Soundkeeper
Encyclopedia
The term Soundkeeper. was first used in the American lexicon by the Long Island Soundkeeper Fund, Inc. in 1987 upon the founding of an environmental protection organization dedicated to the preservation and protection of Long Island Sound
. The name and the organization's principles were modeled after the Hudson Riverkeeper
Fund. Later, both organizations independently changed their official names to Riverkeeper and Soundkeeper. Soundkeeper and Riverkeeper are founding members of the Waterkeeper Alliance
. The term Soundkeeper is a registered trademark of Soundkeeper, Inc. However, it has also become common practice to refer to the lead person who is the water presence of the organization as the "Soundkeeper".
Soundkeeper Inc. is located in Norwalk, Connecticut and was incorporated in 1987 as a not-for-profit environmental organization. Its program area extends from the Battery Park
in New York City
up the East River, including portions of Queens County and Kings County New York, as well as all of Long Island Sound and its rivers and the watershed in New York
and Connecticut
.
Soundkeeper states its mission as the protection and enhancement of the biological, physical, and chemical integrity of Long Island Sound and its watershed. To accomplish the organizations stated goals, Soundkeeper Inc. undertakes activities in several program areas. In addition to the main program areas which include legal advocacy, monitoring and patrol of Long Island Sound and wetlands restoration, Soundkeeper operates five pump out vessels in western Long Island Sound to prevent sewage from being discharged overboard from vessel into the Sound. Most recently, Soundkeeper pioneered new storm water pollution prevention by establishing a pilot program in Norwalk, CT. The "Filter Project" placed 254 storm drain filter inserts in catch basins designed to kill bacteria, and capture hydrocarbons and other pollutants.
and Chris Staplefelt were referred by Bob Gaberilson a Nyack
, New York Shad fisherman to then Riverkeeper John Cronin and Riverkeeper Attorney Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to help them become organized. Cronin and Kennedy helped guide the formation of the Connecticut Coastal Fishermen's Association and obtained legal representation for the group from the New York City law firm of Berel, Kass and Case. Shortly thereafter, Terry Backer, was elected president of the group and led the fishermen's group in filing several sixty day notice letters of intention to sue several municipalities for violation of the federal Clean Water Act
. These cities included; Stratford, Connecticut
, Norwalk, Bridgeport and Milford Connecticut.
The Long Island Soundkeeper Fund Inc. was created through a stipulated settlement reached between the Connecticut Coastal Fishermen's Association and the City of Norwalk, Connecticut in 1987 to settle a federal Clean Water Act lawsuit. The suit allege thousand of violations of the city's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit from their sewage treatment plant. The settlement with Norwalk, CT was divided between several local environmental improvement projects and a payment of $86,500.00 to start a full time watchdog for Long Island Sound. Using the settlement the Connecticut Coastal Fishermen's Association founded Soundkeeper, a full time professional organization dedicated to the protection of Long Island Sound.
was founded in 1999. Since the inception of Soundkeeper, the "Waterkeeper" concept of protecting local environmental resources has grown rapidly based on the early models of Soundkeeper and Riverkeeper.
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
. The name and the organization's principles were modeled after the Hudson Riverkeeper
Riverkeeper
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...
Fund. Later, both organizations independently changed their official names to Riverkeeper and Soundkeeper. Soundkeeper and Riverkeeper are founding 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...
. The term Soundkeeper is a registered trademark of Soundkeeper, Inc. However, it has also become common practice to refer to the lead person who is the water presence of the organization as the "Soundkeeper".
Soundkeeper Inc. is located in Norwalk, Connecticut and was incorporated in 1987 as a not-for-profit environmental organization. Its program area extends from the Battery Park
Battery Park
Battery Park is a 25-acre public park located at the Battery, the southern tip of Manhattan Island in New York City, facing New York Harbor. The Battery is named for artillery batteries that were positioned there in the city's early years in order to protect the settlement behind them...
in 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...
up the East River, including portions of Queens County and Kings County New York, as well as all of Long Island Sound and its rivers and the watershed in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
.
