The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has told the state of Minnesota to alert residents to the hazards of nitrates in drinking water and clean up farm pollution that has contaminated wells in southeastern Minnesota for years. Water supplies for more than 9,200 people in southeastern Minnesota are likely contaminated with dangerous levels of nitrates — according to a November letter the EPA sent the heads of three state agencies responsible for ensuring clean drinking water. Research has linked drinking water contaminated with nitrates to colorectal cancer, thyroid disease, neutral tube defects, and blue baby syndrome. State agencies must now provide clean water to all residents who have wells with high concentrations of nitrates in the water. It is absolutely necessary for agencies to mandate the reduction of feedlot size to prevent further water pollution. Mandating, rather than simply suggesting, best manure spreading practices for all farming operations is imperative. Voluntary action has not been successful in reducing nitrate contamination.
Message: Please demand that the responsible state agencies— the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture and Health — provide a comprehensive, actionable plan to provide clean drinking water to all and to reduce and then eliminate all sources of nitrate contamination.
Please contact State leadership:
STATE/MINNESOTA Governor TIM WALZ – 651-201-3400
STATE/MINNESOTA Lt. Gov. PEGGY FLANAGAN – 651-201-3400
STATE/MINNESOTA Speaker of the MN House Melissa Hortman – 651-296-4280
STATE/MINNESOTA MN Senate Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic – 651 296-7809
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ACTIVE VOICES CALLING FOR CHANGE! Active Voices continues to identify important issues and construct brief messages complete with email and phone numbers for FUS members and anyone to use to contact elected representatives and other designated recipients. This is your chance to continue to help make a positive difference in our world in a way that works best for you. We appreciate your voice!
We ask you to call or email with the message above. If you choose, feel free to edit the message to put it in your own words.
Your Active Voices Team: