Politics

Jeanne Shaheen Spread Sludge In New Hampshire, Despite Environmentalist Endorsements

Patrick Howley Political Reporter
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Democratic New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen touts endorsements from environmental groups including the Sierra Club, despite previously angering the eco-friendly Left by importing potentially toxic “sludge” into New Hampshire communities and declaring an official Sludge Day during her tenure as governor.

Shaheen officially received the endorsements Wednesday of the Sierra Club and the League of Conservation Voters in her Senate campaign against Republican Scott Brown. But members of the Sierra Club seem to have put some bad blood with Shaheen behind them.

“Sludge,” a solid material borne of sewage wastewater and human feces, was being imported in mass quantities into the state of New Hampshire during Shaheen’s governorship between 1997 and 2003. By 1999, New Hampshire under Shaheen was importing half of its sludge from other states, and by October 2000 the state counted 50 sites for sludge-spreading.

Shaheen even made an official proclamation declaring “Biosolids Recycling Day” (i.e. “Sludge Day”) on May 16, 2000, according to information reviewed by The Daily Caller.

“It seems to show she supports the spreading of sludge,” said Doug Bogen of New Hampshire’s Clean Water Action affiliate, according to a May 2000 article in Foster’s Daily Democrat.

Seven major environmental groups in the state lined up to oppose Shaheen’s proclamation, including Sierra Club of New Hampshire, Northeast Organic Farming Organization, Citizens for a Future New Hampshire, Conservation Law Foundation, New Hampshire Citizens for Health Freedom, New Hampshire Pure Waters Coalition, and New Hampshire Rivers Council.

The Sierra Club was so incensed by the state’s actions under Shaheen that it unsuccessfully sued the state’s Department of Environmental Services in 2000 over the sludge issue.

Shaheen also vetoed two bills in 2000 to test sludge’s effect on New Hampshire water. As Shaheen’s Republican gubernatorial opponent Gordon Humphrey said in 2000, “We are becoming a dumping ground. And Gov. Shaheen somehow seems to be in favor of this.”

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