RICHMOND, Va., Sept.

By SCOTT HARPER By Scott Harper The Virginian-Pilot portsmouth Backed by four local mayors and dozens of state and federal officials, an environmental group rolled out plans Monday to make the Elizabeth River clean enough for swimming, fishing and harvesting shellfish by 2020.

Environmentalists have announced an ambitious plan to make a badly polluted waterway safe for swimming, fishing and shellfishing by 2020. The Elizabeth River has been closed to oyster and clam harvests since the 1920s, and most of the urban river is considered unsafe for fishing and swimming.

By SCOTT HARPER By Scott Harper The Virginian-Pilot norfolk Environmentalists announ-ced lofty new plans Wednesday for cleaning up the Elizabeth River, including a goal of making the long- abused waterway safe for swimming, fishing and shellfishing by 2020.

By SCOTT HARPER By Scott Harper The Virginian-Pilot Pity the mummichog. The little fish is one of the few species that spends its whole life in the Elizabeth River, even in areas thickly contaminated with cancer-causing toxics .