In front of the Supreme Court Building, where coal companies are challenging the authority of the EPA to regulate mercury.
The urgency of our mission was brought home to us this week as we hand carried our Lake Michigan Mercury Free petition to DC. As soon as we got on the plane we read about the Supreme Court's hearing of the coal industry's case against EPA regulation of mercury. Coal's case seems to center on its entitlement to profits regardless of the detriment to public health and safety.
It seems obvious to us that poisoning one of the nation's major water sources is a constitutional violation against the public interest; it's equally obvious that Lake Michigan needs strong, long term protection against attacks on public waters. Our proposal of making Lake Michigan a national mercury free zone can forge a lasting legacy - which is crucial because corporations outlive us mere mortals.
One wicked twist is that Michigan is a plaintiff in the case, putting Michigan senators in the pretzel position of arguing for clean water while their state sues the EPA to let coal keep it contaminated!
One wicked twist is that Michigan is a plaintiff in the case, putting Michigan senators in the pretzel position of arguing for clean water while their state sues the EPA to let coal keep it contaminated!
Now more than ever Lake Michigan Mercury Free needs your support. Please sign our petition and pass it along to others. Tell your representatives that you want President Obama to take executive action. Have polluters pay for keeping Lake Michigan clean - it's a business expense for them! Make industry scrub its waste before release into our air and water supplies.
http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/lake-michigan-mercury
Let's come clean - we don't need dirty energy.
The stakes are way too high to stay mired in the past.
Let's come clean - we don't need dirty energy.
The stakes are way too high to stay mired in the past.
