In the years preceding the fire, Cleveland was at the height of its industrial era. Factories along the river polluted it so much that it was filled with hardened oil and debris. There was environmental concern about pollution in water systems all over the country, but environmental laws and protection agencies were just beginning to be established. It was perfectly legal to dump toxins and debris into the river. The water was changing colors every day, depending on what kind of chemical waste was dumped into it.
Many types of industrial waste were dumped into the river, along with other refuse such as blood and animal body parts from a nearby slaughterhouse. Many advocates tried to bring attention to the problem, including Cleveland Mayor Carl Stokes. However, the Federal Government ignored him until the river caught on fire and received national attention.
The 1969 fire raised concern about America's water quality. In Lake Erie, pollution was almost as bad as the Cuyahoga River. The lake provided drinking water to the citizens of Cleveland. Those who drank the water, even after it was purified, complained of the bad taste and smell of the water. While the Cuyahoga River and the City of Cleveland were the only ones receiving attention for their pollution, the Cuyahoga wasn’t the only river on fire and Cleveland wasn’t the only city not taking full responsibility in putting a stop to the pollution.
The debate surrounding the fire on the Cuyahoga River was who should have taken action to prevent fires from happening in the first place, along with who should have taken responsibility to clean up the river. The government, industries, scientists, and city officials pointed fingers for many years, and everyone had opposing views on the situation. The Federal Government believed that they should not be responsible because they had other national problems to deal with, and the City of Cleveland should handle the problem themselves, since it was a local issue. Cleveland fought back saying that pollution was not just a local problem; it occurred in all the nation’s water systems.
Cleveland Officials thought the companies along the river should be blamed because they were the ones who dumped their waste into the river. Many companies located along the river, like Gulf Refining, Great Lakes Towing, America Steel and Wire, Standard Oil, and Grasseli Shipping, defended themselves by saying they had every right to dump waste into the river. It was the most convenient place to wash it away. However, fisherman couldn’t work on the river anymore, since it was believed that any boat that went in the river would get stuck in an oil slick or disintegrate.
It had a negative impact on the City of Cleveland because it caused over $50,000 in damage and the closing of the Jefferson Bridge. On the positive side, it showed just how polluted America’s rivers and lakes were, finally forcing a search for solutions. National newspapers and magazines emphasized this and urged people to take a stand and help clean up the river.
The Federal Government also agreed that the Clean Water Act should be passed and the EPA should be formed. As a result, both were formed in 1970. Over $3,500,000,000 has been invested to keep the Cuyahoga River clean in the last 30 years, and it hasn’t caught on fire since. These acts have caused industries to change their practices.
Many types of industrial waste were dumped into the river, along with other refuse such as blood and animal body parts from a nearby slaughterhouse. Many advocates tried to bring attention to the problem, including Cleveland Mayor Carl Stokes. However, the Federal Government ignored him until the river caught on fire and received national attention.
The 1969 fire raised concern about America's water quality. In Lake Erie, pollution was almost as bad as the Cuyahoga River. The lake provided drinking water to the citizens of Cleveland. Those who drank the water, even after it was purified, complained of the bad taste and smell of the water. While the Cuyahoga River and the City of Cleveland were the only ones receiving attention for their pollution, the Cuyahoga wasn’t the only river on fire and Cleveland wasn’t the only city not taking full responsibility in putting a stop to the pollution.
The debate surrounding the fire on the Cuyahoga River was who should have taken action to prevent fires from happening in the first place, along with who should have taken responsibility to clean up the river. The government, industries, scientists, and city officials pointed fingers for many years, and everyone had opposing views on the situation. The Federal Government believed that they should not be responsible because they had other national problems to deal with, and the City of Cleveland should handle the problem themselves, since it was a local issue. Cleveland fought back saying that pollution was not just a local problem; it occurred in all the nation’s water systems.
Cleveland Officials thought the companies along the river should be blamed because they were the ones who dumped their waste into the river. Many companies located along the river, like Gulf Refining, Great Lakes Towing, America Steel and Wire, Standard Oil, and Grasseli Shipping, defended themselves by saying they had every right to dump waste into the river. It was the most convenient place to wash it away. However, fisherman couldn’t work on the river anymore, since it was believed that any boat that went in the river would get stuck in an oil slick or disintegrate.
It had a negative impact on the City of Cleveland because it caused over $50,000 in damage and the closing of the Jefferson Bridge. On the positive side, it showed just how polluted America’s rivers and lakes were, finally forcing a search for solutions. National newspapers and magazines emphasized this and urged people to take a stand and help clean up the river.
The Federal Government also agreed that the Clean Water Act should be passed and the EPA should be formed. As a result, both were formed in 1970. Over $3,500,000,000 has been invested to keep the Cuyahoga River clean in the last 30 years, and it hasn’t caught on fire since. These acts have caused industries to change their practices.