Clean water and a healthy planet

Our rivers, lakes and abundant natural resources are at the core of what it means to be Minnesotan.

They are where we live, work and play—and they’re responsible for tens of thousands of good jobs, as well. I will be a vocal advocate for responsible stewardship of our natural treasures to preserve and improve them for generations to come.

– Dean Phillips

Dean’s plan

In the Land of 10,000 Lakes, Dean knows we are blessed with abundant natural resources. Generations of Minnesotans have prospered thanks to our legacy of responsibly managing those resources. We now must ensure that our children and grandchildren have the same opportunities to breathe clean air and drink clean water, to enjoy the outdoors, and to build sustainable businesses. Here’s what Dean will do:

Protect the Boundary Waters

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area is one of the most treasured and pristine wilderness areas in the country, which is why Dean is opposed to anything that could threaten it—including copper-nickel mining in the area. After being elected, Dean co-authored the Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection and Pollution Prevention Act to do just that. Dean will always be a proactive voice for the protection of the BWCA as well as other wilderness areas and national monuments, including the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which is also under threat by the current Administration and some in Congress.

Keep aquatic invasive species out of our lakes and rivers

Invasive species—like zebra mussels, Eurasian milfoil and others—have infested Lake Minnetonka and many other lakes in the 3rd District and around Minnesota. While state and local efforts are essential, invasive species don’t stop at state borders. Preventing international ships from dumping their ballast water in the Great Lakes and spreading invasive species requires a federal response, and Dean is committed to building on multi-state compacts and cooperation between governments at all levels in the Great Lakes region. Dean also supports federal research into new treatment methods, so that infestation by aquatic invasive species will no longer be a death sentence for a lake.

Stop the rollback of a half-century of environmental progress

Since President Nixon signed the federal Clean Water Act (CWA) in 1972, our country has seen significant improvements in our water quality, including here in Minnesota where the law halted the dumping of raw sewage, industrial waste and slaughterhouse discharge into the Mississippi River. But the Trump administration has acted to strip away decades of environmental protections for short-term gain, including recent attempts to roll back water-quality standards for many rivers, streams and wetlands without congressional approval or public input. Dean opposes the short-sighted, anti-environmental policies of this Administration and will work to protect the CWA.

Let’s create change—together.

Join the DeanTeam—a diverse, committed team of neighbors who are creating change in communities across Minnesota’s Third District.

Whether you’d like to volunteer at an upcoming campaign event or lend a hand from home, there are always opportunities to make a meaningful difference.