Waterkeeper Alliance
 | |
| Formation | 1999 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | New York, NY, USA |
Exec. Dir. | Marc Yaggi |
President | Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. |
| Website | waterkeeper.org |
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 270 around the world.[1] 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.[2][3] It was soon followed by Long Island Soundkeeper (which was 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.[4][5]
Today, Waterkeeper Alliance, which is based out of New York, New York, unites all Waterkeeper organizations, coordinating and covering issues affecting 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.
There are over 270 Waterkeeper organizations (Basinkeeper, Baykeeper, Bayoukeeper, Canalkeeper, Channelkeeper, Coastkeeper, Creekkeeper, Deltakeeper, Gulfkeeper, Inletkeeper, Lakekeeper, Riverkeeper, Shorekeeper, Soundkeeper, Waterkeeper) on six continents in 33 countries defending communities against anyone who threatens their right to clean water—from polluters to unresponsive government agencies.
Waterkeeper Alliance’s advocacy campaigns unite the work of Waterkeeper organizations around the globe to move away from our reliance on fossil fuels, eliminate the impacts of factory farms on waterways, and protect and restore watersheds and help create and enforce environmental laws by publicizing violations and violators.
Leadership
The Waterkeeper Alliance Board of Directors is a 13-person board composed of 6 members elected from the Waterkeeper Council, 6 members elected from the Trustee Council and a President elected by Waterkeeper Alliance membership. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. serves as President of Waterkeeper Alliance's Board of Directors and the organization's Executive Director is Marc Yaggi.
Notes
- ↑ Waterkeeper Alliance. "Waterkeeper Organizations". Retrieved 27 October 2012.
- ↑ "Our Story". Riverkeeper.org. Archived from the original on 2007-12-21. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ↑ "John Cronin, Resident Scholar in Environmental Studies, Director of Pace Academy for the Environment". Pace University. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ↑ "Riverkeeper.org, Paul Gallay". Riverkeeper.org. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ↑ Vargo, John H. (November–December 2000). "The Hudson Riverkeeper". Boating on the Hudson. Archived from the original on 2007-09-03. Retrieved 2008-01-10.