Robert H. Boyle

Robert H. Boyle
Robert H. Boyle in the 1994 PBS special, Sturgeon: Ancient Survivors of the Deep
Born	Robert Hamilton Boyle Jr. August 21, 1928[1] Brooklyn, New York
Died	May 19, 2017(2017-05-19) (aged 88) Cooperstown, New York
Occupation	Journalist
Known for	Author, environmentalist, conservationist
Notable work	Sports Illustrated Vault The Hudson River: A Natural and Unnatural History
Awards	1981 Communicator of the Year award, National Wildlife Federation[2]

Robert Hamilton Boyle Jr. (August 21, 1928 – May 19, 2017) was an environmental activist, conservationist, book author, journalist and former senior writer for Sports Illustrated. In 1966, Boyle founded the Hudson River Fishermen's Association (HRFA) with its members serving as sentries to protect the river and its inhabitants, help reverse the deterioration caused by river pollution, and bring polluters to justice. The organization grew over the years, and in 1986, was officially renamed Riverkeeper after being merged with HRFA's Riverkeeper program. It was the first "keeper" group in the global Waterkeeper Alliance movement.

As senior writer, Boyle took full advantage of Sports Illustrated to attract public attention to various conservation and environmental concerns, including the substantial fish kills resulting from the thermal discharge water of power plants, and the effects of acid rain. He was one of the first journalists to report on the methyl mercury, DDT and PCB contamination of saltwater fish when, in October 1970, he wrote Poison Roams Our Coastal Seas. His research and hands-on activism were crucial to the first litigation in a federal court case titled Scenic Hudson Preservation Conference v. Federal Power Commission that resulted in judgments and substantial fines against water polluters. In recognition of his work over the years, Boyle received the 1981 Communicator of the Year award from the National Wildlife Federation.