How a river in Ohio helped to create the EPA

Some are surprised that the Environmental Protection Agency owes its creation to a fire on Ohio’s Cuyahoga River.

In 1969, a spark from a passing rail car ignited the river. While the fire wasn’t well-covered by the media at the time, the story happened to be picked up by Time Magazine. The issue it was featured in had Teddy Kennedy on the cover after the Chappaquiddick accident.

The sensation of the Chappaquiddick accident exposed the Cuyahoga River fire to the masses. In response to the outcry around the environmental state of the country President Nixon created the EPA in 1970.

– Carlisle Willard, The 100 Companies