Utah State University Office Awarded Grants to Improve Air Quality
USU staff and students meet with UCAIR's executive director last week to celebrate the organization’s accomplishments. From left to right: Dallon Smith, Kate Stephens, James Wirth, Dave Bastian, UCAIR Executive Director Ted Wilson, Emily Blake and Sean Damitz. Photo: Liz Sodja.
The Utah State University Center for Civic Engagement and Service-Learning was awarded two grants by the Utah Clean Air Partnership totaling $29,000 to reduce emissions and improve air quality.
The first award of $12,000 provides funding for a green electric vehicle to be used by USU Facilities and students through the Student Sustainability Office programs. The electric vehicle will be used to transport compostable waste to the industrial composter and student organic farm and to transport food waste recovered for the student food pantry through the Food Recovery Network.
The second award of $17,000 provides partial funding for the Utah Conservation Corps to purchase a Chevy Volt and retire an outdated truck from its vehicle fleet. The UCC will provide the remaining funds for the vehicle purchase and will install solar panels on the house that the organization manages to provide an emission-free source of fuel for the vehicle.
The awards are part of UCAIR’s Emissions Reduction Incentive Program. UCAIR is a statewide nonprofit organization with a mission to influence positive changes to improve air quality. UCAIR strives to make it easier for individuals, businesses and communities to make small changes to improve Utah’s air.
UCAIR staff will present the checks to CCESL staff at a ceremony Jan. 29 at noon in the USU Skyroom at the Taggart Student Center on the Logan campus.
More information on CCESL can be found at its website and more information on UCAIR can be found at its website.
Contact: Sean Damitz, Center for Civic Engagement and Service-Learning, (cell) 435-770-6104,
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