WATERKEEPER® Alliance

Penobscot Bay WATERKEEPER® is a licensed member of the WATERKEEPER® Alliance, a global movement united for clean, healthy, and abundant water for all people and the planet with the mission to protect our right to clean water in communities around the world.

Penobscot Bay WATERKEEPER® protects and advocates for the health of the Bay and the rivers that feed into the Bay by identifying and investigating sources of pollution, advocating for stronger environmental regulations at all levels, pushing for better enforcement of existing environmental regulations and permits, and educating the public about issues of concern and the importance of protecting these waters.

Penobscot Bay WATERKEEPER® received a license through WATERKEEPER® Alliance to start a Penobscot Bay WATERKEEPER® program in June 2024.

A WATERKEEPER® serves as the local, on the ground advocate for a specific watershed pursuing the vision of “fishable, swimmable, drinkable waters.” Waterkeepers work towards this vision by conducting pollution investigations, collecting water quality data, organizing and educating the public, and bringing litigation to hold polluters and regulatory agencies accountable. The Waterkeeper movement was started on the Hudson River in 1966 by fishermen whose livelihood was at stake after industrial pollution devastated the Hudson’s fisheries. These fishermen turned activists sparked the Hudson’s recovery and inspired others to launch Waterkeeper groups.

Today, there are more than 300 Waterkeeper programs protecting more than 2.5 million square miles of rivers, lakes, and coastal waterways on six continents.

WATERKEEPER®s from around the globe gather in Niagra Falls at the annual WATERKEEPER ALLIANCE Conference