Embattled River: The Hudson and Modern American Environmentalism by David Schuyler, and: Waterfront Manhattan: From Henry Hudson to the High Line by Kirk C. Schlichting (review)

Few places have changed as much in recent decades in America as our rivers and waterfronts. Instead of turning their backs on polluted rivers, many cities have "rediscovered" their waterways, making them the centerpiece of urban redevelopment efforts. Kirk C. Schlichting and David Schuyler explore different aspects of this transformation in their respective studies of the Manhattan waterfront and the Hudson River. Whereas Schuyler focuses on environmental activism, Schlichting highlights broader economic and political changes that shaped the waterfront's built environment.

Schuyler traces environmental changes in the Hudson River Valley from the 1960s to the present day. Some of the topics he covers—Consolidated Edison's proposed pumped-storage power plant at Storm King and PCB contamination of the Hudson—will likely be familiar to many historians and denizens of the region. But he also illuminates lesser-known developments such as the establishment of the Hudson National Heritage Area and efforts to protect some of the valley's spectacular viewsheds.

Embattled River reads more like a series of case studies than an integrated narrative. Nonetheless, the argument comes through quite strongly: committed individuals and non-profit organizations are responsible for most of the environmental improvements on the Hudson. In contrast, the state and federal governments largely ignored the river's pollution problems for decades and have been unreliable partners in its cleanup. To support his argument, Schuyler structures his narrative around environmental organizations that fought to protect and revitalize the Hudson and its surroundings.

This approach has advantages and disadvantages. Schuyler offers a detailed account of environmental advocacy by nonprofit organizations such as Scenic Hudson, Riverkeeper, and Clearwater. In doing so, he underscores the critical role played by prominent individuals such as Pete Seeger and Laurance Rockefeller, and by relatively unsung environmental crusaders such as Scenic Hudson's longtime leaders, Franny Reese and Klara Sauer.

Over time, the organizations that these individuals nurtured developed distinctive missions. They worked together to fight high-profile projects that threatened the integrity of historic sites and ecological health, but each group specialized in a different area of environmental advocacy. Given his deep knowledge of the landscapes that inspired Thomas Cole and other artists of the Hudson River School, it is not surprising that Schuyler devotes particular attention to the work of Scenic Hudson. The advocacy group spearheaded efforts to establish parks along the river and to preserve the valley's many historic farms.

These organizations partnered with government when they saw fit and challenged it when necessary. In comparison with these environmental advocates, Albany and Washington consistently fall short in Schuyler's eyes. He is particularly critical of the federal government's decision in 2015 not to require additional dredging of PCBs. Schuyler argues that the persistence of PCBs diminishes the Hudson because "it is not possible to reintroduce the otter and mink, the mallards and other waterfowl, or the tree swallows and bald eagles" (204). Reasonable people disagree about the wisdom of additional dredging; many fear that dredging will disperse PCBs, exacerbating environmental problems. Schuyler gives short shrift to the arguments of dredging opponents and fails to offer a logical rationale for his vision of a healthy Hudson. What previous version of the Hudson should we strive to re-create and why? Paying more attention to this question would have strengthened the case for additional dredging.

The failure to offer clearer justifications for his arguments likely stems in part from Schuyler's decision to organize the book around the work of environmental organizations. This narrative technique leads Schuyler to glorify the work of nonprofit organizations and denigrate the actions of government officials. To be sure, Schuyler presents clear evidence of public negligence—his account of the failure of a state official...