The River That Caught Fire
The River That Caught Fire
A river caught fire in the middle of an American city. It sounds impossible, but in 1969, the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio, became one of the most powerful symbols of America's pollution crisis.
The river had been polluted for decades by oil, industrial waste, sewage, and debris. But when flames appeared on its surface, the shocking image helped turn a long-running environmental problem into a national conversation.
What happened after the fire would become an important part of the story of America's environmental movement, water pollution laws, and the long…
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