Clean Water Action

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title: "Clean Water Action" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["environmental-organizations-based-in-the-united-states", "water-organizations-in-the-united-states"] description: "American environmental advocacy group" topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clean_Water_Action" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American environmental advocacy group ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox organization"]

Field	Value
name	Clean Water Action
logo	Logo-cw-text.png
logo_size	250px
founded_date	1972
location	Washington, D.C.
leader_title	President & CEO
leader_name	Jeff Carter
area_served	United States
revenue	$5.22 million (2023)
homepage
::

| name = Clean Water Action | logo = Logo-cw-text.png | logo_size = 250px | type = | founded_date = 1972 | founder = | location = Washington, D.C. | local communities = | leader_title = President & CEO | leader_name= Jeff Carter | area_served = United States | focus = | method = | revenue = $5.22 million (2023) | endowment = | num_volunteers = | num_employees = | num_members = | Non-profit_slogan = | homepage =

Clean Water Action is an American environmental advocacy group. Created in 1972, the group focuses on canvassing and gaining support for political issues and candidates. It is a 501(c)(4) organization and is based in Washington, D.C.

History

The group was formed in 1972 by David Zwick as a grassroots and lobbying organization whose goal was to enact platforms delineated in the Zwick publication, Water Wasteland. To reach this goal, Zwick outlined a grassroots strategy of door-to-door canvassing and public education. One of its first accomplishments occurred in 1986 when, along with the National Campaign Against Toxic Hazards, the group published a report claiming the Environmental Protection Agency was failing to properly enforce the federal Superfund toxic waste cleanup program.

Political advocacy

Clean Water Action has endorsed both causes and political actors. In 2008, Clean Water Action and Earthjustice brought a lawsuit against the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection for not complying with state and federal water protection laws by allowing partially treated fracking wastewater to be discharged into the Monongahela River. The court ruled in favor of the plaintiff. In 2012, the group supported the re-election of President Barack Obama.

Clean Water Action also has been involved in campaigns to reduce the environmental impact of plastics through their support of California's Assembly Bill 888, which proposed to ban the use of plastic microbeads in rinse-off personal care products. Similar federal legislation was enacted with the passing of the Microbead–Free Waters Act of 2015. The group also supported Minneapolis's ordinance restricting the use of single-use plastic bags.

References

References

1. (23 January 2023). "Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund Announce New President & CEO | Clean Water Action".
2. (9 May 2013). "Clean Water Action - Nonprofit Explorer".
3. (August 13, 2014). "This Leading Candidate For Texas Governor Really Doesn't Like Clean Water". Think Progress.
4. "About Us". Clean Water Action.
5. (November 24, 1987). "Superfund Cleanups Termed Lax". [[The New York Times]].
6. (7 August 2013). "Victory in Fracking Wastewater Fight in PA".
7. "NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL, WITH PREJUDICE, OF AMENDED NOTICE OF APPEAL".
8. (April 17, 2012). "Big green groups to back Obama". Politico.
9. "EcoWatch".
10. "Bill Text - AB-888 Waste management: plastic microbeads.".
11. "In praise of Minneapolis' proposed plastic-bag ban".
12. "Municode Library".

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