On September 16, 2008, the Waterkeeper Alliance Board of Directors unanimously approved the establishment of Charleston Waterkeeper. Acceptance into the Waterkeeper Alliance came after nearly 10 months of preparation. Founded by Cyrus Buffum, Charleston Waterkeeper became the second Waterkeeper organization in the state of South Carolina (second to the Waccamaw Riverkeeper).
Cyrus Buffum was inspired to establish Charleston Waterkeeper after reading the book, The Riverkeepers, by John Cronen and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. The book details Cronen and Kennedy’s affiliation with Riverkeeper, an environmental watchdog organization on the Hudson River.
Today there are now four Waterkeeper organization in South Carolina: Waccamaw Riverkeeper, Charleston Waterkeeper, Santee Riverkeeper, and Congaree Riverkeeper.
