Filed lawsuit for PFC pollution in the Wheeler Reservoir with a new legal action against the 3M Company, BFI, Decatur Utilities, and the City of Decatur to require clean up of these hazardous chemicals. 

Attained Gold Star Charity Status from GuideStar, which uses IRS data to rate nonprofits nationwide.

Enhanced new strategies for fighting pollution, including the use of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act’s “imminent and substantial endangerment to health or the environment” provision.

Addressed over 4,739 Clean Water Act violations in 2016 through legal actions. We have addressed more than 40,000 pollution violations since 2009.

Initiated environmental enforcement actions at four facilities in Tennessee and Alabama.

Expanded our outreach, education, and pollution investigations in the Nashville and Huntsville areas.

Continued to monitor illegal pollution from problematic facilities throughout the watershed.

Investigated over 200 pollution permits in our patrol jurisdiction.

Launched new website: www.TennesseeRiver.org.

Participated in educational outreach events in Nashville, Decatur, Moulton, Huntsville, Madison, and Florence.

Continued our work advocating against weak pollution permits and for common sense environmental policies on issues including: coal ash, PFC pollution, tar sands mining, endangered species, environmental impact statements, offshore drilling, hydropower, and new pollution permit applications and renewals.

Engaged volunteers of all ages in our work. Currently Riverkeeper has more than 100 active volunteers.

Created new job descriptions to improve Team Riverkeeper and increase productivity in 2017.

Developed new maps of the Loudon, Guntersville, and Lake Kentucky reservoirs of the Tennessee River and their tributaries as part of our education program.  We also developed new “subwatershed” maps of the Ocoee, Flint, and Duck Rivers.

Continued to increase our online community: Facebook now has 12,125+ supporters, Twitter has 3,800+ followers, and Instagram has 2,075+ followers. That’s a combined total of over 18,000 patriotic supporters!

Addressed PFC pollution in the Wheeler Reservoir with a new legal action against the 3M Company, BFI, Decatur Utilities, and the City of Decatur to require clean up of these hazardous chemicals.

 Initiated new strategies for fighting pollution, including the use of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act’s “imminent and substantial endangerment to health or the environment” provision. Addressed over 1,367 Clean Water Act violations in 2015 through legal actions.

Initiated environmental enforcement actions at 6 facilities in Tennessee and Alabama. Expanded our work in the Nashville area, including an event at the new Ascend Ampitheatre on the Cumberland River.

Continued to monitor illegal pollution from problematic facilities throughout the watershed.

Continued progress on monitoring coal ash waste stored along the River. Two new EPA regulations issued this year ensure that toxins from coal ash will no longer be allowed to be discharged into our waterways. Participated in educational outreach events in Chattanooga, Huntsville, Decatur, Florence, and Athens, AL.

Participated in Earth Day events throughout the Tennessee River watershed.

Engaged volunteers of all ages in our work. Currently there are over 50 active volunteers.

Developed new maps of the Cumberland River watershed as part of our education program.

Continued to increase our online community: Facebook now has 11,700+ supporters, Twitter has 3,000+ followers, and Instagram has 1,800+ followers. That’s a combined total of over 16,500 patriotic supporters!

Addressed PFC pollution in the Wheeler Reservoir with a new legal action against the 3M Company, BFI, Decatur Utilities, and the City of Decatur to require clean up of these hazardous chemicals.

Initiated new strategies for fighting pollution, including the use of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act’s “imminent and substantial endangerment to health or the environment” provision.

Addressed over 1,367 Clean Water Act violations in 2015 through legal actions.

Initiated environmental enforcement actions at 6 facilities in Tennessee and Alabama.

Expanded our work in the Nashville area, including an event at the new Ascend Ampitheatre on the Cumberland River.

Continued to monitor illegal pollution from problematic facilities throughout the watershed.

Continued progress on monitoring coal ash waste stored along the River. Two new EPA regulations issued this year ensure that toxins from coal ash will no longer be allowed to be discharged into our waterways.

Participated in educational outreach events in Chattanooga, Huntsville, Decatur, Florence, and Athens, AL.

Participated in Earth Day events throughout the Tennessee River watershed.

Engaged volunteers of all ages in our work. Currently there are over 50 active volunteers.

Developed new maps of the Cumberland River watershed as part of our education program.

Continued to increase our online community: Facebook now has 11,700+ supporters, Twitter has 3,000+ followers, and Instagram has 1,800+ followers. That’s a combined total of over 16,500 patriotic supporters!

Monitored over 150 facilities throughout the Tennessee River Valley.

Influenced TVA to close the coal-burning Colbert Fossil Plant.

Filed lawsuits against the TVA Colbert fossil plant and the old Florence landfill.

Legally addressed over 7,321 Clean Water Act violations in 2013.

Initiated environmental enforcement actions at seven facilities in Tennessee and Alabama.

Staff Riverkeeper, David Whiteside was awarded the 2013 “River Hero” award.

Received an “Award of Distinction” from the Shoals Chamber of Commerce and Keep the Shoals Beautiful for Riverkeeper’s anti-pollution work in the Muscle Shoals area.

Paddled 250 miles of the Tennessee River to raise awareness as part of our annual “Explore the Tennessee” campaign.

In 2013, Riverkeeper created over 10 unique events in Tennessee and Alabama.

Organized Earth Day education booths in Chattanooga, Huntsville, Florence and Athens, AL.

Engaged volunteers of all ages in our work, currently there are over 50 active volunteers.

Initiated student internship programs through the Vanderbilt School of Law and the University of North Alabama.

Developed new maps of the watershed and its tributaries as part of our ongoing work educating the public about their river.

Initiated new strategies in fighting illegal pollution.