50 years after landmark laws, some U.S. rivers are recovering but threats remain

NPR | By Celia Llopis-Jepsen

Published July 29, 2026 at 3:45 AM CDT

Half a century ago, a series of landmark federal laws started reining in water pollution. As a result, some rivers across the country are bouncing back to life, but threats to clean rivers remain.

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Celia Llopis-Jepsen

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