FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 30, 2002

CONTACT:
Scott Elkins, 612-659-9124 (Minneapolis)
David Willett, 202-675-6698 (Washington, DC)

                    SIERRA CLUB ENDORSES WALTER MONDALE
           Minnesotans Throw Strength Behind Mondale for Senate

Minneapolis, MN: The North Star Chapter of the Sierra Club today announced
its endorsement of Walter Mondale for the 2002 U.S. Senate race in
Minnesota.

"Walter Mondale is an excellent choice to continue the environmental legacy
of Paul Wellstone and the people of Minnesota--a legacy of fighting to
protect clean air, clean water and the health and safety of Minnesota
families," said Ginny Yingling, political chair of Sierra Club's North Star
Chapter.  "Because of Walter Mondale's work as Senator and Vice President,
our air and water are cleaner today. We are extremely pleased to announce
that the Sierra Club endorses Walter Mondale because of his long-standing
commitment to environmental protection."

As a Senator and Vice President, Mondale proved his environmental
leadership on issues such as clean air, clean water, and toxic waste.  He
co-sponsored the original Clean Air Act of 1970, and lead the fight to
clean up the Great Lakes.  He was the lead sponsor of the Clean Lakes Act,
which became part of the Clean Water Act of 1974.  As early as 1984 he took
strong positions on holding corporate polluters accountable, stating :
"We must make it bad business to pollute the environment; polluters must
pay." (New York Times, 1/9/84)

On protection of Minnesota's special places, Mondale has been a champion.
He introduced the legislation to create Voyageurs National Park and lead
efforts to protect the St. Croix Wild and Scenic River and the Upper
Mississippi River, and as Vice President, he helped protect millions of
acres of wild lands in Alaska.

"There's no doubt that Minnesotans, and all Americans, can trust Walter
Mondale to protect the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the
wilderness we love," said Carl Pope, Executive Director of the Sierra Club.

In 1984, Walter Mondale became the first Presidential candidate endorsed by
the Sierra Club since it was founded in 1892.

The Sierra Club's endorsement is a two-step, volunteer-driven process,
based on a candidate's record and positions on a variety of environmental
issues.  Endorsement requests originate on the local level. The state's
volunteer political committee votes on whether to extend an endorsement at
that time.  Once approved by the state political committee, the endorsement
is forwarded to the national volunteer Sierra Club Political Committee,
which then votes on whether to approve the request at that time.  Once this
committee approves the request, the candidate is officially notified of
their Sierra Club endorsement.

    ###


Erin E. Jordahl
Director, Iowa Chapter Sierra Club
3839 Merle Hay Road, Suite 280
Des Moines, IA 50310
515-277-8868
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