River Keepers

The Riverkeepers were formed by a group of Hudson River Fishermen Association, many of whom were United States Marines and veterans of World War II and the Korean War. The fishermen, who depended upon the commercial fisheries of the Hudson River for their livelihood, had initially approached the federal and NY state governments to reduce pollution in the river. After being rebuffed for many years, the group considered vigilante action. However, an obscure statute kept them from becoming a militant group. Using the 1888 Refuse in Harbors Act they were able to sue polluters and clean up the Hudson to a substantial degree. The movement spread across the United States and into Canada (using some different laws) as the modern Water Keeper Alliance. It has played a significant role in altering the social and legal status of polluters of fresh water resources in both countries.