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

NPR | By Celia Llopis-Jepsen
Published July 29, 2026 at 4:45 AM EDT

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.

Copyright 2026 NPR
Celia Llopis-Jepsen

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