EPA announces Mississippi Power Company as 1st Place 2019 Gulf Guardian Winner in Gulfport, Mississippi
GULFPORT, Miss. (Sept. 26, 2019) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Gulf of Mexico Division announced the Mississippi Power Company as a 1st Place Gulf Guardian award winner for its Renew Our Rivers Conservation Program which helps to improve water quality, habitat and environmental education in the gulf.
“Protecting the Gulf of Mexico requires innovative approaches and proactive measures,” said EPA Region 4 Administrator Mary S. Walker. “The Gulf Guardian award winners are paving the way for ‘out of the box’ thinking and replicable practices.”
“Plentiful marine resources, pristine beaches and economic vitality make the Gulf of Mexico a national treasure worthy of protection and preservation,” said Acting Gulf of Mexico Division Director Lakeshia Robertson. “The Gulf Guardian winners embody environmental stewardship. Their efforts are creating a healthy and resilient Gulf for residents and tourists alike.”
Mississippi Power’s Renew Our Rivers (ROR) program is a conservation-based partnership of businesses, agencies and non-profit/community groups dedicated to the removal of litter from southeast Mississippi waterways – all of which are part of the Gulf of Mexico watershed. Since 2010, the level of partnership, participation and commitment has increased and created a sustainable model for reaching the ultimate goal of cleaning more waterways and leaving scenic streams and rivers even more pristine.
The Gulf of Mexico Division initiated the Gulf Guardian awards in 2000 to recognize and honor the businesses, community groups, individuals and agencies that are taking positive steps to keep the gulf healthy, beautiful and productive. Awards were given in 2019 in five categories: individual, business/industry, youth environmental education, civic/nonprofit organizations and partnership.
The Gulf of Mexico Division is a non-regulatory program of EPA founded to facilitate collaborative actions to protect, maintain and restore the health and productivity of the Gulf of Mexico in ways consistent with the economic well-being of the region. To carry out its mission, the Gulf of Mexico Division continues to maintain and expand partnerships with state and federal agencies, federally recognized tribes, local governments and authorities, academia, regional business and industry, agricultural and environmental organizations, and individual citizens and communities.
For more information about the U.S. EPA Gulf of Mexico Division go to: https://www.epa.gov/gulfofmexico.
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