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Lake Erie named "dead"
In March 1960, Lake Erie was named "dead," even though, it was full of life -- just not the right kind. Eutrophication had claimed Lake Erie and excessive algae became the dominant plant species, covering beaches in slimy moss and killing off native aquatic species by soaking up all of the oxygen. -
Cuyahoga River on fire
The pollution of our waterways became a big problem in June of 1969, the day that the Cuyahoga River, Ohio, on its way to Lake Erie, caught on fire because it was so polluted. Even though this was not the first time that the Cuyahoga River had been on fire, the 1969 fire caught the attention of the nation and the fight began for increased water pollution controls, which eventually led to the Great Lakes Water Quality Act and Clean Water Act in the 1970s. -
national pollution discharge elimination system
During Febuary 1970 water pollution decreased through a massive sewage treatment expansion program. Rivers which were once sewers now begin a gradual return from the grave. Still, the "national pollution discharge elimination system" does not actually eliminate discharges. -
January 1972 Act
For almost 40 years, the January 1972 act was broadly interpreted by the courts and federal regulators as shielding virtually all the waters of the United States from pollution and unregulated development — seasonal streams and small, remote wetlands, as well as lakes and large navigable waters. The basic idea was that small waters have some hydro waters have some hydrological connection to larger watersheds and should be protected against pollution that would inevitably find its way downstream. -
Oil in the Gulf of Mexico
Event 5. Oil in the Gulf of Mexico. In May 2010 the biggest environmental disaster in US-history happened in the Gulf of Mexico. Coast lines of Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, and Florida were contaminated by oil! The pollution in the air through evaporating oil is very harmful to humans. Imaging the damage done to thousands of
plants, millions of marine wildlife, birds. -
EPA annoucment
The EPA (Enviromental Protection Agency) announced on October 2011 that it would devise stricter rules for the treatment and disposal of toxic wastewater used in natural gas drilling. The agency planned to set standards by April 2014 for the management of waste water used in a rapidly growing drilling tactic known as “hydrofracking”, which involves injecting huge amounts of water to break up shale or coalbed formations and release the gas. -
Camelford
In July 1988, the Camelford water pollution incident involved the accidental contamination of the drinking water supply to the town of Camelford, Cornwall, England with 20 tonnes of aluminium sulphate.
