Company Profile
Save The River / Upper St. Lawrence Riverkeeper
Company Overview
Save The River, a member-based, nonprofit environmental organization, has been the “voice for the St. Lawrence River” in the U.S. and Canada since 1978. Save The River’s mission has always been to restore, preserve and protect the ecological integrity of the Upper St. Lawrence River through advocacy, education and research. In 2004, Save The River was designated the Upper St. Lawrence Riverkeeper and became a member of the international Waterkeeper Alliance with the goal of a swimmable, fishable, drinkable River.
As the leading grassroots advocacy organization working to protect the St. Lawrence River, Save The River takes an active role in River policy issues, engaging decision makers, community leaders, residents, visitors and volunteers to make positive change. Every year we work with school districts in the watershed to educate 1,000+ students in a place-based curriculum that stresses age appropriate aspects of stewardship.
Significant progress has been made in protecting the St. Lawrence River's water quality and habitat, and in expanding the number of people and communities involved in that effort during the 39 years of Save The River's existence. However, much remains to be done and we are looking to expand our team to take on the task.
Company History
1978 - The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) tells a group of river residents that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is planning to demonstrate the feasibility of winter navigation. In August 500 people, led by Barry Freed (actually activist Abbie Hoffman) and Johanna Lawrenson, attend a public meeting held by the Corps to protest the idea of an extended season. Save The River is born out of this meeting.
Save The River is incorporated October 31st, with the following purposes noted in the Certificate of Incorporation:
To exercise, promote and protect the privileges and interests of the individual residents and business owners and operators who live and/or work on or near the shore of the St. Lawrence River in the general area encompassed on the West by Cape Vincent, New York, and on the East by Massena, New York, and to promote and protect the privileges and interests of the tourists, boat owners and regular visitors to the aforedescribed area; to foster a healthy interest in the environmental features associated with the St. Lawrence River area; to foster a healthy interest in the civic affairs of the aforedescribed area and to inquire into civic abuses and to seek reformation thereof. To research and disseminate information to the general public concerning the maintenance, betterment and well-being of the aforedescribed area. . . .
1979 DEC releases an environmental impact study regarding the Corps' proposed demonstration that states the environment would sustain significant environmental impacts. Save The River members travel to Washington D.C., to testify before Congress against winter navigation. U.S. Sen. D. Patrick Moynihan, D-N.Y. declares his opposition to winter
navigation at a public hearing in Alexandria Bay.
1980 Barry Freed reveals his true identity as Abbie Hoffman to CBS anchorwoman Barbara Walters on Wellesley Island.
1981 Save The River hosts the first annual River Jamboree with a concert featuring Pete Seeger.
1982 Winter navigation has lost popularity in Congress but the Corps moves forward with a related proposal to build additional locks to accommodate larger freighters.
1983 Mr. Hoffman and Ms. Lawrenson urge Save The River to protest spent nuclear fuel being shipped across the Thousand Islands Bridge. New York State Governor Mario Cuomo announces his opposition to winter navigation on the St. Lawrence River before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works.
1984 Save The River presents environmental, economic and engineering evidence at a congressional hearing after which Congress formally closes the door on extending the shipping season. Ogdensburg “chapter” hosts an early spring Riverfest with speakers, kids’ activities, an ice dive and Hercules the Heron.
1985 Save The River hosts a Green Peace Ship in Clayton.
1986 Save The River begins the development of a volunteer program to mark shoals in the river.
1987 Save The River raises funds to help the Governor's Island fish lab study the decline of muskellunge due to overfishing, toxic contamination and loss of habitat marking the beginning of the Muskellunge Catch and Release program.
56 shoal markers are purchased from the Thousand Islands Association to initiate the shoal marking program on the U.S. side of the River.
1988 The Kingfisher Water Quality Program, which is setup to determine if private septic tanks are discharging raw sewage into the river, becomes one of Save The Rivers most recognized programs.
Also in 1988 Zebra mussels colonize the Great Lakes system.
1989 Save The River’s first Winter Weekend Environmental Conference is held. Abbie Hoffman passes, is awarded the bronze River Saver Award posthumously for defending the River against winter navigation.
