A Green Giant's Fight for the Hudson

Richard Ottinger, a name not many know, but his work changed the course of history. He lived a long life, 97 years, and spent a good chunk of it fighting for the environment. He was a Democrat, but his family was Republican. He switched sides when he was a young lawyer in the 1950s. He served in Congress for 16 years, but not all at once. There was a break in between where he tried to run for the Senate but didn't make it. Ottinger was a big deal when it came to the environment. He didn't just talk about it; he took action. He sponsored laws to clean up the Hudson River. He even sued the government to make sure they took care of the river. In 1983, he won a big case that forced the Reagan administration to start cleaning up the river from harmful chemicals.He also stopped some big projects that would have hurt the environment. One was a 10-mile expressway along the Hudson. Another was a power plant that would have been built into a mountain. He fought hard to keep these projects from happening. Ottinger's work shows that one person can make a big difference. He didn't just sit back and let things happen. He took action and made a difference in the world. He was a true environmental hero.