News & Updates – Waterkeeper

News & Updates

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Returning to the Source, Reconnecting as a Movement


From November 12 to 14, more than 100 Waterkeeper leaders from across the United States and Canada gathered in Pittsburgh for the 2025 North America Regional...

From Rivers to Rights: Strengthening Waterkeeper Networks Across Latin America


From November 4 to 7, Waterkeeper groups from across Latin America gathered in Oaxaca de Juárez, Mexico, for the 2025 Latin America Regional Summit. Host...

Eighty Percent of U.S. Wetlands at Risk: Why WOTUS Matters to You


The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently released a proposed revision to the Clean Water Act (CWA) definition...

Poisoned Produce: EPA Approvals Threaten Public Health


EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin continues to put industry interests ahead of public health and the environment. His latest action is the approval of two pesticides...

Innovation, Collaboration, and Connection Define the 2025 Asia Regional Summit


Set against the shimmering backdrop of the National Water Museum of China in Hangzhou, Waterkeepers from China, Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand,...

Who Is Waterkeeper: Dr. Michelle Ryan, Hawkesbury-Nepean Waterkeeper

  • By: Thomas Hynes
  • News

As a child, Dr. Michelle Ryan spent a great deal of time on the Hawkesbury-Nepean River in Eastern Australia, either out fishing on her dad’s boat or...

Oceania Regional Summit: Establishing Collective Action to Defend and Protect Local Waterways


Over three days, from October 13 to 15, 2025, Waterkeepers from across Oceania gathered at Western Sydney University’s Hawkesbury campus to share knowledge,...

EPA’s Narrowed Definition of WOTUS Threatens Water Quality


Waterkeeper Alliance is sounding the alarm about the newly announced draft rule from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department...

Latin American Waterkeepers Call for Stronger Climate Action at COP30


A coalition of Latin American Waterkeeper groups, with support from Waterkeeper Alliance, have submitted a new declaration (Spanish, English) and an open...

Waterkeeper Alliance Files FOIA Request to Uncover EPA’s Backroom Dealings on Toxic “Forever Chemicals” in Drinking Water


Waterkeeper Alliance has filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to compel the release of...

Who Is Waterkeeper: Cheikh Fadel Wade, Bargny Coast Waterkeeper


Cheikh Fadel Wade was born and raised in Bargny, Senegal, an idyllic and peaceful coastal community that traditionally relied on the once abundant fishing...

Africa Regional Summit: Defending Waters and Communities Against the Fossil Fuel Rush


From September 9–12, 2025, Waterkeeper Alliance and Waterkeepers from six African nations gathered in Dakar, Sénégal, for the 2025 Africa Regional...

Appeal Pushes for Transparency in Animal Agriculture Emissions


Waterkeeper Alliance and a coalition of conservation and community organizations have filed an appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of...

What Water Insecurity Teaches Us About Disaster Preparedness


We all know the feeling: you turn on the faucet, and nothing comes out. Maybe it’s a scheduled outage for a few hours, or perhaps a water main break....

Waterkeeper Alliance Condemns Pentagon for Delaying PFAS Cleanup at Military Bases


Waterkeeper Alliance is calling on President Trump and Congress to hold the Department of Defense (DoD) accountable after a New York Times report revealed...

New Report Quantifies Alarming Levels of Plastic Pellet Pollution in International Waterways, Highlights Need for Strong Global Plastic Treaty


A new International Plastic Pellet Count report released by Waterkeeper Alliance, in partnership with 5Gyres, the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG),...

Who Is Waterkeeper: Tofazzal Sohel, Khowai River Waterkeeper


Ever since childhood, Tofazzal Sohel has been involved in his community, advocating for both his fellow members of the community, as well as their shared...

Waterkeeper Alliance and Allies Sue EPA for Abandoning Slaughterhouse Water Pollution Rules


Waterkeeper Alliance joined a coalition of 10 environmental and public health organizations, including Cape Fear River Watch, in filing a federal lawsuit...

Waterkeeper Alliance Condemns EPA’s Decision to Halt Rulemaking to Reduce Water Pollution From Slaughterhouses


This Action Will Leave Tens of Millions of Americans at Risk from Unsafe Drinking Water and Other Contamination Over the Labor Day weekend, U.S. Environmental...

Our Water Is NOT for Sale!


Is clean water a right for all or a privilege for some? The U.S. House of Representatives is getting ready to vote on the PERMIT Act (H.R. 3898), a bill...

Who Is Waterkeeper: Godfrey Kitimbo, Kyoga Nile Waterkeeper


Godfrey Kitimbo is the Kyoga Nile Waterkeeper in Uganda. He was born and raised along the NIle River in Jinja, Uganda. His parents were raised nearby alongside...

Waterkeeper Alliance to World Leaders: The Planet Can’t Wait, Cut Plastic Pollution Now


Despite the world’s worsening plastic pollution crisis, global leaders failed to reach consensus on a legally binding global plastics treaty during...

Hudson Riverkeeper Clean-up Event


Waterkeeper Alliance recently took part in a community cleanup hosted by Hudson Riverkeeper, in partnership with Riverside Park Conservancy and HSBC. We...

Who Is Waterkeeper: Benjamin Ford, Miles-Wye Riverkeeper


Ben Ford has only been the Miles-Wye Riverkeeper in Maryland since 2023, but has spent most of his life exploring and enjoying the watershed. Ben grew...

Army Corps Hands Industry Blank Check to Harm Nation’s Waters


Waterkeeper Alliance, the Center for Biological Diversity, Friends of the Earth, and Sierra Club have submitted comments strongly condemning the U.S. Army...

Call Upon Secretary Rubio to Negotiate the Strongest Possible Global Plastics Treaty!


Plastic pollution continues to pose a grave threat to waterways and communities around the world. Unfortunately, delegates at the Intergovernmental Negotiating...

Federal Judge Approves Intervention in Lawsuit Challenging Deficient Lake Erie Clean Up Plan


Waterkeeper Alliance, Lake Erie Waterkeeper, and Food & Water Watch have been approved to intervene in a federal lawsuit in Ohio District Court, Board...

Recapping the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference


Last month, thousands of government delegations, environmental advocates, scientists, philanthropies, and businesses descended on Nice, France, for the...

New Analysis Finds PFAS in 98% of Tested U.S. Waterways Across 19 States


A new report released today by Waterkeeper Alliance, in partnership with local Waterkeeper groups and the Hispanic Access Foundation, reveals that toxic...

Urge Congress to Protect Our Waters From Dangerous PFAS Contamination


Earlier this year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced plans to weaken national limits on toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” in our...