Riverkeeper
Encyclopedia
Riverkeeper is an environmental non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of the Hudson River
and its tributaries, as well as the watersheds that provide New York City with its drinking water. It was the first "keeper" to be founded; today, there are over 150 "keepers" around the globe, all members of the Waterkeeper Alliance
umbrella organization.
has long been considered the birthplace of the modern American environmental movement
. In the 1960s a small group of scientist
s, fishermen and concerned citizens led by Robert H. Boyle, author of The Hudson River, A Natural and Unnatural History and a senior writer at Sports Illustrated
, were determined to reverse the decline of the then-polluted River by confronting the polluters directly by using a never-enforced law, the Federal Refuse Act of 1899
.
In 1980, after a 17-year legal battle spearheaded by Scenic Hudson and the Hudson River Fishermens Association, Consolidated Edison
agreed to drop its 17-year fight to build a mammoth pump storage hydroelectric
facility on Storm King Mountain that would have destroyed a major striped bass
spawning area and other Hudson fisheries.
With that major victory and a string of other successful lawsuits, HRFA realized it needed a full-time river advocate to safeguard the Hudson River and communities that depend upon it from abuse. In 1983, HRFA launched a boat on the Hudson and inaugurated the Riverkeeper programs, headed by the second Riverkeeper, John Cronin (Thomas Whyatt had been the first, from 1973 to 1976). Later that year, Riverkeeper quickly received national attention when it discovered that oil
tankers
were regularly discharging toxic petrochemicals from their holds into the river then moving upstream to tank up with clean Hudson water to sell to the Caribbean
island of Aruba
. Fortunately Channel Four NBC newscameramen were on board to capture this event on video. Riverkeeper won an historic out-of-court settlement – which helped add to the endowment of the Hudson River Foundation founded as part of the Storm King settlement – and has since taken on over 300 additional environmental lawbreakers.
In 1990, a team of Riverkeeper attorneys took on developers and lackluster enforcement agencies to protect the reservoirs and streams that constitute the water supply for nine million New York City
and Westchester County
residents.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
is the Vice Chair and Chief Prosecuting Attorney for Riverkeeper. Paul Gallay is Executive Director.
, General Electric
, Consolidated Edison
, Metropolitan Transportation Authority
, the City of New York, and the New York State Department of Transportation
.
Riverkeeper maintains a 36-foot (11-m) wooden patrol and research vessel, the R. Ian Fletcher, operated by Boat Captain, John Lipscomb. Riverkeeper’s full-time presence on the river enables it to respond to and investigate new reports of illegal discharges, facilitate scientific research on the Hudson, and provide access to the river to its members, public officials, students and the media.
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
and its tributaries, as well as the watersheds that provide New York City with its drinking water. It was the first "keeper" to be founded; today, there are over 150 "keepers" around the globe, all members of the Waterkeeper Alliance
Waterkeeper Alliance
Waterkeeper Alliance is an environmental organization founded in 1999, responding to a growing movement of organizations with the name Riverkeeper, Baykeeper, Soundkeeper, and other related "keeper" names, of which there are over 150 around the globe...
umbrella organization.
History
The Hudson ValleyHudson Valley
The Hudson Valley comprises the valley of the Hudson River and its adjacent communities in New York State, United States, from northern Westchester County northward to the cities of Albany and Troy.-History:...
has long been considered the birthplace of the modern American environmental movement
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
. In the 1960s a small group of scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
s, fishermen and concerned citizens led by Robert H. Boyle, author of The Hudson River, A Natural and Unnatural History and a senior writer at Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
, were determined to reverse the decline of the then-polluted River by confronting the polluters directly by using a never-enforced law, the Federal Refuse Act of 1899
Refuse Act
The Refuse Act is a United States federal statute governing use of waterways. The Act, a section of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, prohibited "dumping of refuse" into navigable waters, except by permit.-Implementation history:...
.
In 1980, after a 17-year legal battle spearheaded by Scenic Hudson and the Hudson River Fishermens Association, Consolidated Edison
Consolidated Edison
Consolidated Edison, Inc. is one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the United States, with approximately $14 billion in annual revenues and $36 billion in assets...
agreed to drop its 17-year fight to build a mammoth pump storage hydroelectric
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
facility on Storm King Mountain that would have destroyed a major striped bass
Striped bass
The striped bass is the state fish of Maryland, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and the state saltwater fish of New York, Virginia, and New Hampshire...
spawning area and other Hudson fisheries.
With that major victory and a string of other successful lawsuits, HRFA realized it needed a full-time river advocate to safeguard the Hudson River and communities that depend upon it from abuse. In 1983, HRFA launched a boat on the Hudson and inaugurated the Riverkeeper programs, headed by the second Riverkeeper, John Cronin (Thomas Whyatt had been the first, from 1973 to 1976). Later that year, Riverkeeper quickly received national attention when it discovered that oil
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
tankers
Tanker (ship)
A tanker is a ship designed to transport liquids in bulk. Major types of tankship include the oil tanker, the chemical tanker, and the liquefied natural gas carrier.-Background:...
were regularly discharging toxic petrochemicals from their holds into the river then moving upstream to tank up with clean Hudson water to sell to the Caribbean
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
island of Aruba
Aruba
Aruba is a 33 km-long island of the Lesser Antilles in the southern Caribbean Sea, located 27 km north of the coast of Venezuela and 130 km east of Guajira Peninsula...
. Fortunately Channel Four NBC newscameramen were on board to capture this event on video. Riverkeeper won an historic out-of-court settlement – which helped add to the endowment of the Hudson River Foundation founded as part of the Storm King settlement – and has since taken on over 300 additional environmental lawbreakers.
In 1990, a team of Riverkeeper attorneys took on developers and lackluster enforcement agencies to protect the reservoirs and streams that constitute the water supply for nine million New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Westchester County
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
residents.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Robert Francis Kennedy, Jr. is an American radio host, activist, and attorney specializing in environmental law. He is the third of eleven children born to Ethel Skakel Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy and is the nephew of John F. Kennedy and Edward M. Kennedy...
is the Vice Chair and Chief Prosecuting Attorney for Riverkeeper. Paul Gallay is Executive Director.
Current work
At any given time, Riverkeeper is involved with as many as 130 actions to protect the integrity of the river, its tributaries, the Croton watershed, or other waters that affect New York City’s water supply. These actions take the form of litigation; investigations; environmental review of development projects; citizen empowerment projects; regulatory review and comment; and local, state, and federal policy issues. In the past, Riverkeeper has successfully challenged the illegal activities of some of the largest and most notorious polluters, including MobilMobil
Mobil, previously known as the Socony-Vacuum Oil Company, was a major American oil company which merged with Exxon in 1999 to form ExxonMobil. Today Mobil continues as a major brand name within the combined company, as well as still being a gas station sometimes paired with their own store or On...
, General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
, Consolidated Edison
Consolidated Edison
Consolidated Edison, Inc. is one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the United States, with approximately $14 billion in annual revenues and $36 billion in assets...
, Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York)
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New York is a public benefit corporation responsible for public transportation in the U.S...
, the City of New York, and the New York State Department of Transportation
New York State Department of Transportation
The New York State Department of Transportation is responsible for the development and operation of highways, railroads, mass transit systems, ports, waterways and aviation facilities in the U.S...
.
Riverkeeper maintains a 36-foot (11-m) wooden patrol and research vessel, the R. Ian Fletcher, operated by Boat Captain, John Lipscomb. Riverkeeper’s full-time presence on the river enables it to respond to and investigate new reports of illegal discharges, facilitate scientific research on the Hudson, and provide access to the river to its members, public officials, students and the media.