The Cuyahoga River in downtown Cleveland burns, causing $50,000 worth of damage, destroying a bridge, and halting rail travel. This national media event spurred Congress to introduce and pass...

Congress tried again, passing the Water Quality Act of 1965, which gave states the OK to set water quality standards, but did not require federal enforcement or funding.

The Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1948 is enacted to combat water pollution. While this was a good first step toward comprehensive federal water quality programs, it wasn’t...

Congress passes the nation’s first environmental law, the Rivers and Harbors Act, which grants the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers the authority to issue permits for dredging activities and...