[ADEQ Media] ADEQ Director Owens Awards $345, 100 in Grants for Water Quality Improvement in Greenlee County

[media@lists.azdeq.gov]

ADEQ Director Owens Awards $345,100 in Grants for Water Quality
Improvement in Greenlee County 

PHOENIX - Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) Director
Steve Owens today announced that the department has awarded $345,100 in
grants to improve water quality in Greenlee County. 

The Valley Canal Company of Duncan will receive a $250,000 grant to
rebuild segments of the disintegrating 42-year-old Valley Canal, located
along the Gila River. Damage to the canal accounts for the erosion of
270,000 tons of soil annually, 70 percent of which reaches the river. 

Also, the Coronado Resource Conservation and Development Council, a
nonprofit organization that assists local communities to improve their
use of natural resources, will receive $95,100 to prevent erosion on
161,172 acres of grazing land located within the Eagle Creek Watershed
and primarily leased from the U.S. Forest Service. The council will work
with local ranchers to install 5.5 miles of fences on the Double Circles
Ranch, located near Morenci, as part of a rotational grazing system that
will prevent soil runoff into Eagle Creek. The grant is the latest phase
of a project begun in 2006. 

"These funds will help improve water quality in Greenlee County,"
Director Owens said. "We are pleased to support this important local
effort."

The grant is funded with federal dollars provided to ADEQ under the
Clean Water Act. 

-30-

News media interested in additional information on this or any other
topic concerning the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality should
contact the Office of Communications at (602) 771-2215 or via email at
communications@azdeq.gov.

**********************************************************************
NOTICE: This e-mail (and any attachments) may contain PRIVILEGED OR CONFIDENTIAL information and is intended only for the use of the specific individual(s) to whom it is addressed.  It may contain information that is privileged and confidential under state and federal law.  This information may be used or disclosed only in accordance with law, and you may be subject to penalties under law for improper use or further disclosure of the information in this e-mail and its attachments. If you have received this e-mail in error, please immediately notify the person named above by reply e-mail, and then delete the original e-mail.  Thank you.