A few months back I told you about our Environmental Grants Program that funds innovative projects (up to $10,000) in our communities that improve, restore or protect the watersheds, surface water and/or groundwater supplies in the area. This year, we had the largest number of our regulated state subsidiaries participate since the program was established in 2005. I’m proud to say we awarded more than $200,000 to 55 community improvement projects throughout our service areas in 13 different states.
The grant recipients covered a wide range of projects from cleanups to dam removals to education campaigns. Some examples include:
The City of Kokomo will use its $4,000 grant from Indiana American Water to remove the Philips Street dam on Wildcat Creek. The removal of this dam will enhance aquatic habitat and fish passage through the creek, improve recreational uses such as fishing and canoeing, and reduce flooding.
Keep Scott County Beautiful will receive its requested $2,000 grant from Iowa American Water for the Xstream Cleanup 2013 effort that will be held in August. The effort is a Quad-City wide cleanup of streams, creeks, drainage areas and sections of the Mississippi and Rock Rivers. About 1,500 volunteers are expected to participate.
Beaumont Middle School EcoTeam in partnership with the Friends of Wolf Run, Shelby Jett and John Cobb, will receive a $6,400 grant from Kentucky American Water to design and install a new rain garden that will be an expansion of a small rain garden project at the school.
Camden County Soil Conservation District Camden Floating Wetland Education and Implementation Project, in cooperation with the Rutgers cooperative extension, will construct and use floating wetlands to treat storm water, and remove nutrients. The project will be funded from a New Jersey American Water grant.
Pennsylvania Resources Council will utilize its grant from Pennsylvania American Water to host household chemical collection events in western Pennsylvania and educate the public about alternative cleaning products and waste disposal.
Chattanooga, Tennessee Girls Leadership Academy (CGLA) will apply its grant from Tennessee American Water towards the CGLA Community Garden, an organic urban garden project to educate students regarding organic gardening, water conservation and environmental sustainability.
The Virginia Institute of Marine Science (College of William & Mary) received a $3,000 Virginia American Water grant to conduct tidal, spectral and seasonal analyses of water quality parameters of the Appomattox River.
Environmental sustainability is a commitment that we share with our communities. The Environmental Grant program is a way that we all can participate to keep our water clean, protected and readily available – it’s truly a team effort! It’s fantastic to see this program grow more and more every year. You can now see the full list of inspiring 2013 winners and start planning for 2014.