Annual Source to Sea River Cleanup Helps Area Businesses Invest in Cleaner Rivers & Communities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:                                                                           

Angela Mrozinski, CRC Outreach & Events Director

amrozinski@ctriver.org, 413-772-2020 ext.204

Alicea Charamut, CRC Lower River Steward

acharamut@ctriver.org, 860-704-0057

Annual Source to Sea River Cleanup Helps Area Businesses

Invest in Cleaner Rivers & Communities

Greenfield, MA – A variety of local and regional businesses are joining the 20^th annual Source to Sea River Cleanup this fall. Beyond supporting the event as sponsors, companies are forming employee cleanup groups that will join the many families, school and community groups, river organizations and Scout troops that participate in the Source to Sea Cleanup every year. Organized by the Connecticut River Watershed Council (CRC), the Source to Sea Cleanup is a two-day trash cleanup in all four states of the 410+ mile Connecticut River watershed (NH, VT, MA, CT). All are welcome to join this collaborative river cleanup on Friday & Saturday, September 23 & 24. Learn more and find a group to join at ctriver.org/cleanup.

“It’s a growing trend for companies to support their employees in volunteering to help their communities,” notes CRC Executive Director Andrew Fisk. “Last year, 34 companies chose to spend their time cleaning up our rivers. We welcome their partnership to benefit our rivers.” Of particular note, Tighe & Bond employees are donating their time and expertise to assess the feasibility and requirements for removal of a large, abandoned oil offloading platform and restoration of an osprey nest platform in the Connecticut River near Wethersfield Cove in CT.

Among the companies already signed up to join the Source to Sea Cleanup are: NRG Energy’s Middletown Generating Station (lead sponsor); Pratt & Whitney (lead sponsor); Alfred Benesch & Company; All American Waste; Brookfield Renewable; Carando Foods; CDM Smith; CME Associates; Coca-Cola Refreshments; Connecticut Natural Gas, Southern Connecticut Gas, and UI; Covanta Energy; Hypertherm; Ibex; King Arthur Flour; Leinenkugel Brewing Co.; The Metropolitan District; Milone & MacBroom, Inc.; PeoplesBank; Ricoh USA; Tighe & Bond; Suez; and USA Hauling & Recycling.

A number of companies are also supporting the Cleanup through in-kind donations of goods or services: Aerial Adventure Park at Jiminy Peak; Adventure Park at The Discovery Museum; Adventure Park at Heritage Museums and Gardens; Adventure Park at Storrs; All Waste; C&S Wholesale Grocers; Confluence Outdoor; Friendly’s Ice Cream Corporation; Ibex; Outdoor Ventures; Shop Rite; and wTe Recycling.

“Generous financial support from lead sponsors— NRG Energy’s Middletown Generating Station, Pratt & Whitney, TransCanada, and Whistler—enable us to organize the thousands of volunteers who participate in the Cleanup and to take on complex projects that require the use of heavy equipment, scuba divers and other professionals to get those really trashed places cleaned up,” says CRC Executive Director Andrew Fisk.

“NRG is pleased to a lead sponsor for the Source to Sea Campaign for 12th year. And our Middletown Station team of some 15 volunteers, led by NRG’s Keith Shortsleeve, again looks forward to making a positive difference by cleaning up Dart Island and the surrounding Connecticut River shoreline.”

“Pratt & Whitney is proud to support environmental initiatives in the areas where our employees work and live,” said Pratt & Whitney Environment, Health & Safety Vice President Lisa Szewczul. “Collaborating with Source to Sea Cleanup is another example of our company’s long-standing commitment to helping preserve the environment through sustainable products, operations and initiatives.”

“We’re proud to support CRC’s Source to Sea with our 11th annual contribution,” said Donald Devanney III, TransCanada’s Manager of US Renewable Energy. “Our hydropower station employees up and down the Connecticut and Deerfield Rivers also participate in the event as a way to help celebrate our daily stewardship of these amazing resources.”

Whether or not your company has a formal volunteer program, you are invited to join the Source to Sea Cleanup. Learn more or sign up online at ctriver.org/cleanup.

The Connecticut River Watershed Council works to protect the watershed from source to sea. As stewards of this heritage, we celebrate our four-state treasure and collaborate, educate, organize, restore and intervene to preserve its health for generations to come. Our work informs our vision of economic and ecological abundance. To learn more about CRC, or to join the effort and help protect our rivers, visit ctriver.org.

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