Margaret Miner (1938-2024) was an American writer, journalist, environmentalist, and consultant. She worked as a reporter early in career before becoming the executive director of the Roxbury Land Trust, Connecticut. She left the trust to become the executive director of Rivers Alliance of Connecticut in 1999, a role in which she served for 18 years. Miner sat on a number of boards and advocated for clean water, land conservation and affordable housing. In addition, she co-foundedOur Towns for Sar-E-Pol, a charity to help women and children in Afghanistan, and co-wrote seven books. In 2016, she was awarded the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Lifetime Merit Award.[1]
Miner was born in New York City in 1938.[2] She was the daughter ofWorthington "Tony" Miner, a television director and producer andFrances Fuller, TV and stage actress.[2] She was the great niece, through her mother, of the politicianJames F. Byrnes.[3] Miner's brother was the director producer, Peter Miner and her niece is his daughter,Rachel Miner.[4]
Miner studied atBrearley School in New York City and, later, graduated fromNew York University (NYU).[2][5]
In her early career, Miner worked as a reporter, covering local issues for Voices newspaper.[2] With her husband, she co-wrote five dictionaries of quotations.[2]
For much of her career, she advocated for clean water[6] and land conservation. First in the role of executive director, Roxbury Land Trust.[2] Later, she became the executive director of the Rivers Alliance of Connecticut in 1999.[1] She served in the role for 18 years.[7] She was known for work in relation toLong Island Sound.[2] After her retirement, she continued to serve the organisation as a consultant[7] until her death.[2] In 2016, she was awarded theEnvironmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Lifetime Merit Award.[1]
Miner also played a role in the adoption of Connecticut’s first State Water Plan as a member of the state Water Planning Council.[7] In 2019, she was awarded the council's Champion of Water Award. Miner also served as a member of the board of the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters[2], the Zoning Board of Appeals of Roxbury,[2] and the Democratic Town Committee.
Miner was also the co-founder of theOur Towns for Sar-E-Pol, a charity to assist women and children inAfghanistan, in collaboration withSave the Children.[2]
She married the author, Hugh Rawson,[2] in 1973. He predeceased her in 2013.[9] The couple had two children. Her daughter, Catherine Rawson, is the executive director of Northwest Connecticut Land Conservancy.[2]
Miner died on May 5, 2024 inRoxbury, Connecticut.[5] She was 86.[5]
The Rivers Alliance of ConnecticutMargaret Miner Environmental Champion Award is given annually in her honour.[citation needed]
Rachel Miner is a third-generation actress, daughter of director/producer Peter Miner, and granddaughter of director/producer Worthington Miner and actress Frances Fuller.
The other book, "The Oxford Dictionary of American Quota-tions" (Oxford University Press, $39.95), is the second edition of a book published in 1997. It contains many new entries. Selected and annotated by Hugh Rawson and Margaret Miner, the quotations come from speeches, news stories, campaign slogans, poetry, songs, books, sermons and other sources.