Waterkeeper Alliance
Encyclopedia
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 original Riverkeeper, organized in 1983, started on the Hudson River
in New York state, USA, in response to the destructive industrial pollution that was destroying the river.
It was soon followed by Long Island Soundkeeper (which is still led by Terry Backer
), Delaware Riverkeeper, San Francisco Baykeeper, New York/New Jersey Baykeeper, and others. Hudson Riverkeeper is now headed by Paul Gallay, the chief executive since July, 2010.
Today, Waterkeeper Alliance, which is based out of New York, New York, unites all Waterkeeper organizations, coordinating and covering issues affecting 197 Waterkeepers that work to protect rivers, lakes, bays, sounds, and other water bodies around the world. It's the fastest growing grassroots environmental movement in the world, spanning six continents. Each Waterkeeper organization is devoted to the preservation of specific watershed
s.
focus, homing in on local water quality issues that impact the health and well-being of their local water body and local constituency, and also their commitment to enforcing the law, such as the U.S. Clean Water Act
. Groundbreaking litigation and enforcement action has been undertaken by Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper
, Orange County Coastkeeper, NY/NJ Baykeeper, San Francisco Baykeeper
, Santa Monica Baykeeper, Mobile Baykeeper, Hudson Riverkeeper
, Lake Ontario Waterkeeper
, San Diego Coastkeeper
, Hurricane Creekkeeper, and many other organizations.
Waterkeeper Alliance has several member organization working on the front line of cleanup and recovery efforts following the April 2010 BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Waterkeepers on scene along the Gulf Coast include Apalachicola Riverkeeper and Emerald Coastkeeper in Florida; Mobile Baykeeper in Alabama; Atchafalaya Basinkeeper, Louisiana Bayoukeeper and Lower Mississippi Riverkeeper in Louisiana; and Galveston Baykeeper in Texas. These Gulf Waterkeepers have engaged volunteers, marine biologists, environmental advocates, and members of affected local communities in their cleanup and recovery efforts. Waterkeeper Alliance created the Save Our Gulf campaign and SaveOurGulf.org to coordinate Waterkeeper efforts along the Gulf Coast.
Waterkeeper Alliance and a coalition of its member organizations run The Dirty Lie campaign and TheDirtyLie.org to address environmental damage done by the coal mining
industry and coal-fired power plants in the United States.
serves as President of Waterkeeper Alliance's Board of Directors. Karl Koplan and Joe Payne (Casco Baykeeper) serve respectively as Board Chair and Vice Chair. The organization's Executive Director is Marc Yaggi.
Environmental organization
An environmental organization is an organization that seeks to protect, analyze or monitor the environment against misuse or degradation or lobby for these goals....
founded in 1999, responding to a growing movement of organizations with the name 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...
, Baykeeper, Soundkeeper, and other related "keeper" names, of which there are over 150 around the globe. The original Riverkeeper, organized in 1983, started on the Hudson River
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...
in New York state, USA, in response to the destructive industrial pollution that was destroying the river.
It was soon followed by Long Island Soundkeeper (which is still led by Terry Backer
Terry 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...
), Delaware Riverkeeper, San Francisco Baykeeper, New York/New Jersey Baykeeper, and others. Hudson Riverkeeper is now headed by Paul Gallay, the chief executive since July, 2010.
Today, Waterkeeper Alliance, which is based out of New York, New York, unites all Waterkeeper organizations, coordinating and covering issues affecting 197 Waterkeepers that work to protect rivers, lakes, bays, sounds, and other water bodies around the world. It's the fastest growing grassroots environmental movement in the world, spanning six continents. Each Waterkeeper organization is devoted to the preservation of specific watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
s.
Goals and actions
Two characteristics that have long distinguished Waterkeeper organizations are their grassrootsGrassroots
A grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
focus, homing in on local water quality issues that impact the health and well-being of their local water body and local constituency, and also their commitment to enforcing the law, such as the U.S. 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...
. Groundbreaking litigation and enforcement action has been undertaken by Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper
Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper
The Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper is an environmental advocacy organization with more than 5,000 members dedicated solely to protecting and restoring the Chattahoochee River Basin, specifically between the Buford Dam and West Point Lake...
, Orange County Coastkeeper, NY/NJ Baykeeper, San Francisco Baykeeper
San Francisco Baykeeper
San Francisco Baykeeper is a nonprofit environmental advocacy organization that works to protect, preserve, and enhance the health of the ecosystems and communities that depend upon the San Francisco Bay. For seventeen years, Baykeeper has stood guard over the waters of the San Francisco Bay-Delta...
, Santa Monica Baykeeper, Mobile Baykeeper, 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...
, Lake Ontario Waterkeeper
Lake Ontario Waterkeeper
Lake Ontario Waterkeeper is a Toronto-based environmental justice advocacy group founded in 2001, with Lake Ontario, the Great Lakes Basin, and allied waterways at heart. It is a licensed member of the New York-based Waterkeeper Alliance, and a registered Canadian charity...
, San Diego Coastkeeper
San Diego Coastkeeper
San Diego Coastkeeper is a grassroots environmental 501 non-profit organization that advocates for clean water throughout San Diego county...
, Hurricane Creekkeeper, and many other organizations.
Waterkeeper Alliance has several member organization working on the front line of cleanup and recovery efforts following the April 2010 BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Waterkeepers on scene along the Gulf Coast include Apalachicola Riverkeeper and Emerald Coastkeeper in Florida; Mobile Baykeeper in Alabama; Atchafalaya Basinkeeper, Louisiana Bayoukeeper and Lower Mississippi Riverkeeper in Louisiana; and Galveston Baykeeper in Texas. These Gulf Waterkeepers have engaged volunteers, marine biologists, environmental advocates, and members of affected local communities in their cleanup and recovery efforts. Waterkeeper Alliance created the Save Our Gulf campaign and SaveOurGulf.org to coordinate Waterkeeper efforts along the Gulf Coast.
Waterkeeper Alliance and a coalition of its member organizations run The Dirty Lie campaign and TheDirtyLie.org to address environmental damage done by the coal mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
industry and coal-fired power plants in the United States.
Leadership
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...
serves as President of Waterkeeper Alliance's Board of Directors. Karl Koplan and Joe Payne (Casco Baykeeper) serve respectively as Board Chair and Vice Chair. The organization's Executive Director is Marc Yaggi.
External links
- Waterkeeper Alliance, official website
- List of 'Keeper' organizations, over 150 around the world.