We are friends, neighbors, outdoorsmen, recreationalists and families who want safe drinking water, sustainable use of natural resources, and the ability to fish and swim in the Susquehanna River and her tributaries.
Stewards of the Lower Susquehanna, Inc. (SOLS)
Stewards of the Lower Susquehanna, Inc. (SOLS), is a non-profit watershed association founded in 2006. SOLS supports the efforts of the Lower Susquehanna RIVERKEEPER®. Our Board of Directors provides guidance to our mission from a range of different perspectives and skillsets. The Board includes representatives from varying regions of the watershed.
Connection Between SOLS & Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper®
The Lower Susquehanna RIVERKEEPER® was licensed by the Waterkeeper® Alliance on September 15, 2005. Since that time Stewards of the Lower Susquehanna, Inc. (SOLS), has developed a grassroots supporting organization for the licensed RIVERKEEPER® . SOLS is a certified IRS 501(c)(3) non-profit that operates as a membership-based, mission-driven organization.
The RIVERKEEPER® works in concert with his staff and members researching sources of pollution to the watershed and in ensuring enforcement of environmental laws. We actively educate the public on current issues, work with decision-makers to emphasize the economic and social benefits of preserving and protecting our waterways and watersheds, and advocate for sustainable use of the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed’s resources.
The RIVERKEEPER® often performs “pollution patrols,” a service generally not within the budgets of state or federal environmental enforcement agencies. These random patrols often turn up violations. Similarly, the RIVERKEEPER® successfully partners with the conservation districts of Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Perry, York, and other counties to address violations at construction, industrial, and agricultural sites.
The RIVERKEEPER® and SOLS strive to increase enforcement of:
- wastewater treatment facilities;
- concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs);
- sedimentation behind the four dams on the Susquehanna River;
- Pennsylvania’s obligations to cap pollution under the Chesapeake Bay TMDL;
- legal strategies combating pollution from Marcellus Shale Gas development; and
- stronger small farm and wetlands encroachment regulation, issues that account for much of the ecological impairment to the Lower Susquehanna Watershed.
Success is proven time and again by action in the form of fines, dropped permits, and Cease and Desist orders from regulating agencies. Our goal is to become the recognized name in water defense for our region. We hope to lead citizens to action in protecting their watershed, communities, and heritage.
Work of the Lower Susquehanna RIVERKEEPER® & SOLS
The Lower Susquehanna RIVERKEEPER® (LSR) and Stewards of the Lower Susquehanna (SOLS) build alliances, educate, and advocate on behalf of the Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay.
We work to improve the ecological health of the Susquehanna River Watershed, enhance the aesthetic value of our waterways, and promote sustainable use of aquatic and natural resources. To achieve these ends we utilize education, chemical and biological monitoring, pollution patrols, partnership building, public events and advocacy, and when necessary, legal challenges.
Our primary territory includes the Juniata and Lower Susquehanna rivers and their tributaries, or around 10,000 sq. miles. This area stretches from Sunbury, PA to Havre de Grace, MD where the Susquehanna meets the Chesapeake Bay.
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