West Virginia hands out Clean Community Awards

 

Four West Virginia communities that went above and beyond in their efforts to beautify and clean up their respective towns have been recognized by the state Department of Environmental Protection for environmental stewardship in 2013.

The DEP’s Make It Shine Program has awarded Clean Community Awards to New Cumberland, the Village of Beech Bottom, Alderson and Fayetteville.

Fayetteville was the grand prize winner and will receive $500 to apply toward additional cleanup/beautification projects. Fayetteville was recognized for efforts that include conducting environmental education on recycling and anti-littering in the local schools; hosting an annual Earth Day celebration; and passing a dilapidated housing ordinance to reduce the number of nuisance properties in the town.

Clean Community Awards are presented annually. Each municipality’s application is judged in several categories, including cleanup, recycling, youth participation and beautification.

“These four award winners are shining examples of the great pride West Virginians take in making their communities cleaner and better places to live and work,” said Danny Haught, chief of the DEP’s REAP (Rehabilitation Environmental Action Plan) program, which oversees the state’s Make It Shine efforts.

“We are excited and pleased to recognize the outstanding efforts of these communities and hope they inspire others to do the same,’’ Haught said

For more information about the Clean Community Awards, contact Travis Cooper at 1-800-322-5530 or by email at Travis.L.Cooper@wv.gov.

Contact:

Tom Aluise
304-926-0499
Thomas.J.Aluise@wv.gov