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Waterkeepers Chesapeake’s successes are impressive despite our small size because we harness the collective power of our Waterkeepers to address the most pressing water pollution issues our communities face.
Clean Water Successes
2023
Waterkeepers Chesapeake
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will publish updated water pollution control standards for slaughterhouses and animal rendering facilities by August 2025, following a lawsuit filed by community and conservation organizations late last year. Proposed standards are due before the end of 2023.
2022
Waterkeepers Chesapeake, Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper, Sassafras Riverkeeper
The U.S. Court of Appeals issued an opinion vacating licensing of the Conowingo Dam and remanded it back to FERC. The court agreed with Waterkeepers Chesapeake, Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper and ShoreRivers' argument that FERC exceeded its authority when it approved a 50-year license without including the Water Quality Certification that Maryland issued in 2018.
2022
Choptank Riverkeeper
Valley Protein chicken rendering plant agreed to fix wastewater treatment violations and curb polluted runoff after Choptank Riverkeeper reported violations in 2021 and filed lawsuit in 2022.
2022
Shenandoah Riverkeeper
The Virginia State Water Control Board approved new state water quality standards in 2022 for chlorophyll-a to measure algae in the Shenandoah River basin, after Shenandoah Riverkeeper's 8-year campaign documenting algal blooms.
2022
Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper
In 2022, Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper settled a lawsuit against Keystone Protein Co which was discharging wastewater into a tributary of the Susquehanna River. The settlement requires $1M for restoration and remediation of Pennsylvania streams.
2022
Waterkeepers Chesapeake
Waterkeepers Chesapeake with a broad coalition of Waterkeepers and community groups, passed "The Environment – Discharge Permits – Inspections and Administrative Continuations" Bill that requires the MDE to clear the backlog of more than 200 outdated or expired water pollution control permits, nicknamed "zombie permits", and update them by 2026, and to inspect facilities in significant noncompliance with their permits once per month.
2022
Choptank Riverkeeper
After Choptank Riverkeeper's challenge of wastewater discharge permit for spray irrigation and huge public opposition, MDE issued permit that limits discharge to 100,000 gallons, nearly one sixth of the proposed amount, and reduces the size of the development from nearly 2,500 buildings to 400.
2022
Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper
Federal judge in 2022 allowed Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper into negotiations between state and federal regulators and Harrisburg on stopping raw sewage from flowing into the Susquehanna River.
2021
Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper
Hanover Foods forced to address violations including excessive levels of contaminants, floating solids and scum in a tributary of the Susquehanna River after Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper filed lawsuit in 2021.
2021
Upper Potomac Riverkeeper
Upper Potomac Riverkeeper filed suit in 2020 against Verso Corp, for discharges into the river of a toxic black waste liquid called “black liquor." In 2021, Verso agreed to remove all coal and equipment from the site, thus halting all operations.
2021
Assateague Coastkeeper
Assateague Coastkeeper lawsuit led to a 2021 order requiring Maryland to regulate ammonia emissions from large poultry farms that contribute to nitrogen deposition.
2019
Anacostia Riverkeeper
In 2019, Court agreed with Anacostia Riverkeeper that EPA improperly approved a TMDL that did not etablish daily maximum discharge limits for E coli.
2019
Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper
Talen Energy’s Brunner Island Generating Station required to correct toxic heavy metals from seeping from coal ash ponds, pay $1M civil penalty, and contribute $100K to reduce local water pollution after Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper filed intent to sue in 2018.
2019
Choptank Riverkeeper
Choptank Riverkeeper worked to pass a law in Maryland to permanently protect and restore the 5 large-scale oyster restoration sanctuaries which are all part of the Choptank River complex.
2019
Patuxent Riverkeeper
Shenandoah Riverkeeper has cut the number of cattle directly accessing the river, and defecating into it, by half, drastically reducing nutrient pollution. A 2019 report pressured Virginia legislators to pass a law allowing state officials to mandate streamside livestock fencing.
2019
Upper Potomac Riverkeeper
In 2019, Upper Potomac Riverkeeper's efforts saved Tom’s Creek in Adams County, PA, from sedimentary runoff from Specialty Granules (SGI) quarry. SGI agreed to install a state of the art system to filter sediment and pollution out of its stormwater before release.
2019
Potomac & James Riverkeepers
In 2019, years of pressure from Potomac and James Riverkeepers resulted in Virginia passed legislation requiring that all 28 million tons of legacy coal ash in the Commonwealth be moved from leaking coal ash ponds and recycled or safely landfilled.
2019
Upper Potomac Riverkeeper
Upper Potomac Riverkeeper’s multi-year effort, as part of a larger coalition, succeeded in 2019 by stopping the construction of the dangerous and unnecessary Potomac Pipeline, which would have threatened the safety of residents and the river.
2019
Baltimore Harbor Waterkeeper
In 2019, Baltimore Harbor Waterkeeper won a lawsuit against EPA for failure to evaluate whether stormwater from commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities is contributing to water quality degradation in the Back River.
2018
Assateague Coastkeeper
In 2018, Assateague Coastkeeper won a challenge against Maryland to reverse a permit approval for a proposed poultry concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) -- first time such a reversal of a flawed permit was made.
2017
Potomac Riverkeeper
In 2017, Potomac Riverkeeper convinced Alexandria, VA to go beyond minimum federal requirements and approve a plan to eliminate 70 million gallons of sewage and stormwater discharges to the Potomac River each year.
2017
Shenandoah Riverkeeper
In 2017, Shenandoah Riverkeeper succeeded in compelling the Virginia Dept of Environmental Quality to dramatically improve the Massanutten Sewage Treatment Plant permit and halt nutrient trading at the facility.
2016
Potomac Riverkeeper
Potomac Riverkeeper filed suit in 2016 challenging the EPA’s inadequate bacteria standards for protecting people swimming and paddling in the Potomac from sewage pollution and obtained a favorable ruling in 2019, vacating the standards and requiring new ones be issued.
2016
Patuxent Riverkeeper
Patuxent Riverkeeper won a civil rights agreement in 2016 requiring Maryland agencies to widen the scope of their environmental fairness analysis when reviewing applications to build new fossil fuels plants and broadens the role that overburdened communities have in the process.
2016
Gunpowder Riverkeeper
In 2016, the Gunpowder Riverkeeper used legal action to halt a natural gas pipeline that would have crossed over 80 streams and endangered drinking water for up to 1.5 million people.
2015
Potomac Riverkeeper
Potomac Riverkeeper enforcement action in 2015 requires to WSSC Drinking Water Plant to eliminate discharge of 2M lbs of sediment, aluminum, and other pollutants andto undertake $1 million of environmental projects to reduce sediment in the river.
2011
Anacostia Riverkeeper
In 2011, Court agreed with Anacostia Riverkeeper that EPA improperly approved a sediment/total suspended solids TMDL that ignored the effects on recreational and aethetic uses of a river.
2009
12 Maryland Waterkeepers
New sediment runoff rules must be in place by 2010 after lawsuit against the Maryland Department of the Environment by 12 Maryland Waterkeepers in 2009.
2007
Potomac Riverkeeper
Potomac Riverkeeper enforcement action leads to Maryland cleaning up lead contamination from shooting range in Seneca Creek in 2007.
2004
Potomac Riverkeeper
Potomac Riverkeeper filed its first enforcement action in 2004 that led to reduced sewage pollution from Charles Town, WV and Hagerstown, MD
Thank You To Our Supporters
Waterkeepers Over the Years
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