Petition Delivery
On Earth Day 2025, we delivered 1600+ petitions thanks to signers like you. The petitions were hand-delivered to leaders at the MN Capitol urging them to ensure our state agencies enforce environmental laws.
The petition delivery and rally was significant for building momentum with supporters and with legislators but the state legislative session ended without the hearings we asked for. We did however garner support from a number of legislators. Learn more in the press release below.
Volunteers deliver petitions to Sen. Minority Leader Johnson's office. Photo by Devon Young Cupery.
Press Release
April 22, 2025
Contact: Steve Morse, 612-756-1769 / SteveMorse@mepartnership.org
Matt Doll, matthew@mepartnership.org
Community members to deliver 1,600+ petitions demanding MN enforce environmental laws for Earth Day
Violations of state laws hurt human and environmental health
SAINT PAUL, MN — To mark Earth Day, People Not Polluters, a partnership of 19 organizations, delivered over 1,600 petitions to state legislative leaders at the state capitol. The petitions are in response to the state’s failure to enforce laws protecting public health and the health of our shared environment.
Advocates met at the state capitol with signs and pulled Minnesota Senate leaders off the floor during session to receive petitions and hear our requests.
At 1:45 PM, we pulled Minnesota Senate leaders off the floor and joined the Earth Day Rally afterwards in the rotunda.
Minnesotans rally at the Capitol on Earth Day. Photo by Devon Young Cupery.
Together, we’re calling on State Legislators to make agencies do right by Minnesotans and hold oversight hearings to ensure state agencies are ready to enforce environmental protection laws. Examples of this problem are found across the state, like the MPCA’s failure to regulate the air quality violations at the Smith Foundry in Minneapolis to private wells in southeastern Minnesota where the water is toxic to drink due to uncontrolled fertilizer run-off.
“Minnesotans love the great outdoors and are remarkably united in voting for protections and funding. With the Trump Administration’s willingness to break laws and greenlight every environmentally damaging project brought to its attention, it is more important than ever that our state agencies stand in the breach. Recent violations by polluters give us grave concern that state regulators are not up to the job. We call on state leaders to hold legislative hearings to ensure our agencies carry out their missions and defend the places we love.” Margaret Levin, State Director Sierra Club North Star Chapter
On April 21, coalition members met with late House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman. Photo by Devon Young Cupery.
Together, we’re calling on State Legislators to make agencies do right by Minnesotans and hold oversight hearings to ensure state agencies are ready to enforce environmental protection laws. Examples of this problem are found across the state, like the MPCA’s failure to regulate the air quality violations at the Smith Foundry in Minneapolis to private wells in southeastern Minnesota where the water is toxic to drink due to uncontrolled fertilizer run-off.
“Minnesotans love the great outdoors and are remarkably united in voting for protections and funding. With the Trump Administration’s willingness to break laws and greenlight every environmentally damaging project brought to its attention, it is more important than ever that our state agencies stand in the breach. Recent violations by polluters give us grave concern that state regulators are not up to the job. We call on state leaders to hold legislative hearings to ensure our agencies carry out their missions and defend the places we love.” Margaret Levin, State Director Sierra Club North Star Chapter
Impacted resident speaks with Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy. Photo by Devon Young Cupery.
“Minnesotans count on drinkable water, breathable air, and public institutions that protect our well-being. Unfortunately, cases where big polluters are allowed to bypass these core values and threaten Minnesotans’ health have become all too common. The people of Minnesota and the environmental community appreciates the proud tradition of important work of our state agencies, but we need them to meet the moment and protect our communities and natural resources. We ask that Legislators use their oversight role to make sure our state puts people first, not polluters,” said Steve Morse, Executive Director of the Minnesota Environmental Partnership
“Polluting industries have built up power and influence on the very agencies charged with protecting our health and our environment. We must hold corporations accountable for the costs of harm to our health and our planet and reshape government agencies to hold polluters accountable when they do create harm.” Kathleen Schuler, Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate
Coalition members gather in the Capitol hallway to speak with legislators. Photo by Devon Young Cupery.
“The MPCA has been ignoring East Phillips for decades. We’ve been sounding the alarm about pollution from Smith Foundry, and they just kept looking the other way. Our neighborhood has some of the highest rates of asthma, heart disease, and cancer risk—and the fine-particle pollution from Smith was a major contributor. It took the EPA showing up unannounced to prove what we’ve been living with all along. The MPCA chose to protect a polluter instead of protecting the people who live here.” Luke Gannon, Organizer with the East Phillips Improvement Coalition and East Phillips Resident
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People Not Polluters is a partnership of 19 organizations seeking to break the grip polluting industries have over Minnesota regulators. Learn about 13 case studies demonstrating the problem of Polluter Capture at https://peoplenotpolluters.com.