June 30th, 2009 marks the 40th anniversary of the Cuyahoga River fire. Cuyahoga River was essentially an open sewer for industrial waste until oil-soaked debris on the surface of the river caught fire and alarmed the nearby city of Cleveland. It was one of the environmental disasters that led to the formation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Water Act.

In the years since the fire the city has worked to clean up its river. The Cuyahoga is now home to more than 60 species of fish. Beavers, bald eagles and herons live on its banks, and long stretches of it are so clean that they no longer require aggressive monitoring. More over at the New York Times.

Tags: 1969 river fire, cleveland river fire, cuyahoga, cuyahoga river, cuyahoga river fire

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