ArcelorMittal announces $40,665 (US) grant for Bay Area Restoration Council
| Release Date: |
May 8, 2009 |
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| Information Contact: |
Larry Meyer (905) 548-7200 ext. 7070 |
Friday, May 8, 2009 - ArcelorMittal, the world’s leading steelmaker and parent company of ArcelorMittal Dofasco, as part of the “Sustain Our Great Lakes” program is contributing $40,665 US (approx. $47,400 CAN) to the Bay Area Restoration Council’s Hamilton Harbour coastal wetland and watershed restoration project.
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| Jim Hudson, Executive Director, Bay Area Restoration Council (BARC) and Debra McBride, President of the BARC, accept a cheque for $40,665 US from Jim Stirling, General Manager, Environment, ArcelorMittal Dofasco and Sarodha Rajkumar, Environmental Specialist, ArcelorMittal Dofasco and member of BARC's Board of Directors. |
The grant will cover the cost of replanting native marsh vegetation in Cootes Paradise, as well as help establish the Adopt-a-Creek program, in which community groups adopt creek segments, measure water quality, clean-up litter and undertake stream improvements to benefit the receiving wetland’s health.
“The Great Lakes play a critical role in steel production, so protecting this natural resource makes good business sense,” said Jim Stirling, General Manager, Environment, at ArcelorMittal Dofasco. “We benefit from having access to this vital natural resource. Every year the company ships millions of tons of steel and raw materials on the Great Lakes, so protecting these waters and the systems that feed them is a priority for us.”
The $40,665 US contribution will come from ArcelorMittal’s Sustain Our Great Lakes program (formerly known as the Great Lakes Watershed Restoration Program), a private/public initiative involving the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Forest Service. Today’s announcement is part of the granting of $1.5 million dollars (U.S.) for the improvement of the great lakes.
The initiative is designed to meet the habitat and ecosystem restoration goals developed by the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration (GLRC). Convened in 2004, the GLRC is a joint effort between local, state and federal officials to create and implement a restoration strategy for the Great Lakes basin. ArcelorMittal contributes funds to support wetland protection and restoration, with an emphasis on areas in which the company operates.
“ArcelorMittal Dofasco has played a lead role in the restoration of Hamilton Harbour for a number of years,” said BARC’s Executive Director Jim Hudson. “I think it is fitting that this grant takes their commitment to the next level and focuses on the waters that feed the Harbour.”
Since 1990, ArcelorMittal Dofasco has reduced its discharge of total process effluent to Hamilton Harbour by 99% through the use of closed-loop recycling systems that re-circulate nearly all of the process water used in steel manufacturing. Company officials also actively participate on the board of the Bay Area Restoration Council.
Commenting on the announcement Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger said, “This is an excellent example of industry and the community working together for the good of everyone in Hamilton.”
“I congratulate the Bay Area Restoration Council for their hard work and effort in cleaning up our local waterways, and I congratulate ArcelorMittal for demonstrating that even in these very difficult economic times companies can still make a difference in our world,” said the Mayor. “This is a strong statement in support of ArcelorMittal’s commitment to environmental and community leadership.”
