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havesawC uIt u r a ArtsRobert F. Kennedy Jr., an environmental lawyer with impressive credentials, talked aboutwater, land, and air, and Americans' responsibilities to keep them clean, during a speech April18 in the Robert A. Brown Theatre.Kennedy's speech was titled "Our Environmental Destiny," and concentrated on the pollutionproblems of the past and how Americans could take back control of the land. About 500Robert F.Kennedy Jr.speaks at Cowleypeople attended the speech."I became involved in the Hudson Riverkeeper program because Ifirst-hand what manwas doing to the river," said Kennedy, who grew up with the Hudson in his backyard. "And sofor a long time Ibeen very active in trying to get laws passed that prohibit corporations fromdumping all kinds of garbage into the Hudson."Kennedy, the son of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, is one of the mostwell-known environmental lawyers in the United States. He has a reputation as aresolute defender of the environment that stems from a litany of successful legalactions.Kennedy is a clinical professor and supervising attorney at theEnvironmental Litigation Clinic at Pace University Law School in New York. Inaddition, he serves as chief prosecuting attorney for the Hudson Riverkeeperprogram and senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council. Earlierin his career he served as Assistant District Attorney in New York City, He hasworked on several political campaigns and was state coordinator for EdwardM. Kennedy's 1980 presidential campaign.Prior to his speech at Cowley, Kennedy held a press conference and atedinner with about 15 Cowley students. The dinner was a free exchange ofquestions and answers.Some of Kennedy's successful legal actions include prosecuting governmentsand companies for polluting the Hudson River and Long Island sound;winning settlements for the Hudson Riverkeeper; arguing cases to expand citizenaccess to the shoreline; and suing sewage treatment plants to force compliancewith the Clean Water Act."He's a pioneer as an attorney in the area of municipal and governmentresponsibility for environmental problems," said Hudson Riverkeeper JohnCronin.Among Kennedy's published books are New York State ApprenticeFalconer's Manual, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation,and Judge Frank M. Johnson Jr., A Biography.His articles have appeared in the New York Times, Atlantic Monthly, TheWall Street Journal, Esquire, The Village Voice, The Boston Globe, TheWashington Post,Pace Environmental Law Review, and others.Kennedy is a graduate of Harvard University. He studied at the London School ofEconomics and received his law degree from the University of Virginia Law School. Followinggraduation, he attended the Pace University School of Law, where he was awarded a master'sdegree in environmental law.Kennedy's commitment and compassion have resulted in the Hudson River being the firstand, unfortunately, the only such American waterway to be restored to its natural state.In the tradition of his family, Kennedy focuses on the mission of individual action, the uniqueAmerican responsibility and commitment to future generations. He reminds us that "we do notinherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."22