps). In the words of newly-elected State Representative Lisa Brown (West Bloom-field, Commerce Township): “Clean Wa-ter Action was a huge help. While I was talking with voters, I would often meet individuals who had heard of me through a personal conversation with Clean Wa-ter Action canvassers and volunteers. The third-party validation that Clean Water Action provides, as well as their well-planned field program, helped me win my election. While I can tell voters that I care about the environment, Clean Water Action’s endorsement gives me real cred-ibility.” But it won’t be smooth sailing in Lan-sing. It will be extremely difficult to get strong bills through the Senate leadership.

If the past two years are any indication, Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop (R-Rochester) and other Senate leaders will continue fanning the flames of partisan politics rather than doing what’s right for our water, our air and our land. In fact, last session when a Republi-can committee chair asked us to help win support for key water protections within the Republican caucus, it became clear to me that even those wishing to pass strong water protections, clean energy economy legislation, bills to help stop the importa-tion of Canadian and out-of-state trash and other important policies are in the grip of Republican Senators Mike Bish-op, Randy Richardville (Monroe), Roger Kahn (Saginaw) and other obstructionist Senate leaders. For example, last May, the majority of Senators voted with us (19 to 18) to ensure the public—and not private interests—maintain control of our water. In the Senate, you must have 20 votes to win. Republican Senator Alan Cropsey was present but intentionally did not vote on this important measure and, therefore, prevented us from reaching a tie. If a tie had occurred, Lt. Governor John Cherry could have cast the deciding vote to safeguard our water from greedy corporate interests. Clean Water Action believes votes this important should not be subjected to partisan divides. And there are numerous other examples of bills, including those to slow the flow of Canadian and out-of

state trash dumped in Michigan, that couldn’t even get committee hearings much less receive a vote from the entire Senate. Why? Nearly all Michigan Senators are unaccountable to voters because they cannot seek re-election in two years. In 2010, at least 31 of the 38 Senate seats will be vacated due to term limits. Many current senators have their eyes set on the next job rather than on passing bills to preserve our water, protect our health, and bring clean energy and other sustainable jobs to Michigan. Clean Water Action will be calling on you again this session to help break the Senate stranglehold on smart environ-mental policies. You can attend a lawmak-er meeting in your district or in Lansing, make a phone call, send an email or write a letter. Remember, there is strength in numbers, and together we can convince Senators Bishop, Richardville, Kahn and others to end the ridiculous partisan stale-mate over protecting our water and other natural treasures.

—Cyndi RoperMichigan Director

Cyndi Roper

1200 Michigan AvenueEast Lansing, MI 48823

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OUR WATER, OUR HEALTH, OUR FUTURE

Representatives. This was a big win for the environment and for the people of her district; Sarah is a proven advocate for clean water and a robust, green economy. Sarah got her start working for Clean Water Action, fighting to protect Lake St. Clair and the Great Lakes from toxic pollution. A former Macomb County Commissioner, she also served on the Macomb County Water Quality Board and the Blue Ribbon Commission on Lake St. Clair. Diversifying Michigan’s economy in a number of environmentally-friendly ways is a top priority for Sarah. For example, she’s already working on plans to expand recycling programs and to create recycling-based manufacturing jobs utilizing the recycled materials we collect. Sarah will also work to grow Michigan’s clean energy economy, which will both spur the use of renewable energy sources (such as wind

Former Clean Water Action Staffer Sarah Roberts Wins State Representative Race

Sarah Roberts

and solar) and establish Michigan as a leader in manufacturing the equipment necessary to build wind turbines and solar panels. Sarah credits Clean Water Action with playing a major role in her 2008 victory. “As I went door-to-door talking with voters, I told them I used to be a community organizer for Clean Water Action,” said Sarah. “That affiliation gave me credibility because of the effective work the group has done in the local community. Further, Clean Water Action’s first-rate professional field canvass talked with thousands of voters about my candidacy. Their organizing and strategic campaigning were absolutely essential to my victory.” Needless to say, we’re looking forward to working with Sarah and other environmental champions in the Michigan Legislature in the coming year.

On November 4th, voters in Macomb County’s 24th House District elected

Sarah Roberts to the Michigan House of