The Cuyahoga River in Ohio Had Been So Polluted That

Multiple Choice

The Cuyahoga River in Ohio had been so polluted that it caught fire repeatedly from 1868- 1969, including a 1952 fire that resulted in nearly $1.5 million in damages. Amazingly, other rivers in the United States also caught fire during this period. Why didn't federal laws limiting pollution of rivers and streams prevent this pollution and these fires?

A) The federal laws preventing water pollution did not apply to Ohio, where this occurred.
B) There were no federal regulations of water pollution at that time.
C) The industries that polluted the water had been repeatedly fined for polluting and simply continued to ignore the laws.
D) This pollution went undetected by agents overwhelmed by the amount of work.