CLEVELAND, Ohio -- An environmental evaluation finds improvement in the Cleveland area river that was so polluted 40 years ago it famously caught fire.
But the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency study says the Cuyahoga River is still not healthy in several areas, including too much algae and too many fish with tumors and other deformities.
The river fails in eight categories but earns a passing grade in four others, such as the health of birds and other wildlife and the suitability of its water for use by industry and agriculture.
The June 22, 1969 fire involved oil and debris floating in the river. It became the butt of jokes for Johnny Carson and other comedians, but the fire also sparked widespread reforms, including the Clean Water Act.
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