1990 Round Goby are found in the St. Lawrence River.
1996 A small, untraceable, oil spill in the Oak Point area prompts Save The River to distribute floating key chains with an oil spill hot-line number printed on it.
1998 Save The River monitors the Coast Guard as they salvage eight 55 gallon drums of oil from the wreck Roy Jodrey, which sank in 1974. In November Save The River presents 11 years worth of data on the Muskellunge catch and release program to the public, proving that the program is successful. The Beach Watch program, sampling water quality at area beaches, begins.
1999 At the request of Congressman John McHugh Save The River is appointed to serve on the International Joint Commission Public Interest Advisory Group of the Lake Ontario St. Lawrence Study, working toward a modern water levels
plan for the River. Save The River launches the Common Tern Program, training volunteers to
monitor and protect the Common Tern on the St. Lawrence.
2000 The Water Resources Development Act of 1999 and a bill introduced by Rep. James L. Oberstar, D-Minn. prompt Save The River to once again fight the idea of expanding the shipping on the St. Lawrence River.
2002 Save The River lobbies the New York's elected federal officials and state officials to fight the idea of expanding the shipping, receiving the support of all state and federal legislators elected from the Thousand Islands region. The idea of expansion is temporarily defeated when Congress determines the Corps should not undertake a study that would have been the second step in expanding the Seaway's system of locks and its shipping channel.
2003 Save The River also celebrates its 25th anniversary.
2004 Save The River becomes a member of the Waterkeeper Alliance and its Executive Director is designated the “Upper St. Lawrence Riverkeeper. Save The River turns out more than 500 people at the Clayton Opera House to oppose Seaway expansion and oppose further study by the Corps of Engineers.
2006 St. Lawrence Seaway begins requiring all “salties” to conduct saltwater flushes of their ballast tanks prior to entering the Seaway system.
2007 Save The River takes a position on improperly sited wind turbines in the Thousand Islands.
2008 The International Joint Commission holds hearings on Plan 2007. Save The River turns out over 300 residents at a hearing in Alexandria Bay. Later that year the IJC withdraws Plan 2007 due to lack of support. Save The River conducts its first Riverkeeper Volunteer training.
2010 Save The River petitions the Seaway to issue a rulemaking on Seaway opening.
2012 The IJC introduces Plan Bv7, a more natural and environmentally appropriate water levels plan and holds hearings around the basin. Save The River, in collaboration with a wide range of environmental and conservation groups, is
able to show basin-wide support. After a multi-year capital campaign, Save The River moves into renovated
and expanded space. Run for the River celebrates its 10th anniversary.
2013 Based on the comments received in 2012 the IJC releases Plan 2014 and again holds hearings around the basin. Save The River again mobilizes support for this plan and testifies and submits comments at numerous IJC hearings. Save The River celebrates its 35th anniversary. The Catch and Release program (for Muskellunge) is expanded to include bass.
2014 The 25th anniversary Winter Environmental Conference is held.
2016 In October, Save The River leads a delegation of environmental, conservation and tribal groups to the White House Council on Environmental Quality and delivers over 36,000 expression of support for Plan 2014. In December the U.S. and Canadian governments approve Plan 2014.
2017 Plan 2014 goes into effect January 7th. After a historically wet spring and summer water levels rise on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River to levels never before recorded. Although the high water is the result of rain, runoff and other natural factors, Save The River is forced to vigorously defend the new water levels plan from attacks by riparians and elected officials.
Notable Accomplishments / Recognition
For almost 40 years Save The River has been the “Voice for the River” In that time, we’ve achieved tremendous successes.
Our successes have always come with the help of an engaged and invested community of members and supporters – individuals, families, visitors, businesses and others who realize a healthy River means healthy communities.
Just a few of our successes: ending the threat of year-round commercial shipping; securing a modern water levels plan to restore wetlands, habitat & key species programs that stabilized muskellunge & restored common tern populations; educating thousands of students & getting many of them onto the River – some for the first time; training hundreds of adults & young people in how to spot potential threats to the River; being a key partner in efforts to clean up the Great Lakes – the source of 95% of the River’s water; and more.
Benefits
- after one year of service, Simple IRA with up to 3% from employer
- opportunities for professional growth
- medical is for individual coverage for the employee only