NOVEMBER 20, 2009 - FISHING FOR ENERGY ARRIVES AT THE VIRGINIA COASTLINE
Newport News, VA, November 20, 2009 – Fishing for Energy, the innovative partnership that provides a cost-free solution for fishermen to dispose of old fishing gear and turns it into renewable energy has expanded to Virginia. Newport News is the latest port community on the east coast and first in the state of Virginia to participate.
An initiative between Covanta Energy (Covanta), the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program, and Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc., the Fishing for Energy partnership is holding a day-long commercial fishing gear collection event at King Lincoln Park to collect old, abandoned or lost fishing gear on November 20. Also partnering with the program is the City of Newport News, resulting in a diverse, community-focused partnership aimed at reducing the burden on area fishermen posed by the need to dispose of old fishing gear. Abandoned or lost fishing equipment threatens marine life, impacts navigational safety, and has economic repercussions on fishing and shipping enterprises and, most importantly, coastal communities.
“This event is an important opportunity to clean up our waterways by working collaboratively with committed organizations,” said Newport News Mayor Joe S. Frank. “We are proud to sponsor the initiative locally at our Seafood Industrial Park, which has evolved into a major seafood hub of the east coast. As the location of the first Fishing for Energy event in Virginia, we’re confident we’ll assist in continuing the valuable work being done by the partnership.”
The Fishing for Energy partnership depends on extensive cooperation between local organizations and the fishing community. In Newport News, the City has worked collaboratively with the partnership to raise awareness within the fishing community of the new no-cost disposal option and to organize the collection event. Because disposal is free and it’s easy for fisherman to participate, it is expected that the collection will significantly increase the likelihood that derelict gear is disposed of properly and does not end up in the marine environment.
“Since 2008, Fishing for Energy has worked with ports across the country to collect more than 220 tons of dangerous derelict gear. On behalf of the partnership, we are proud to expand our program to the state of Virginia and partner with such a vibrant commercial fishing hub like Newport News,” said Paul Gilman, Chief Sustainability Officer for Covanta Energy. “We look forward to helping the Newport News fishing community properly dispose of the port’s old gear while recycling and creating renewable energy from something otherwise seen as junk.”
The Fishing for Energy partnership is holding a marine debris collection event today Friday, November 20 at King Lincoln Park (south end of Jefferson Ave, Newport News), beginning at 2 p.m.
Since launching in 2008, the Fishing for Energy partnership has reeled in more than 220 tons of old fishing gear, a portion of which has been retrieved directly from the ocean by fishermen. This year, the partnership has expanded to work with ports on both the east and west coasts of the United States, hosting a series of launch events which aim to promote retired or derelict fishing gear collection through community education and outreach. For more information on the partnership visit: www.nfwf.org/fishingforenergy.
About Newport News, VA
What is now known as the Newport News Seafood Industrial Park was formed in 1915 as the Municipal Industrial Commission. The facility soon became a haven for both inshore and offshore fishing boats unloading their catch for transfer to market. Today the City-owned facility is one of the busiest Atlantic scallop ports on the east coast.
About Covanta
Covanta Energy is an internationally recognized owner and operator of large-scale Energy-from-Waste and renewable energy projects and a recipient of the Energy Innovator Award from the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Covanta’s 44 Energy-from-Waste facilities provide communities with an environmentally sound solution to their solid waste disposal needs by using that municipal solid waste to generate clean, renewable energy. Annually, Covanta's modern Energy-from-Waste facilities safely and securely convert approximately 20 million tons of waste into more than 9 million megawatt hours of clean renewable electricity and create over 10 billion pounds of steam that are sold to a variety of industries. For more information, visit www.covantaenergy.com.
About National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
A nonprofit established by Congress in 1984, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation sustains, restores and enhances the Nation's fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Through leadership conservation investments with public and private partners, NFWF is dedicated to achieving maximum conservation impact by developing and applying best practices and innovative methods for measurable outcomes. Since its establishment, NFWF has awarded nearly 9,500 grants to over 3,000 organizations in the United States and abroad and leveraged – with its partners – more than $400 million in federal funds into more than $1.3 billion for on-the-ground conservation. For more information, visit www.nfwf.org.
About NOAA
NOAA understands and predicts changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and conserves and manages our coastal and marine resources.
The NOAA Marine Debris Program, housed within the Office of Response & Restoration, coordinates, strengthens, and increases the visibility of marine debris issues and efforts within the agency, its partners, and the public. The program supports activities at both a national and international level focused on identifying, reducing and preventing debris from entering the marine environment. NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) protects coastal and marine resources, mitigates threats, reduces harm, and restores ecological function. The Office provides comprehensive solutions to environmental hazards caused by oil, chemicals, and marine debris. For more information, visit: www.noaa.gov.
About Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc.
Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc. is one of the largest manufacturers and exporters of recycled ferrous metal products in the United States. Headquartered in Portland, Oregon, Schnitzer Steel operates 42 facilities in 13 states, including seven export facilities on both the East and West coasts, as well as in Hawaii and Puerto Rico. The company's vertically integrated operating platform also includes its auto parts and steel manufacturing businesses. The auto parts business sells used auto parts through its 38 self-service facilities and 18 full-service facilities located in 16 states and western Canada. With an annual production capacity of nearly 800,000 tons, Schnitzer's steel manufacturing business produces finished steel products, including rebar, wire rod and other specialty products. Schnitzer Steel Industries commenced its 103rd year of operations in 2009.