American
Water's Environmental Grant Program
Funds PA CleanWays' Tireless Project
American
Water has announced that PA Cleanways of Allegheny County has been selected
to receive funding from its new Environmental Grant Program, which is
being piloted in Pennsylvania.
A grant totaling
$7450 will support PA Cleanways' Tireless Project, whereby 20
watershed cleanups will be conducted along the Monongahela River from
June through September 2005. Riverfront blight is a pervasive problem
in the Pittsburgh area. Litter, flood debris, and illegal dumping contribute
to the blight, and cleaning up the Monongahela River will positively
impact Pennsylvania American Water's source of supply for its Pittsburgh/Mon-Valley
and Washington operations.
"The Mon River
is a source of supply for the drinking water for numerous communities
in the suburban South Hills of Pittsburgh, McMurray, the Mon-Valley,
and Washington, Penna. The grant-funded cleanups will exemplify how
communities can play a role in protecting a valuable natural resource.
In addition, cleaning up trash and debris from our waterways can positively
impact aquatic life and plants that live in or near the river,"
said American Water Director of Corporate Responsibility Joi Corrado.
The Tireless Project
is a collaborative effort of local non-profit organizations to eliminate
waterfront blight on Pittsburgh's three rivers. Principal partners include
PA CleanWays of Allegheny County (PACWAC) and Three Rivers Rowing Association
(TRRA); supporting partners include Venture Outdoors, Friends of the
Riverfront, and Student Conservation Association. The Tireless Project
will launch its third season thanks to the support of PA American Water.
Tireless began in
2003 with the retrofitting of a 28 foot pontoon boat for mild-duty river
cleanup, and in just a few months' time, retrieved nearly 32.5 tons
of debris from the rivers. Last season, thanks to the support of the
Sprout Fund, Tireless Fridays were instituted as a way to build the
volunteer base and create awareness about riverfront blight. The special
initiative included five after-work volunteer opportunities throughout
the summer organized at illegal dumpsites within or near the city center.
Volunteers cleaned a blighted area and once the work was done remained
at the site to celebrate their accomplishment of restoring the riverbank's
beauty with a waterfront party complete with food, entertainment, and
of course tiki torches. Over 140 volunteers came together to clean over
12.5 tons of trash and removed 185 tires from the shores of the three
rivers. In addition, crews of youth volunteers from the Student Conservation
Association and Venture Outdoors Summer Youth Programs assisted in cleaning
litter from the South Side Waterfront Park and an illegal dump at Duck
Hollow on the Monongahela River.
The agenda for Season
III includes a concentrated effort to clean debris from the Monongahela
River from Point State Park to Kennywood Park. An illegal dump survey
conducted by Danielle Crumrine, Executive Director of PACWAC, Tom Baxter,
Friends of the Riverfront, and John Lucadamo from Venture Outdoors show
fifty problem areas along twenty miles of riverfront. The findings will
be used to prioritize and create a work plan. Tireless Fridays is back
for three events, and a Tireless crew leader will take volunteers in
groups of five on the Tireless Boat, the Anna Hubbard, for clean-up
voyages throughout the season. The first Tireless Friday is scheduled
for June 17th at the South Side Riverfront Park, from 4:30-9:30pm.
American Water launched
its grant program in January. PA Cleanways' grant, along with two others-one
in Indiana, Penna. and one in the Wyoming Valley in northeastern Pennsylvania-are
the first to be made in Pennsylvania. Grant applications offering innovative
ways to improve, restore or protect watersheds and community drinking
water supplies were sought from communities and community-based organizations.
Projects were judged based on criteria including clarity of project
goals and projected impact, nature and strength of collaboration with
other community and/or municipal organizations, as well as evidence
that the project will provide sustainable environmental results.
"Every individual
and community has the ability to make a difference," said Corrado.
"Through its environmental grant program, American Water is seeking
to invest in its communities and help support the people behind the
projects-individuals and groups who are looking to the future and coming
up with innovative ways to improve the sustainability of our water resources."
With a history of
over 100 years, American Water provides high quality water, wastewater,
and other related services to over 18 million people in 29 states and
3 Canadian provinces. American Water is part of RWE Thames Water, the
third largest water and wastewater services company in the world. Through
our combined experience and financial strength, we provide global expertise
in water quality, research and development, customer satisfaction and
security. More information can be found by visiting our website, www.amwater.com.
For more information
on the Tireless Project, email tirelessfridays@hotmail.com
or call 412-381-1301.
This page last updated:
June 8, 2005
