American Rivers names Senator Cardin a River Champion

February 26, 2010 | Clean Water

Amy Souers Kober
Senior Director of Communications

Today, our president Rebecca Wodder will present Maryland’s Senator Cardin with the River Champion award. We are recognizing the senator’s unflagging efforts on behalf of Maryland’s and the nation’s rivers and clean water.

Senator Cardin was a leader in the effort to increase funding for clean water through green infrastructure and water efficiency in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. We are proud to have worked with him on this success, securing $6 billion for clean water and drinking water, including $1.2 billion in specific funding for green infrastructure and water efficiency.

For Maryland, this means projects like:

• The City of Edmonston (on the Anacostia River) received over one million dollars to retrofit a local street by adding trees, rain gardens and permeable pavement. Together, these techniques create a “green street” that will naturally treat more than 90% of the stormwater pollution from the street while also reducing flooding, creating shade, and easing traffic.
• Baltimore received over $2 million to help homeowners retrofit old appliances with new, water efficient models. Such water efficiency retrofits save water and energy.
• The stimulus also funded a number of “living shoreline” projects to restore wetlands that will protect clean water and also safeguard homes and businesses from sea level rise and flooding.

(Learn more about the green reserve funding and the one year anniversary of the stimulus spending)

We are also praising the senator for his work to secure a provision in the Senate version of the climate bill that provides funding to help rivers and communities prepare for the impacts of climate change. And, we are applauding his efforts to save the Chesapeake Bay.

Do you know any River Champions? Here is more info on our annual award:

American Rivers presents the River Champion Award annually to members of congress who show outstanding leadership in protecting the nation’s rivers and clean water and meet one or more of the following criteria:

1) Sponsored legislation critical to the protection and restoration of our nation's rivers.

2) Led the charge to secure federal funding for important river protection initiatives

3) Embodies the spirit of river stewardship by leading their colleagues in Congress and the administration to support policies that will create resilient river systems.

Post a Comment

Your Name
Email:
Comment
Enter this word: Change