Despite a snowy spring day, more than 450 people attended the third annual Water Action Day at the Minnesota State Capitol on April 10. Organized by a statewide coalition of environmental and citizen groups, the event offered a full day of training and education, lobbying legislators, speakers, and a rally in the capitol rotunda. Water issues in Minnesota range from agricultural pollution in the southern part of the state, to oil pipelines and mine proposals in the northern part.
Several groups working to protect the Boundary Waters and surrounding area from mining pollution participated in the event, including Duluth for Clean Water, Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, Friends of the Cloquet Valley State Forest, Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, Minnesota Environmental Partnership, Save Our Sky Blue Waters, Save Lake Superior Association, Save the Boundary Waters, and WaterLegacy.
“Minnesota is the home of clean water, and participants let their representatives know that we want to keep it that way,” the Friends of the Mississippi River wrote in a report on the event. “We also know it will take a lot of work to protect our waters, but our Water Action Day policy priorities helped break this ambitious but vitally important goal into achievable steps.”
MPR News’ Climate Cast program also featured a special conversation with two Minnesota water experts about climate change and water to mark the occasion.
Priorities for Water Action Day participants included ensuring healthy land for healthy water, investing in a clean water future, and restoring public trust by pushing for policy based on science and transparency.
Here are social media highlights from some of the many people and organizations who attended, as well as legislators who met with their constituents:
Rally for #WaterActionDay at the Capitol! #savethebwca #ProtectOurWater pic.twitter.com/7gfXiEvPc2
— Boundary Waters (@savethebwca) April 10, 2019
Great to see so many💧water protectors at #mnleg today for #WaterActionDay! Folks are getting “Citizen Lobbying 101” briefings now. Join us today: rally in the Rotunda at 2. pic.twitter.com/eF4mZFh4uJ
— @MCEA1974 (@MCEA1974) April 10, 2019
Constituents and tireless environmental activists Diane Tessari and Sandy Ahlstrom came to advocate for clean water in Minnesota! Happy Water Action Day! #district33 #ProtectOurWater #mnleg pic.twitter.com/KLxrwVqQbK
— Kelly Morrison (@Morrison4MN) April 10, 2019
Great to hear Rep Lippert at Water Action Day talking about protecting our Lakes and Waters in Minnesota and his work to move forward his water protection efforts to plant cover crops to protect our waters. #mnleg pic.twitter.com/o4xYkIsie8
— Peter Fischer (@RepPeterFischer) April 10, 2019
What happens when the laws of Minnesota aren’t protecting us from sulfide ore mining, from tar sands pipelines, or from nitrate pollution? One #WaterActionDay participant says: agencies should speak out and tell the Walz admin those laws aren’t good enough. pic.twitter.com/JzzNTfJ5ds
— Tim Schaefer (@tharoldschaefer) April 10, 2019
Clean water. Strong Minnesota. Stop PolyMet. Stop Line 3. #WaterActionDay pic.twitter.com/67wtLbBJhZ
— Duluth for Clean Water 🌎 (@DuluthWater) April 10, 2019
#wateractionday at the Capitol. Folks from all over the state rally to protect our most precious resource. pic.twitter.com/LJZ41586t6
— Friends of the BWCAW (@FriendsBWCAW) April 10, 2019
I was raised in the St. Croix Valley, I'm a St. Croix River Rat. I fully appreciate the value of clean water for recreation and the need to preserve our drinking water. #WaterActionDay #ProtectOurWater @CleanWaterMN pic.twitter.com/imwbJkVvA1
— Rep. Shelly Christensen (@Shelly39B) April 10, 2019
Making signs so #mnleg knows to #ProtectOurWater! @GovTimWalz thanks for your leadership. pic.twitter.com/BIXRlcVQHF
— SierraClubMN (@SierraClubMN) April 10, 2019