Soundkeeper states its mission as the protection and enhancement of the biological, physical, and chemical integrity of Long Island Sound and its watershed. To accomplish the organizations stated goals, Soundkeeper Inc. undertakes activities in several program areas. In addition to the main program areas which include legal advocacy, monitoring and patrol of Long Island Sound and wetlands restoration, Soundkeeper operates five pump out vessels in western Long Island Sound to prevent sewage from being discharged overboard from vessel into the Sound. Most recently, Soundkeeper pioneered new storm water pollution prevention by establishing a pilot program in Norwalk, CT. The "Filter Project" placed 254 storm drain filter inserts in catch basins designed to kill bacteria, and capture hydrocarbons and other pollutants.
History
After years of repeated public health shellfishing harvest closures caused by malfunctioning municipally owned sewage treatment plants local fishermen in Norwalk, CT sought a legal remedy to a problem that was causing great economic hardship. Terry BackerTerry Backer
Terrence Eddy Backer was born in 1954 in Stamford, Connecticut.He is a part of the Connecticut House of Representatives.-Early history:He is the son of Henry Jacob Backer Jr. and Cathrine Lagana Backer. He attended Norwalk, Connecticut public...
and Chris Staplefelt were referred by Bob Gaberilson a Nyack
Nyack
Nyack may refer to:*Nyack, New York, a village*Nyack College, located in the village*USS Nyack, the name of two U.S. Navy vessels...
, New York Shad fisherman to then Riverkeeper John Cronin and Riverkeeper Attorney Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to help them become organized. Cronin and Kennedy helped guide the formation of the Connecticut Coastal Fishermen's Association and obtained legal representation for the group from the New York City law firm of Berel, Kass and Case. Shortly thereafter, Terry Backer, was elected president of the group and led the fishermen's group in filing several sixty day notice letters of intention to sue several municipalities for violation of the federal Clean Water Act
Clean Water Act
The Clean Water Act is the primary federal law in the United States governing water pollution. Commonly abbreviated as the CWA, the act established the goals of eliminating releases of high amounts of toxic substances into water, eliminating additional water pollution by 1985, and ensuring that...
. These cities included; Stratford, Connecticut
Stratford, Connecticut
Stratford is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, located on Long Island Sound at the mouth of the Housatonic River. It was founded by Puritans in 1639....
, Norwalk, Bridgeport and Milford Connecticut.
The Long Island Soundkeeper Fund Inc. was created through a stipulated settlement reached between the Connecticut Coastal Fishermen's Association and the City of Norwalk, Connecticut in 1987 to settle a federal Clean Water Act lawsuit. The suit allege thousand of violations of the city's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit from their sewage treatment plant. The settlement with Norwalk, CT was divided between several local environmental improvement projects and a payment of $86,500.00 to start a full time watchdog for Long Island Sound. Using the settlement the Connecticut Coastal Fishermen's Association founded Soundkeeper, a full time professional organization dedicated to the protection of Long Island Sound.
The first Soundkeeper
Terry Backer assumed the role of "Soundkeeper" and executive director of the Long Island Soundkeeper Fund Inc. in 1987 and has continued in those positions continuously to the present(2008). The "Keeper" concept of protecting the local environment would emerge from the work of Cronin and Backer and would soon be emulated in new organizations seeking to become "Waterkeepers". The "Keeper" concept was based in aggressive enforcement of environmental laws coupled with a sense of place and responsibility for that place. Cronin and Backer, both fishermen, brought a sharp contrast to other environmentalist and set the tone and tactics of future Waterkeepers.Waterkeeper - a movement
There are currently 188 Waterkeeper organizations on six continents, Soundkeeper, was the second such group preceded by Riverkeeper. The Waterkeeper AllianceWaterkeeper 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...
was founded in 1999. Since the inception of Soundkeeper, the "Waterkeeper" concept of protecting local environmental resources has grown rapidly based on the early models of Soundkeeper and Riverkeeper.