Connecticut River Watershed Source to Sea Cleanup

Connecticut River Watershed Source to Sea Cleanup

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 19, 2012

CONTACTS: Alan Baker, American Heritage River Commission of East Windsor: 860-543-4309 alan.baker2@gmail.com         

Jacqueline Talbot, Cleanup Coordinator and CT River Steward: jtalbot@ctriver.org  860-704-0057

Connecticut River Watershed Council wants to know:

Does East Windsor have a dirty litter secret?

East Windsor, September 19, 2012 - Have you walked along a river or stream bank recently and found discarded cans and plastic bottles, fast food containers or other trash spoiling a beautiful natural place? If so, the Connecticut River Watershed Council (CRWC) wants to know. The conservation group is asking all watershed residents to report trash sites in need of cleaning up by logging onto their website at www.ctriver.org. There you can also sign up for the annual Source to Sea Cleanup on Saturday September 29^th and join thousands of other volunteers across New England combating their own trash problems. A local group, American Heritage River Commission, will be cleaning along and around the Connecticut and  Scantic rivers in East Windsor, and additional volunteers are welcome. Local organizer Alan Baker of American Heritage River Commission added, “ we in East Windsor are lucky to have two beautiful rivers running through our town that provide beautiful scenery, wildlife habitat, fishing, and  boating to all residents. This is a great opportunity to make sure it remains beautiful and clean.”

Anyone who has a trash tip should contact CRWC at www.ctriver.org or by calling 860-704-0057. Registration is also open for the 2012 Source to Sea Cleanup. All are welcome. Individuals can work solo, start a group, or join a group by visiting www.ctriver.org or can get involved in the local effort by contacting Alan Baker @ 860-543-4309 or alan.baker2@gmail.com. The East Windsor cleanup will be  held on Saturday September 29, at 9:00am. The group will be meeting at Osborne Field On South Water street in East Windsor. Call or email for directions or with any questions. 

“Source to Sea Cleanup volunteers have worked hard to combat litter and illegally dumped trash,” says Jacqueline Talbot, River Steward and organizer of the Cleanup. “In the past 15 years, our volunteers have prevented over 707 tons of trash from continuing to pollute the Connecticut River and its tributaries.” 

“But the trash keeps showing up. Removing it helps keep precious water resources clean and our natural spaces safe for families and wildlife. It’s a big watershed, so we rely on people to let us know about the problem spots. We may not be able to get to all of them this year, but we’ll work with local residents and agencies to get to as many as possible.”

Major support for CRWC’s 2012 Cleanup comes from TransCanada and NRG Middletown Power. 

The Connecticut River Watershed Council has been a non-profit advocate for the 11,000 square-mile watershed of the Connecticut River since 1952 and is proud to celebrate 60 years of hard work for the river in 2012.