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David M. Rosser

From EverybodyWiki Bios & Wiki



David Rosser (1899–1975) was the executive director of the Blackstone River Watershed Association. He pioneered river cleanup along the most polluted river in the country with the longest history of industrial pollution. The Blackstone River is the river that powered the industrial revolution in America beginning in 1791. By the 1960s, many ecology-minded citizens were expressing concerns. David Rosser was a member of the Rumford Grange. He was the public relations officer for the Grange and organized community events. Frequently, he enjoyed going on retreats to a place called "Cummingfield" located in Plainfield, Massachusetts. It was a Grange regional activity center. He became active in CCCW (Concerned Citizens for Clean Water), which was an organization concerned about water quality founded by Alfred Hawkes in 1969. Later, CCCW changed its name to "RI Environment Council." In 1969, he was invited to join the Blackstone River Watershed Association by Frederic Giebel. Early in 1971, Rosser was expressing his concern through his actions. Although he was in his retirement years, he worked tirelessly every day and was passionate about working on behalf of future generations for all posterity. He did everything possible and beyond what was even considered conceivable. He knew the river very well and was working closely with another grandfather who knew the Blackstone River since childhood. After years of surveying the River's conditions and building working relationships with other community organizations, and in particular working closely with USACE in Waltham, MA on repairing Blackstone Canal, which suddenly breached on September 13, 1971, near Martin Street. In 1971, Rhode Island passed a wetlands protection law. Rosser and others were using that and the 1899 Refuse Act, which was enforced by the USACE. Together, both Rosser and Gaudette had compiled a list of 400 sources of pollution along the Blackstone River. By November 1971, Rosser appealed to the Governor of Rhode Island (Frank Licht) about many very specific concerns and plans for how to help. The Governor asked Rosser to draft a proposal. On December 6, 1971, the Governor (Licht) met with David Rosser, Clarence Gaudette, the Director of the Old Slater Mill Association (OSMA), and with all levels of government, such as the Mayor (Burns) of Pawtucket, with John McGlennon (the New England Region of the newly formed EPA, which at that time was only in its first anniversary of existence), and the Congressman Fernand St Germain's representative (although he was not physically in attendance on that particular day, he was very supportive). It was a historic meeting at Slater Mill which gave rise to what became known as "Zap the Blackstone" or "Operation ZAP", which is known as a massive river cleanup of the Blackstone River in Rhode Island from Woonsocket to Providence.

References



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