Contact: Tige Rochelle, Massachusetts Community Water Watch, (617) 747-4372
               Anna Eleria, Charles River Watershed Association, (617) 965-5975

MASSIVE CHARLES RIVER CLEANUP TO MARK EARTH DAY 2000

Newton, MA - Roughly 900 volunteers from communities, universities and companies along the Charles River are set to participate in the largest river cleanup ever on Saturday morning, April 15^th. Organized by Massachusetts Community Water Watch and Charles River Watershed Association, the unprecedented event will involve over a dozen clean-up sites along 67 river miles from Boston to Bellingham.

A formal kick-off will be held at 9:30 am at the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade in Boston. Boston and Cambridge volunteers will gather there for a brief rally before disbursing to five sites on the Charles River Basin. Offering encouragement will be speakers Robert Durand, Secretary, Executive Office of Environmental Affairs; State Senator Steven Tolman of Watertown; State Representative Jared Barrios of Cambridge; and Robert L. Zimmerman, Executive Director of the Charles River Watershed Association.

"We are very excited that this unique event has attracted widespread support from so many diverse constituencies connected by the Charles," remarked Zimmerman. "Their involvement will make an obvious difference on the river and will broadcast the message that keeping the Charles clean is everyone’s responsibility."

"This is a fantastic opportunity for so many people to get together and make a positive impact on their local environment. Volunteers will find this to be an inspiring day of community service," said Tighe Rochelle, Boston University Water Watch organizer.

Students from 15 area colleges and universities, boathouse groups, neighborhood associations, scouts, company employees and civic activists will be picking up trash from the riverbanks. (See chart for locations and group names.) In addition, motorboats from Community Rowing in Brighton, Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, and Cygnet Boat Club in Newton will gather floating debris. Metropolitan District Commission will provide trash bags and other supplies, as well as pick up the bundled rubbish after the event.

All volunteers will receive t-shirts designed by Massachusetts College of Art students, and refreshments will be available at the basin sites. Providing financial support and volunteers are Boston College, Boston University, the Clean Charles Coalition, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northeastern University, Royal Sonesta Hotel and University of Massachusetts, Boston.

Volunteers also will be working at locations in Charlestown, Brookline, Brighton, Watertown, Waltham, Weston, Newton, Wellesley, Needham, S. Natick, Medway and Bellingham. Coordinating some cleanup sites will be the Charles River Norumbega to Nonantum Stream Team and the Cutler Park to Commonwealth Ave. Protection Group, groups of river activists.

Massachusetts Community Water Watch, an Americorps program now in its second year, is funded by the MASSPIRG Education Fund and Mass. Service Alliance. Its main objective is to protect and improve water quality in state waterways through stream monitoring, education and river cleanups. The statewide program is active at 15 university locations.

Charles River Watershed Association is celebrating its 35^th year of protecting the health, beauty, and accessibility of the Charles River and its tributaries. The environmental non-profit organization has played a prominent role in river cleanup and watershed protection efforts over the last three decades through advocacy, research, technical assistance, and education.

Groups or individuals interested in volunteering for any of the site cleanups should call Erica Wood at (617) 747-4372.