More than $130,000 in Prince Edward Island

CHARLOTTETOWN, June 3, 2003 – The Honourable David Anderson, Minister of the Environment, today announced the commitment of $2.9 million in funding for 96 environmental projects in communities across Canada. In Prince Edward Island, 8 projects were approved for a total commitment of $132,787.

“The participation of individuals and communities is crucial to the success of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to improve the quality and conservation of water resources and to protect species and habitat,” said Minister Anderson. “I congratulate the initiative of the organizations and volunteers involved with these projects, and invite recipient communities across the country to join them in their efforts.”

The funding comes from Environment Canada’s EcoAction Community Funding Program, an initiative designed to help locally-based, non profit organizations undertake environmental projects. The 8 successful projects in Prince Edward Island include:

• helping residents in Southern Kings and Queens counties answer the Government of Canada’s one tonne climate change challenge;

• providing technical advice to farmers on the most economical and efficient ways to fence cattle out of provincial waterways; and,

• improving water quality in the Stanley River and Hope River watersheds by reducing erosion from farming practices and siltation from clay roads.

To be eligible for EcoAction funding, projects must result in positive, measurable environmental benefits and build public awareness of priority environmental issues such as air quality, climate change, water quality and species at risk. The projects must also respond to community needs and obtain matching funding or in kind support from other sponsors. Submission deadlines for proposals to the EcoAction program are February 1st and October 1st of each year.

A list of the recently approved projects and information on the EcoAction program can be found at http://www.ec.gc.ca/ecoaction/

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