Niagara County Environmental Fund Announces Awards

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Pocket parks, tree plantings and nature trails are among 46 environmental education and enhancement projects selected this year by the advisory panel of the Niagara County Environmental Fund (NCEF) to receive funding through the Love Canal settlement between New York State and Occidental Chemical Corp.

NCEF is administered by the New York State Center for Hazardous Waste Management, located at UB.

A. Scott Weber, UB professor of civil, structural and environmental engineering, is the center's executive director.

The $2.5 million settlement provides $434,000 for each of five years to fund projects to educate, encourage, inspire and facilitate activities that enhance, restore, maintain or provide access to Niagara County's environment and ecology.

Grants ranging from $850 to $46,000 were awarded to 46 projects selected from 72 proposals submitted to the 13-member NCEF advisory panel.

For more information on NCEF, contact Weber at 645-3443 or via e-mail at hazwastes@acsu.buffalo.edu.

Recipients and projects funded are:

• Gaskill's Greenhouse Growers, Gaskill Middle School

• Project Ozone Friendly, LaSalle Middle School

• Niagara County Sport-Fishing Education Video, Niagara County Fisheries Development Board

• LaSalle Going Green, LaSalle Middle School

• Nine-Mile Island: Public Access to An Educational, Historical and Environmental Resource, Town of Pendleton

• Webster Terrace Park, Project Pride of North Tonawanda

• Stonehaven Nature Educational Center, Greater Niagara Frontier Council

• Village of Lewiston/Artpark Upper Plateau Conservation Area, WENDEL

• Garden Education Project, Niagara-Wheatfield Central School District

• Water All Around Us-Phase II, West Street Elementary School

• Acquisition and Enhancement of the 93rd Street Park Green Space, Cayuga Youth Athletic Association

• Wildlife Habitat Project, St. James Lutheran Church

• Clean Neighborhoods Project, Niagara County Health Department

• Summer Enrichment Learn-N-Grow, Niagara Falls Housing Project

• Fort Niagara/Four-Mile Creek State Park Recycling Pilot Program, New York State Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

• Kidfest! Target the Earth Around Us, Niagara Council of the Arts

• Stella Niagara Wetlands Education and Access, Phase I: Education and Walkway Planning, Stella Niagara Education Park

• City of Niagara Falls Main Street Community Tree Planting Program, City of Niagara Falls

• City of Niagara Falls Niagara Street Greening Phase II, City of Niagara Falls

• City of Niagara Falls Pine Avenue Greening Project, City of Niagara Falls

• Niagara Falls Community Tree Nursery, Niagara Beautification Commission

• Jayne Park Environmental Restoration Project, City of Niagara Falls

• Streetscape Enhancement at Suspension Bridge, Main Street Business/Professional Association of Niagara Falls

• Advancement of Wildlife Animal Rehabilitation and Education, Second Chance Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, Inc.

• The Blockbusters/Neighborhood Block Club, Neighborhood Pocket Park

• Black Creek Community Wildlife Enhancement/Environmental Education Project, Black Creek Block Club

• Enhancement of Southwest Side, Memorial Park Neighborhood Block Club

• Niagara Street Community Play Park and Garden for Niagara Street School, Niagara Street Community Play Park and Garden

• Covert Surveillance of Environmental Crimes, City of Niagara Falls Police Department

• Reading and Nature, the Catholic Worker of Niagara Falls

• Pocket Parks, Niagara Falls Block Club Council

• Bug Park, Lewiston Council on the Arts

• Environmental Restoration of the Upper Niagara River/Robert Moses Parkway, Niagara Beautification Commission

• Earth Angels 2000, Sacred Heart Villa School

• Love Canal Archives, Niagara Falls Public Library

• Niagara Environmental Stewardship Training (NEST), Niagara University

• Golden Trail Enhancement Project, Barker Central School

• Planting for Our Future in Middleport, Grass-Roots Middleport, Inc.

• Tuscarora Elementary School Garden and Nature Trail Project, Tuscarora Environment Program

• Work Release Program-Community Revitalization Program, Niagara County Sheriff's Department

• Wildlife/Habitat Reclamation of Bond Lake Parkland, Bond Lake Environmental Committee

• Indoor Handicapped Bathroom Facility, Equi*Star, Inc.

• Linking Kids With Nature, George M. Southard Elementary School

• Niagara County Environmental Fund Program "Great American Cleanup," City of Lockport Department of Youth and Recreation

• John Henry Tree Park, City of Lockport Department of Youth and Recreation