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Business Wire
01-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Small Actions, Essential Impact: Essential Utilities Improves Communities During Month-Long 2025 Earth Day Celebration
BUSINESS WIRE)--Essential Utilities Inc. (NYSE: WTRG) successfully concluded its fourth annual Essential Earth Day, a 30-day campaign dedicated to environmental stewardship and community engagement. This year's effort resulted in record-breaking achievements, reaffirming Essential's commitment to protecting the environment and safeguarding natural resources. Donated nearly $1.2 million in grants supporting dozens of deserving organizations dedicated to sustainability and environmental improvement Empowered 450 employees to volunteer 1,500 hours across nearly 40 volunteer events Provided 306 employees with educational programs on sustainability, proper recycling techniques and waste prevention 'Environmental stewardship is core to the work we do at Essential, and it's especially evident as we celebrate our 5-year anniversary as Essential Utilities,' said Essential Utilities Chairman and CEO Chris Franklin. 'We take seriously our mission to protect and provide essential resources for life, and nothing demonstrates that goal more than our month-long recognition of Essential Earth Day. I'm incredibly proud of all of my Essential colleagues who donated their time and money to make a better future in the communities we serve. We are truly better together.' Employees throughout the company's nine-state footprint participated in a variety of volunteer activities, including: Cleaning up 185 bags of litter and other debris from alongside rivers, trails and roadways Removing invasive weeds and planting more than 11,000 trees and native wildflowers to improve habitat and beautify public spaces Constructing 160 raised beds for low-income families to grow their own produce. Cleaning a lake bottom to protect water quality in a community park Setting up a rock and mineral education program for youth Building duck nesting boxes to help mallard conservation efforts Hosting a collection drive to keep clothing out of landfills and provide for families in need These volunteer efforts from Essential employees are crucial in supporting local environmental organizations and our communities at large. 'We are delighted to celebrate Earth Day with volunteers from Aqua Pennsylvania,' said Natural Lands President Oliver Bass. 'Their hard work planting native species will help improve habitat in the floodplain along Crum Creek. Their day's work will offer benefits for decades to come. We are so grateful for their efforts.' "Nature grows, and there's a constant need to maintain the park spaces that benefit our community,' said Erin Tobin, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy Assistant Director of Community Engagement. 'We are grateful for the support from Peoples and the Essential Foundation to help us continue our work across the city of Pittsburgh.' Small Actions, Essential Impact Essential Earth Day is part of the company's comprehensive commitment to the environment and the communities it serves. Since the initiative launched in 2022, Essential has donated $2.9 million and more than 1,820 employees have participated in 150 events, logging more than 6,500 hours to support environmental causes, including litter cleanups, reforestation projects and other conservation efforts. The company remains dedicated to providing high-quality water, reliable natural gas service, and fostering a sustainable future for generations to come. Essential's impact to the environment recently resulted in the company's recognition in USA Today's 2025 List of America's Climate Leaders. See how our small actions made an essential impact in this year's recap video. About Essential Utilities Essential Utilities, Inc. (NYSE:WTRG) delivers safe, reliable services that improve quality of life for individuals, families and entire communities. With a focus on water, wastewater and natural gas, Essential is committed to sustainable growth, operational excellence, a superior customer experience and premier employer status. We are advocates for the communities we serve, donating more than $4 million from the Essential Foundation each year, and are dedicated stewards of natural lands, protecting more than 7,600 acres of forests and other habitats throughout our footprint. Operating as the Aqua and Peoples brands, Essential serves approximately 5.5 million people across 9 states. Essential is one of the most significant publicly traded water, wastewater service and natural gas providers in the U.S. Learn more at
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Where were you the day the April 5, 2024 earthquake shook the Lower Hudson Valley?
Where were you during the earthquake of April 5, 2024? Were you driving on the Hutch, or racing over to Indian Rock to see if the rumors it had split (even more) were true? Take a look back with us as we explore memories of the day that rattled Westchester, Rockland and Putnam — literally. A 4.8-magnitude earthquake hit the New York City area the morning of April 5, 2024, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The epicenter of the quake was just north of Lebanon, New Jersey, and had a depth of 6.2 miles. An hour later, an aftershock measuring at a magnitude of 2.0 occurred in the area of Bedminster, NJ. 'Understandably, this is an unnerving experience, but Westchester County appears to have no ongoing emergencies due to the earthquake," George Latimer, then Westchester County Executive, said after the quake. "While the earthquake was prolonged and noticeable, it is not dissimilar to what we have experienced in the past with other earthquakes." Indian Rock, a massive glacial rock formation, sits in a fenced-off area in the parking lot of Indian Rock Plaza on Route 59 and Hemion Road in Rockland County. While Indian Rock has always had a crack through its middle, rumors circulated online that the April 5, 2024 earthquake actually made the split worse. Even law enforcement was prompted to do an investigation after receiving phone calls. Ramapo police reviewed past and current photos and other documents and ceased their investigation. "There's no more damage of the rock," Det. Lt. Chris Franklin said that day. After the initial quake on April 5, 2024, a cascade of aftershocks shook areas of New York from the Lower Hudson Valley to Long Island, starting with a 4.0-magnitude aftershock 37 miles west of New York City in New Jersey. New York City's emergency notification system alerted residents to the aftershock minutes later, urging people to remain indoors and call 911 if injured. There were 22 aftershocks reported from 11:20 a.m. April 5, 2024 through 1:07 a.m. the next day. Contributing: Lohud's Alexandra Rivera, Nancy Cutler This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: April 2024 Lower Hudson Valley NY earthquake: Where were you?
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Yahoo
Ramapo police arrest two men from Rockland in connection with Walmart bomb threat
Ramapo police have arrested two men from Rockland County in connection with a bomb threat made against a Walmart in Airmont on Sunday, March 9. Ramapo Police Lt. Chris Franklin said in a news release Wednesday, March 12, that Francky Charles, 21, of Spring Valley, and Roosevelt Depas, 22, of Nyack, were arrested and charged with making a terroristic threat, a category D felony. Both were arraigned before Village of Airmont Justice Alan Straus and released without bail pending future court appearances, Franklin said. According to the news release, Charles and Depas allegedly entered the Walmart at around 7:15 p.m. Sunday and informed employees that they had a bomb and left shortly after, prompting a temporary evacuation of the store. Authorities subsequently searched the Walmart, using K9s that specialized in explosive detection. No explosives were found. After an investigation, police were able to identify the two suspects, who were arrested Wednesday. Ramapo police were assisted in the investigation by the FBI, New York State and Rockland County intelligence centers, Rockland County Crime Analysis Center, Rockland County Sheriff's Office Bureau of Criminal Investigation and K9 Unit, as well as the Clarkstown Police Department K9 Unit. The Irvington Fire Department and Irvington police responded to calls of a potential bomb threat at the Ardsley Country Club on Saturday, March 8. No explosive devices were found, and the scene was deemed safe. The Journal News/lohud has reached out to the Irvington Police Department for updates on the Ardsley investigation. Whether the threats in Ramapo and Ardsley were related was unclear as of Thursday morning. (This story may update.) Contributing: Lohud's Alexandra Rivera This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Ramapo NY police make arrests in Suffern Walmart bomb threat case
