This collection documents the activities of Save The River, from its founding in 1978 to present, although some of the earliest years have gaps. The original order of the records is uncertain, reflecting the early evolution of the organization. The collection has been arranged into series in consultation with the current administration of Save The River.
A Coast Guard officer oversees early attempts to clean up the June 1976 NEPCO-140 oil spill in the St. Lawrence River near downtown Alexandria Bay, NY.
Collection Overview
Save The River was founded in 1978 as a non-profit environmental organization in response to plans to allow winter navigation of the St. Lawrence River and Seaway. Coming just two years after a commercial shipping oil spill that released over 300,000 gallons of crude oil into the river, a group of over 500 concerned citizens led by activists Abbie Hoffman and Johanna Lawrenson formed the organization, defining its mission “to restore, preserve and protect the ecological integrity of the Upper St. Lawrence River through advocacy, education, and research.” –From: Save The River Strategic Plan, 2015-2018.