[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 142 (Tuesday, September 6, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4438-S4439]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    50TH ANNIVERSARY OF PROJECT ZAP

 Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the 50th 
anniversary of Project ZAP, or ZAP the Blackstone.
  The Blackstone River was once called ``the hardest-working river in 
America.'' In the mid-1800s, more than a hundred textile mills and 
manufacturers busily operated along the Blackstone's banks and 
tributaries, where a steady flow of water provided reliable 
hydroelectric power. Development and industrialization carried on for 
decades, with lasting consequences for the health of the river, long 
after the mills closed up or moved elsewhere. The Blackstone became one 
of the most polluted in the country. However, on September 1972, Rhode 
Island made history by hosting the largest single-day environmental 
clean-up in American history. David Rosser, a conservation leader and 
dedicated community organizer, recruited over 10,000 volunteers to 
clean up the pollution that littered the water and the banks. The 
cleanup effort came to be known as Project ZAP--Zero Away Pollution.
  The Blackstone has come a long way over the past five decades. In 
1985, the

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Blackstone Valley Tourism Council was started, followed by the Friends 
of the Blackstone and the Blackstone River Watershed Council. In 1986, 
the Blackstone River Valley became a National Heritage Corridor, and 
the river was designated as an American Heritage River in 1998. I was 
proud to work with my colleagues in Rhode Island's congressional 
delegation to have the river's corridor designated as a National 
Historical Park in 2014. The river is now home to fish, aquatic 
mammals, turtles, and a variety of birds that have returned to what was 
once a highly polluted habitat. Unfortunately though, pollutants, 
litter, debris, erosion, and invasive species still plague the river, 
which is why, this year, a 50-year anniversary ZAP clean-up is planned.
  On August 27, Rhode Islanders were at it again, cleaning and greening 
up the Blackstone River Watershed. With a goal of holding the largest 
Blackstone Valley clean-up since 1972, the ZAP 50 steering team 
organized a 27-town, watershed wide, clean up. One hundred and twenty 
teams showed up to, pick up trash and clear the river of aquatic 
invasive species.
  I am happy to recognize the 50th anniversary of Project ZAP and the 
hard work of the many Rhode Islanders who serve as stewards of our 
environment. It is thanks to their efforts that the once hardest 
working river in America may be enjoyed peacefully.

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