Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, with funding from the Department of Environmental Protection’s Coastal Resources Management, is seeking volunteers for their new Waterway Steward Program.

The program’s purpose is to engage Pennsylvania water trail users in community science and build long term stewardship of our water trails while providing valuable data to tell the story about litter in and along our waterways.

“Being a waterway steward is easy. Any time you are recreating in or near water, collect litter and stream health data. When you’re finished, dispose of the litter properly and report your data to us. You choose where you want to clean. It can be a different waterway each time,” said Shannon Reiter, President of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful.

“DEP is pleased to support this innovative program to turn residents who use Pennsylvania’s streams, rivers, and lakes into stewards of these waters, helping to document and reduce the trash pollution that threatens water quality for people and aquatic life,” said DEP Acting Secretary Ramez Ziadeh, P.E.

DEP and other state agencies are working with Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful to foster littering prevention and litter reduction initiatives through a statewide Litter Action Plan.

The Waterway Steward program is ideal for water trail users, anglers, outdoor and waterway enthusiasts and all those who care about the health, safety and quality of Pennsylvania’s waterways.

To be a Waterway Steward, individuals must be at least 18 years of age. Stewards can conduct cleanups individually or organize their family and friends to join a cleanup.

“The impact you can have as a Waterway Steward are many. Keeping our waterways free from litter and debris helps preserve the beauty of Pennsylvania’s waterways, improves water quality, enhances the health and safety of our environment, people, animals, birds and fish and protects the natural resources that we depend on for recreation and tourism,” said Reiter.

Participants are encouraged to share stories online. Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful will compile and share results to the larger community and use this data to further educate Pennsylvanians about the importance of keeping our waterways clean.

Click Here to complete an application to be a Waterway Steward.

Program sponsors and partners include: DEP Coastal Resources Management Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Fish and Boat Commission, Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds, Pennsylvania Environmental Council and Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers.

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful received a $40,000 Coastal Zone Grant from the DEP Coastal Resources Management Program to establish the Waterway Steward Program and facilitate cleanups in the Delaware Estuary.

For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful website. Click Here to become a member.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates from KPB, Like them on Facebook, Follow on Twitter, Discover them on Pinterest and visit their YouTube Channel.

Also visit the Illegal Dump Free PA website for more ideas on how to clean up communities and keep them clean and KPB’s Electronics Waste website.

The 2022 Pick Up Pennsylvania Initiative will be held this summer thru August 31 and fall from September 1 to November 30.  Questions should be directed to Michelle Dunn at 1-877-772-3673 Ext. 113 or send email to: mdunn@keeppabeautiful.org.

Keep PA Beautiful helps mobilize over 100,000 volunteers a year to pick up litter, clean up illegal dumping and beautify Pennsylvania.

NewsClips:

-- The Sentinel: Dickinson College Plans $1.5 Million Project To Convert Waste Into Biogas For Cooking And Heating

-- Altoona Mirror: Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event Set For July 22-23 In Blair County Municipalities

-- Williamsport Sun: Lycoming County Landfill Embarks On $8.7 Million Field Closure Project

Related Articles:

-- PA Festival Of The Arts Visitors Helped Meet Zero Waste Goal By Recycling 1,500 Pounds In State College  [PaEN]

-- Keep PA Beautiful Newsletter: New Waterway Stewards, Young Ambassadors Programs; Healing The Planet Grants, Cigarette Litter Prevention, More!

[Posted: July 20, 2022]

7/25/2022