TAKE ACTION! We Need Clean Water: No More Dumping Mining Waste Into Our Waters! 13MAI11

A call to action from Earthjustice for the Clean Water Act to be restored to it's original purpose, protect our waterways and provide clean water and to close the loopholes allowing toxic mine waste and other pollutants to be dumped into lakes, rivers and streams...

TAKE ACTION! We Need Clean Water: No More Dumping Mining Waste Into Our Waters!
	For nearly a decade, wealthy mining corporations have used a loophole in Clean Water Act regulations to dump their toxic and dangerous mining waste directly into the waters we all rely on, turning some of America's most pristine lakes and streams into industrial waste dumps. To protect our waters—and us—President Obama must make closing this loophole a priority! Take Action Today!
Ever since President George W. Bush created a massive loophole in the Clean Water Act in 2002, mining companies have been able to dump their toxic and dangerous mining waste directly into the waters we all rely on. In 1972, Congress overwhelmingly passed the Clean Water Act to end the use of lakes, rivers, streams and wetlands as waste dumps. Before that, America's waters and people had been suffering from pollution, and many lakes and rivers became unfit for drinking, swimming and fishing. But in 2002, America's waters and people took a hard hit. By coming up with a new definition for "fill material," the Bush administration opened the floodgates for coal mines in Appalachia to destroy streams with the waste created by blowing the tops off of mountains. In 2004, the Bush administration expanded that loophole to allow even more dangerous dumping of toxic mine "tailings"—the chemically processed wastewater slurry from extracting gold and other metals. For nearly a decade now, we've watched as wealthy mining corporations turn some of America's most pristine lakes and streams into industrial waste dumps. In Alaska, a new gold mine is pumping hundreds of thousands of gallons per day of toxic wastewater slurry into Lower Slate Lake, killing its fish and aquatic life. And this is just the beginning. High gold and metal prices have triggered a mining boom that, without stronger regulation, threatens countless lakes, streams and wetlands in Alaska and throughout the country. The Obama administration must close this loophole, now, and restore protections for our waters. Clean, safe, healthy water for all Americans must take priority over corporate interests. Please write to the Obama administration and tell them to close this loophole and stop the dumping of mining waste into our waters: http://action.earthjustice.org/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=1135&autologin=true — Earthjustice Because the earth needs a good lawyer Photo Credits: Top: Alaska's Lower Slate Lake, before chemically processed waste from the Kensington Mine was stored there, and after. Middle: Alaska's Lower Slate Lake, before chemically processed waste from the Kensington Mine was stored there, and after. ('Before' Photo by Pat Costello and courtesy of LightHawk) Bottom: Polluted Cabin Creek, near Leewood, West Virginia. (Mark Schmerling)

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