The Cuyahoga River caught fire 50 years ago today. These stomach-churning photos highlight why the E

[jpak]

The Cuyahoga River caught fire 50 years ago today. These stomach-churning photos highlight why the EPA exists.

https://www.businessinsider.com/vintage-photos-of-cuyahoga-river-on-fire-before-epa-2019-6

Fifty years ago today, on June 22, 1969, the Cuyahoga river in Cleveland, Ohio caught fire.

At the time, the river was one of the most polluted in the US. Journalists filled glasses with pitch-black river water, while politicians dipped cloth into the waves that came up oil-soaked.

The river fire lasted roughly 20 minutes, but it sparked public outrage that in part led to the creation of the US Environmental Protection Agency, the federal office tasked with making sure "Americans have clean air, land, and water."

Take a look at what the Cuyahoga River — and other waters around the US — looked like before the EPA existed.

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[OnlinePoker]

1. One of the very few things Richard Nixon did right.

Now being dismantled by the Moran in Chief.

[captain queeg]

2. Is that Dorothy Fuldhiem holding up a cup o' sludge?

[jpak]

3. No - the caption read

Betty Klaric, environmental reporter for the Cleveland Press, on a boat holding a wine glass of Cuyahoga River water in the 1960s.

Added link to OP

[RussellCattle]

5. For those that don't know her, Dorothy Fuldheim was a Cleveland television institution.

She was a television news reporter whose career spanned almost 40 years, first women in the country to anchor a news program and just an all around character.

[customerserviceguy]

10. Today

it could be a glass of Great Lakes Burning River pale ale.

[unblock]

4. 'cause the cuyahoga river goes smoking through my dreams

[jpak]

7. ...

[mr_lebowski]

8. Dang, ya beat me to it ;)

I love love love Lifes Rich Pageant ... and this is one of the best songs on it ...

[RussellCattle]

6. There were numerous fires on the Cuyahoga River, the first one in 1968.

This one got a lot of attention because the national media reported it as an "environmental" story of the times. Several other rivers around the country also had histories of catching fire, some much worse.

[Cousin Dupree]

9. The best part of the story is how it has been cleaned up. Remarkable.