The fish in the Cuyahoga River are now safe to eat, federal regulators say. The victory comes from dedicated cleanup work 50 years after the polluted river running through Cleveland, Ohio, caught fire. Once considered the most polluted river in the United States, the Cuyahoga’s history includes industrial waste, sewage, run-off, and multiple oil-slick river fires.
A photo of one Cuyahoga river fire made the cover of Time magazine’s July 1969 issue. It shows flames jumping up out of the water. The image is haunting—highlighting a river so slick with oil that fire burned over the water. Time’s cover photo was taken during a 1952 fire on the river. In 1969, a massive river fire grabbed even more attention. The city of Cleveland was shamed for its pollution.
A fire’s destruction can be quick, devastating, and lingering. James 3:5 reminds us that our tongues can cause fierce, fire-like damage too. “So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!”
Following the fire of 1969, the city of Cleveland, the State of Ohio, and other states started to clean up waterways. But the effects of polluted waters lingered. The filth in the Cuyahoga made it a “poster child” for pollution. People began to notice environmental concerns. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was created.
The EPA regulates pollution in the air, on land, and in water. This week, the EPA eased fish restrictions on the Cuyahoga. Fish that for 50 years were unsafe to eat, can now be consumed. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine calls the decision a big victory. “This is an example of the progress that can be achieved when you collaborate and dedicate resources to improving the quality of water in our state,” he says.
The U.S. EPA and the Ohio EPA concurred on the decision after fish tissue samples taken from the river looked improved. Laurie Stevenson, the Ohio EPA Director, made a good point: “If you can safely eat the fish, we know that’s a great indication that water quality is improving.”
Grilled, blackened, or smoked? None of the fish in the Cuyahoga River today have been scorched or harmed by recent fire. But would you be willing to eat them?
(This June 25, 1952, photo shows flames on the polluted Cuyahoga River near downtown Cleveland. Federal regulators say that fish living in the river are now safe to eat. The Plain Dealer via AP)
