The Black River Wars
Public Hearing of the Joint Legislative Committee on River Regulation, January 20, 1950.
In the 1940s and 1950s, Paul Schaefer led a dedicated group of conservationists against the power industry in an attempt to prevent the construction of dams in the Adirondacks. Schaefer’s campaign was an effective blend of media, education, legal arguments and political savvy that resulted in a victory which created a model for environmental activism that has been adopted by conservationists across the country.