Clean Water Action

{{Infobox organization

| name = Clean Water Action

| logo = Logo-cw-text.png

| logo_size = 250px

| type =

| founded_date = 1972

| founder =

| location = Washington, D.C.

| local communities =

| leader_title = President & CEO

| leader_name= Jeff Carter{{cite web |url=https://cleanwater.org/releases/clean-water-action-and-clean-water-fund-announce-new-president-ceo |website=Clean Water Action |title=Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund Announce New President & CEO | Clean Water Action |date=23 January 2023 }}

| area_served = United States

| focus =

| method =

| revenue = $5.22 million (2023){{cite web |title=Clean Water Action - Nonprofit Explorer |url=https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/237128611 |website=ProPublica |access-date=24 March 2025 |language=en |date=9 May 2013}}

| endowment =

| num_volunteers =

| num_employees =

| num_members =

| Non-profit_slogan =

| homepage = {{URL|cleanwateraction.org}}

}}

Clean Water Action is an American environmental advocacy group.{{cite news|last1=Phillips|first1=Ari|title=This Leading Candidate For Texas Governor Really Doesn't Like Clean Water|url=http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/08/13/3470385/texas-abbott-sue-epa-water/|accessdate=12 March 2015|publisher=Think Progress|date=August 13, 2014}} Created in 1972, the group focuses on canvassing and gaining support for political issues and candidates. It is a 501(c)(4) organization and is based in Washington, D.C.

History

The group was formed in 1972 by David Zwick as a grassroots and lobbying organization whose goal was to enact platforms delineated in the Zwick publication, Water Wasteland. To reach this goal, Zwick outlined a grassroots strategy of door-to-door canvassing and public education.{{cite web|title=About Us|url=http://www.cleanwateraction.org/about/|publisher=Clean Water Action|accessdate=12 March 2015}} One of its first accomplishments occurred in 1986 when, along with the National Campaign Against Toxic Hazards, the group published a report claiming the Environmental Protection Agency was failing to properly enforce the federal Superfund toxic waste cleanup program.{{cite news|title=Superfund Cleanups Termed Lax|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/11/24/science/superfund-cleanups-termed-lax.html|accessdate=12 March 2015|newspaper=The New York Times|date=November 24, 1987}}

Political advocacy

Clean Water Action has endorsed both causes and political actors. In 2008, Clean Water Action and Earth Justice brought a lawsuit against the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection for not complying with state and federal water protection laws by allowing partially treated fracking wastewater to be discharged into the Monongahela River. The court ruled in favor of the plaintiff.{{cite web|url=https://www.ecowatch.com/victory-in-fracking-wastewater-fight-in-pa-1881784375.html|title=Victory in Fracking Wastewater Fight in PA|date=7 August 2013|website=Ecowatch.com}}{{cite web|url=https://earthjustice.org/sites/default/files/files/Fracking_Wastewater_Settlement.pdf|title=NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL, WITH PREJUDICE, OF AMENDED NOTICE OF APPEAL|website=Earthjustice.org|accessdate=8 January 2019}} In 2012, the group supported the re-election of President Barack Obama.{{cite news|last1=Samuelsohn|first1=Darren|last2=Goode|first2=Darren|title=Big green groups to back Obama|url=http://www.politico.com/story/2012/04/big-green-groups-to-back-obama-075274|accessdate=18 September 2015|publisher=Politico|date=April 17, 2012}}

Clean Water Action also has been involved in campaigns to reduce the environmental impact of plastics through their support of California's Assembly Bill 888, which proposed to ban the use of plastic microbeads in rinse-off personal care products.{{cite web|url=https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/microbeads|title=EcoWatch|website=EcoWatch}}{{cite web|url=https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520160AB888|title=Bill Text - AB-888 Waste management: plastic microbeads.|website=Leginfo.legislature.ca.gov}} Similar federal legislation was enacted with the passing of the Microbead–Free Waters Act of 2015. The group also supported Minneapolis's ordinance restricting the use of single-use plastic bags.{{cite web|url=http://www.startribune.com/in-praise-of-minneapolis-plastic-bag-ban/373593751/|title=In praise of Minneapolis' proposed plastic-bag ban|website=Startribune.com}}{{cite web|url=https://library.municode.com/mn/minneapolis/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_TIT11HESA_CH225GARE_ARTVIREBUHATWMODWUN_225.780SECOREMA|title=Municode Library|website=Library.municode.com}}

Clean Water Action

History

Political advocacy

See also

References

Further reading