The Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation recently awarded $1.5 million in environmental stewardship grants to support 115 community-based organizations, including nine in North Carolina, that work to create a cleaner, greener world and teach citizens young and old to better care for the outdoors, including one on Roanoke Island.

“Ensuring the public has access to safe green space for recreation, relaxation, and respite is more important than ever before. Our new preserve will provide our community free access to miles of walking trails, streams and river frontage,” said Jessica Sheffield, executive director of the Eno River Association. “We are so grateful to Dominion Energy’s partnership on this project which will help alleviate pressure on nearby parks, preserve our natural resources and educate the public on the importance of environmental,”

The competitive grants support education and stewardship projects that preserve, enhance or make nature more accessible. Some of this year’s grants include support for:

• ENO River Association, Durham, to help prepare a new nature preserve for opening to the public in January 2023 by supporting the creation of important amenities such as a parking lot, hiking trails and signage.
• The Elizabethan Gardens, Manteo, to complete their Plants with a Purpose educational landscape to serve local schools.
• Trout Unlimited, Bryson City, to increase ecosystem function of the Alarka Creek by removing and replacing a derelict stream crossing that is blocking the movement of brook trout.
• The Partnership for Children of Lincoln and Gaston Counties, Dallas to fund the Fueling the Future project that aims to teach children about energy conservation and stewardship practices.

“Protecting the planet and instilling a passion for the environment to future generations takes a village,” said Rusty Harris, vice president and general manager of Dominion Energy North Carolina’s natural gas business. “Our support for these nonprofit partners across the Tar Heel State is a part of our shared responsibility to ensure we can enjoy our natural resources today and tomorrow.”

The full list of 2021 Environmental Stewardship Grants and additional program information are available at https://www.dominionenergy.com/envirogrants. Over e last 16 years, the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation has donated over $38 million to a wide variety of environmental projects across its footprint.

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