Funds earmarkedfor conservation
Washington County farmers and landowners in part of the West Fork and White River watershed can now apply for funds to match their conservation efforts, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Farmers and landowners in the service's Regional Conservation Partnership Program project area have until June 15 to apply for the funding.
People can apply at any time for Environmental Quality Incentives Program funding, but money is released in batches. To be considered for the current batch of funding, the USDA must receive the application by June 15, the release states.
More information is available at http://www.ar.nrcs.usda.gov/ or by contacting local USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service field service centers.
Agency honors3 firms, student
The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality have recognized three companies and a high school student during its annual environmental awards, the department announced.
Clearwater Paper's Cypress Bend location won the Arkansas Environmental Stewardship Award for $5.6 million in improvements to its paper mill's performance that reduced solid waste by 67,000 tons per year, used less water and cut annual electricity usage by 23.5 million kilowatt hours, according to a department news release.
The Arkansas Environmental Technology Award went to Husqvarna Group, which produces outdoor power products. The company installed a 1.4-megawatt solar array at its Nashville facility and expects to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 33,189 metric tons per year as a result.
Entergy Arkansas won the Energy Excellence Award for its Home Energy Solutions program, which installed Wi-Fi-connected thermostats in customers' homes to reduce energy usage while the homeowners are away. The utility has installed more than 4,000 since 2016.
Little Rock Central High School student Anusha Bhattacharyya won the ADEQuest Science Award for her project "economically and efficiently" removing oil from water using a "Hot Water Treatment." As part of the award, Central High's science program will get $500 and Anusha will get $500 to go toward her education.
Electronics haula recycling record
An electronics recycling drive in Pulaski County collected 116 tons of material in April, recycling officials announced last week.
The Regional Recycling and Waste Reduction District, a state regional solid waste management district that operates only in Pulaski County, held its biannual drive at Verizon Arena in North Little Rock on April 23 and 24.
The collection amount is a record. The fall electronics drive took in 71 tons of materials.
The drive this spring began and ended one hour earlier than previous drives, lasting from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. The change was intended to attract more people before they go to work, district Executive Director Craig Douglass told the district's board earlier this year.
Since 2004, the district has collected nearly 7 million tons of electronics, according to a district news release.
Pulaski County residents can drop off recycling year-round at the district's five drop-off stations, the locations and schedules of which can be found at MyDoRight.com.
Metro on 05/13/2019