Whether it’s an afternoon swim at Lake Calhoun, or canoeing on a family vacation up north, our “10,000 Lakes” are part of what makes Minnesota a great place to live, work and play.

But our lakes are only as pure as the streams that feed them and the wetlands that help keep them clean.

Recently, polluters went to court and won the right to dump chemicals into nearly half of Minnesota’s streams and to pave over thousands of acres of wetlands.

The solution is simple: We have a bill in Congress to restore the protections of the Clean Water Act to all of our lakes, rivers, streams and wetlands.

But powerful lobbyists for developers and corporate agribusinesses are fighting back.

Minnesota holds the key: Sen. Al Franken’s support will be critical to break a threatened filibuster, and Rep. Jim Oberstar chairs the committee that reviews the bill in the House.

In 2008, we worked with a broad coalition to pass the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment in Minnesota — establishing long-term funding for parks, wildlife and waterways.

Now Environment Minnesota and Environment America are working with Congress and the Obama administration to reverse these rollbacks – so that all of our waterways are protected from all types of pollution under the Clean Water Act.