Outreach and Education Grant- River Keepers
River Keepers received a planning grant to investigate their role in decreasing the amount of toxic household chemicals and pharmaceuticals entering the Red River of the North.
This 24 year old Minnesota nonprofit organization advocates sustainable use of the Red River of the North. They work in water education, water quality, river safety, and river recreation and hold a youth water festival every year.
River Keepers received a planning grant to investigate their role in decreasing the amount of toxic household chemicals and pharmaceuticals entering the Red River of the North. They convened a project advisory committee, conducted an inventory of local options for pharmaceutical disposal and inventoried, media materials that support responsible pharmaceutical and household hazardous waste storage and disposal. This committee determined that little was known about CECs in local communities, and identified key audiences for outreach, as well as locations that could collect CECs. However, the committee also decided that baseline data about public knowledge on CECs needed to be gathered before any outreach or education activities could begin. Reducing CECs in this river is important as the Red River of the North is the primary source of municipal water for the communities of Moorhead and Dilworth, as well as numerous downstream communities.
$1,020,000 the first year and $1,020,000 the second year are for addressing public health concerns related to contaminants found in Minnesota drinking water for which no health-based drinking water standard exists.
Develop a plan for outreach and education activities that will increase use of household chemicals and pharmaceutical disposal sites during project duration as compared to previous use of same sites.
River Keepers developed an Advisory Committee coalition and brough that committee together for discussion and education on Contaminants of Emerging Concern.
Identified and contacted all local options for contaminants of emerging concern (CEC) reuse or disposal.
Identified local, regional, and national CEC outreach and education campaigns.
Developed list of local stakeholders (not on Advisory Committee).
Identified target audiences for CEC education campaign.