Fourth Annual "Canal Clean Sweep" Event Listing Available

The Fourth Annual Canal Clean Sweep, scheduled to take place April 17-19, 2009, is comprised of more than 85 clean-up events in communities throughout the New York State Canal System corridor. Canal Clean Sweep is sponsored by the New York State Canal Corporation, Parks and Trails New York, the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC), and the New York State Consumer Protection Board (CPB) in preparation for the upcoming 184th canal navigation season and in recognition of Earth Day 2009. The complete event listing, organized by county, can be found on Parks and Trails New York's website, www.ptny.org, by clicking on Canal Clean Sweep.

The Canal Clean Sweep events will highlight the significance of the Canal System as a recreational and tourism destination in New York State as communities, businesses and not-for-profit organizations engage in cleanup and beautification activities along the Canal and the Canalway Trail.

New to this year's event, the CPB will kick off Canal Clean Sweep by providing consumers with an opportunity to do a "clean sweep" of their personal records, discs, CDs and DVDs and at the same time help the environment by hosting a free public Shredding Day on April 17, 2009. The CPB has arranged for Confidata of Utica, NY, to provide its secure shredding services free of charge. The event will be held in the parking lot beside Aqua Vino Restaurant and Banquets at 16 Harbor Lock Rd. in Utica from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Shredding is a reliable way of safely and properly disposing of documents containing personally identifiable information that, if discarded improperly, could be a conduit to identity theft.

Carmella R. Mantello, Director of the Canal Corporation, said, "The Canal Clean Sweep continues to grow in its fourth year, with more than 85 quality events planned by communities, not-for profits, and businesses throughout the canal corridor. This annual event brings thousands of volunteers together to help spruce up the Canal System, including our parks and trails, and helps lay out the welcome mat for visitors to canal communities this season. The Canal Corporation is proud to work with our many partners to help make this annual event a success. Through the Canal Clean Sweep and Connecting the Drops campaign, we want to remind New Yorkers that the pollution that drops on roads, parking lots, or other areas can eventually reach our waterways. We can all work together to prevent pollution and keep our waters clean."

Robin Dropkin, Executive Director of Parks and Trails New York, said, "The fact that the Canal Clean Sweep has grown so significantly in just its fourth year is evidence that local pride in the Canal and Canalway Trail is high and the spirit of volunteerism is alive and well across New York State. In these challenging economic times, it also speaks to the importance of both the canal and the trail, which are growing in prominence as a world-class tourism destination, as close-to-home recreational resources for local residents and all New Yorkers. This has happened because of the enthusiasm and commitment of the many participating local businesses, civic organizations, student groups, trail adopters, and other volunteers who make things happen in their communities. Everyone who celebrates Earth Day 2009 by taking part in the Canal Clean Sweep can be proud of making a difference locally while also contributing to a broader effort. We are pleased to be part of this unique partnership with the NYS Canal Corporation and local communities. We also look forward to joining with many of these same groups as part of the annual Canalway Trail Celebration on National Trails Day (June 6)."

Matthew Millea, Acting President of the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation, said, "EFC's core mission is to protect and preserve our state's invaluable water resources and we are thrilled to once again partner with the Canal Corporation, Parks and Trails New York, and the New York State Consumer Protection Board to promote the 4th annual Canal Clean Sweep program. The Clean Sweep Program is a tremendous opportunity for EFC to join with our partners in state government and the environmental community to improve the aesthetics of our canal system and to promote water conservation and pollution prevention."

Mindy A. Bockstein, Chairperson and Executive Director of the New York State Consumer Protection Board, said, "The expansion of the Clean Sweep event to more than 85 sites along the entire route of the canal illustrates that New Yorkers are more environmentally conscious than ever before. Governor Paterson has asked all of us to work together to build a safer, cleaner and better State, and the CPB is pleased to do its part as a member of the Canal Clean Sweep team. In celebration of Earth Day, and to help protect consumers against the threat of identity theft, I am encouraging New Yorkers to dispose of their personal documents by shredding them and urging all those in the Utica area to join us. We greatly appreciate the support of Confidata of Utica in helping the CPB provide a safe, environmentally-conscious way for people to clean out their files."

The Canal Corporation, Parks and Trails New York, EFC, and CPB are providing tee shirts, garbage bags, consumer information and bottled water for all groups organizing Clean Sweep events and are also arranging for trash pickup following each of the events. Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own gloves and supplies and wear comfortable clothing and shoes.

Connecting the Drops is a public outreach campaign of the New York State Thruway Authority and Canal Corporation. The goal of this outreach is to remind New Yorkers that water connects us all, and that what we drop in the environment can reach water bodies and put aquatic life, recreation, and even drinking water at risk. The Connecting the Drops effort includes educating motorists and boaters, as well as Authority/Corporation employees, that use the Thruway and Canal System.

The New York State Canal System is comprised of four historic waterways, the Erie, the Champlain, the Oswego and the Cayuga-Seneca Canals. Spanning 524 miles across New York State, the waterway links the Hudson River, Lake Champlain, Lake Ontario, the Finger Lakes and the Niagara River with communities rich in history and culture.

Parks and Trails New York is the only statewide nonprofit organization working to expand, protect and promote a network of parks, trails and open space across New York State for all to enjoy. Its work includes advocacy, outreach, technical assistance to communities, bicycle tourism promotion, and bicycle tours such as Cycling the Erie Canal. For more information on the programs administered by Parks and Trails New York, please visit www.ptny.org.

EFC is a public benefit corporation dedicated to promoting environmental quality through a wide range of funding and technical assistance programs focused on protecting, improving and restoring New York State's natural resources. EFC's largest programs are its highly successful Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, which together have provided more than $11 billion in low-cost financing and grants for projects that provide New Yorkers with safe drinking water and help protect the quality of our precious water resources. EFC also administers the State's Clean Vessel Assistance Program (CVAP), which was established to protect and improve water quality in New York's navigable waterways, including the canal system. CVAP provides grants to assist marinas, municipalities and not-for-profit organizations install pumpout and dump station facilities that receive sanitary waste from recreational marine vessels.

For information on the programs administered by EFC, please visit www.nysefc.org.

The CPB, established in 1970 by the New York State Legislature, is the State's top consumer watchdog and think tank. In addition to the online complaint form, the website is home to important consumer safety information and resources. The CPB's core mission is to protect New Yorkers by publicizing unscrupulous and questionable business practices and product recalls; conducting investigations and hearings; enforcing the "Do Not Call Law"; researching issues; developing legislation; creating consumer education programs and materials; responding to individual marketplace complaints by securing voluntary agreements; and, representing the interests of consumers before the Public Service Commission and other State and federal agencies.

For more information about identity theft prevention and mitigation and other consumer-oriented issues, or to file a consumer complaint with the CPB, consumers may call the Agency's toll-free hotline at 800-697-1220 or visit CPB's website at www.nysconsumer.gov.

A list of planned Clean Sweep events is updated regularly on the Parks & Trails NY website at www.ptny.org. To participate, or to verify dates, times and meeting locations of specific events, please contact the individual organizations listed.

For more information regarding events, recreation and vacation opportunities along the New York State Canal System, please visit www.nyscanals.gov or call 1-800-4CANAL4.

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