In the spring of 2023, Freshwater Ecologist Jen Epstein and I began meeting weekly via Zoom. Having worked together for nearly five years in the Water Quality Program at Hudson Riverkeeper before leaving the organization (Jen moved to Bolivia with her family, and I became an independent consultant located in the Hudson Valley), our meetings were not just a way to stay connected—they were a commitment to continue collaborating on critical environmental issues.

With the freedom to focus on any topic, we honed in on a mutual concern: landfill leachate—the liquid waste from landfills—being sent to municipal sewage treatment plants unequipped to monitor or filter out the toxic chemicals ultimately discharged into the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers. These rivers serve as drinking water sources for approximately 369,000 people, including historically marginalized communities that continue to face disproportionate environmental burdens. Captain John Lipscomb, who has sounded the alarm on this issue for decades, underscores the urgent need for stronger regulations and public action to protect these vital waterways and the people who rely on them.

Over lunch last week, John, Jen, and I reflected on how, collectively, we bring nearly 50 years of experience protecting the Hudson River and its tributaries—a legacy of dedication poured into this report. It’s great to be working together again, combining our strengths to address this pressing challenge.

Speaking of 50 years, our report—released on December 17, 2024—holds special significance as it coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act. While we celebrate the progress made over the past half-century, we must also confront the outdated and harmful practices that continue to threaten our vital water supplies. This work is a call to action, urging us to safeguard these resources for the next 50 years and beyond.

Rebecca Martin
December, 2024
Kingston, NY

The Hudson and Mohawk Rivers Leachate Collaborative is:

Jen Epstein, GIS Analyst and Lead Writer
Rebecca Martin, Project Manager
Maureen Cunningham, Strategy and Management Advisor
Captain John Lipscomb, Technical Advisor
Pace Environmental Litigation Clinic, Inc., Legal Research
Good Work Institute, Fiscal Sponsor

Jen Epstein, GIS Analyst and Lead Writer
Jen is a freshwater ecologist, geospatial scientist, and water quality advocate who combines data and policy analysis to address complex problems and generate actionable insights. She focuses on stormwater and wastewater management in towns and small cities, emphasizing ecosystem restoration and reconnecting people with nature. Her experience includes managing Hudson Riverkeeper’s community-based water quality monitoring program, mapping restoration outcomes for NYC Parks, and designing and implementing urban and brownfield restoration projects. Originally from Poughkeepsie, Jen now lives in Arusha, Tanzania, with her husband and two children. In her free time, she enjoys planning mountain or water adventures for her family and reading science fiction.

Rebecca Martin, Project Manager
Rebecca Martin is a seasoned organizer and campaign strategist with over 20 years of experience in building effective campaigns and projects through coalition-building and collaborative strategies throughout the State of New York. A native of Maine, Rebecca has deep expertise in targeted communications and grassroots mobilization. She is the founder of KingstonCitizens.org, an initiative designed to improve civic engagement and to better understand local government. As the former Executive Director of the Kingston Land Trust, Rebecca led the urban land trust to national recognition, with the Land Trust Alliance calling it a “National Model” for its innovative programming that brought community members closer to the City’s open spaces. In her role as Campaign Manager for the Water Quality Program and Director of Community Partnerships at Hudson Riverkeeper, Rebecca helped to create a geographic grassroots organizing platform, co-founded the Water Justice Lab in Troy, NY, and played a pivotal role in establishing the Hudson 7, the first Intermunicipal Council for drinking water protection on the Hudson River. Formed by seven municipalities across Ulster and Dutchess Counties, the Hudson 7 is dedicated to safeguarding the Hudson River as a drinking water source for over 100,000 people. Rebecca is also an accomplished musician and lives in the Hudson Valley with her husband, renowned jazz bassist Larry Grenadier, and their son, Charlie.

Maureen Cunningham, Strategy and Management Advisor

Bio TBA

Captain John Lipscomb (Technical Advisor)
John Lipscomb has been Riverkeeper’s boat captain since 2000, dedicating his career to protecting and restoring the Hudson River. Growing up in Irvington and Tarrytown, he developed a deep connection to the river, learning to swim and sail there. In the early 1970s, he apprenticed with WWII-era boat builders at Petersen’s Boatyard in Nyack, gaining expertise in wooden boat maintenance and repair. He has worked in boat building and repair on both wood and fiberglass vessels and as a rigger, serving as General Manager of Petersen’s from 1991 to 2000.  As Riverkeeper’s boat captain, Mr. Lipscomb patrols the Hudson River aboard the “R. Ian Fletcher,” a 36-foot Chesapeake Bay-style wooden vessel. From April to December, he travels 4,000 to 5,000 nautical miles between New York Harbor and Troy, monitoring pollution, tributaries, and waterfront facilities. His work includes conducting a fecal contamination sampling program, supporting scientific studies, and taking decision-makers and media on the river to raise awareness about its needs and challenges. John has also contributed to environmental documentaries for National Geographic, Audubon, Turner, and ABC, covering topics such as the protection of polar bears in Hudson Bay, a Yukon River raft expedition, and conservation in the Kalahari Desert. His ongoing commitment to the Hudson River continues to shape Riverkeeper’s efforts to hold polluters accountable and advocate for the river’s long-term health.  John has received numerous awards, including the Environmental Quality Award in 2011, presented by former US EPA Region 2 Administrator Judith Enck.

Pace Environmental Litigation Clinic (Legal)
The Environmental Litigation Clinic at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University represents public interest environmental groups bringing citizen enforcement actions in state and federal courts on a variety of environmental and land use issues, including water pollution, compliance with environmental review requirements, and cleanup of toxic sites. These citizen suits are the last line of defense in protecting the environment and also serve to compel EPA and state environmental agencies to do the job they are required to do to protect the environment. Law students working under the supervision of a law school professor represent clinic clients in various aspects of legal work, which may include researching and developing cases, drafting litigation papers, appearing in court, and preparing for and conducting hearings. The Clinic is actively expanding its range of work beyond Clean Water Act cases for its primary client Riverkeeper, Inc., a non-profit dedicated to protecting the Hudson River and its tributaries. In that effort, the Clinic takes on several new qualifying clients each year, which can range from very small, local community organizations through well-established, not-for-profit environmental groups.

Good Work Institute (Fiscal Sponsor)
The Good Work Institute exists to build and amplify the collective power of people to reject systems of oppression and extraction and create regenerative, just, and life-affirming communities.