Clean water is a resource that is essential for the health of our environment and for human life. Unfortunately, our water resources are threatened by a number of factors. These include industrial uses that contaminate our water resources, unsustainable growth and overdevelopment that creates a demand that is beyond the capacity of regional water systems, and polluting run-off from agricultural and mining practices. This is problematic because water—like so many resources—is finite in its existence, and only a small percentage of our water resources are safe for consumption.

Pennsylvania has some of the worst water pollution problems in the nation. The most recent federal estimates rank the state's waterways as receiving the highest levels of pollution in the United States—over 40 million pounds of pollution in 1998 alone. Pennsylvania is also home to the largest water polluter in the nation, and to rivers that receive the highest levels of carcinogens, reproductive toxins and heavy metals. In fact, the Department of Environmental Protection has declared over 9,400 miles of streams and rivers in Pennsylvania unsafe for fishing and swimming.

All of this pollution threatens our health and the health of our surrounding environment.

PennEnvironment is working to guarantee the protection and cleanup of the state's waterways, and to reverse the trend of excessive water pollution. We are working to mandate better enforcement of Pennsylvania's clean water standards, a greater right to know about toxic pollution for the state's residents, and stronger permits that protect the public's health.

PennEnvironment Clean Water Interns will work on the following projects:

Research: Help research the state's worst water polluters, industrial permit renewals in Pennsylvania and non-point pollution sources.

Citizen Organizing: Help research and write e-mail action alerts, develop the PennEnvironment Web site and activate local volunteers.

Coalition Work: Work with clean water coalition partners to promote PennEnvironment's clean water platform.

Work with the Media: Write letters to the editor, opinion pieces, press releases and press advisories for clean water media events.

Advocacy: Coordinate advocacy efforts at the state and federal levels on clean water issues, coordinate public comments to regulatory officials, and help disseminate testimony on state clean water issues.

For more information on these or other internships, as well as volunteer opportunities, contact PennEnvironment’s Philadelphia office at (215) 732-5897 or e-mail us.

To apply, e-mail us your cover letter and resume or send it to PennEnvironment, 1420 Walnut Street, Ste. 650, Philadelphia, PA 19102.