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.[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. Hudson Riverkeeper is now headed by Paul Gallay, the chief executive since July, 2010.[3][4]
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 watersheds.
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Two characteristics that have long distinguished Waterkeeper organizations are their grassroots 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.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. 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.