Kennedy Jr. Trying to Protect our Water

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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. The original

Riverkeeper, headed by Cronin beginning in 1983, started on the Hudson

River in New York state, USA, in response to the destructive industrial

pollution that was destroying the river.[1][2] 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. Riverkeeper

is now headed by Matthiessen, the chief executive since July, 2000.[3][4]

Today, Waterkeeper Alliance, which is based out of Irvington, New York, unites

all Waterkeeper organizations, coordinating and covering issues affecting 182

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 watersheds.

Two characteristics that have long distinguished Waterkeeper organizations are

their grassroots focus, homing in on local water quality issues that impact the

health and wellbeing 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, San Francisco Baykeeper,

Santa Baykeeper, Mobile Baykeeper, Hudson Riverkeeper, Lake Ontario

Waterkeeper, San Diego Coastkeeper, Hurricane Creekkeeper, and many other

Waterkeeper organizations.

F. Kennedy, Jr. serves as Chairman of Waterkeeper Alliance, with Steve

Fleischli as President; Terry Backer as Vice-President; the Executive Director

is e Stratton. Fleischli served as Santa Baykeeper in Los Angeles

previous to becoming Waterkeeper Alliance's President.

There are Waterkeeper branches all over the Americas, as well as international

branches, such as Vigilantes de Bahía Magdalena, or Magdalena Baykeeper and Hann

Baykeeper in Dakar, Senegal.