H2Ohio Rivers Program Provides More Than $80,000 to Support River Cleanups

Photos and story courtesy of H2Ohio initiative & Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR)

COLUMBUS, Ohio – As part of Governor Mike DeWine’s H2Ohio initiative, Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Director Mary Mertz announced today nearly $87,000 in grant funding will be awarded to 12 liveries across the state of Ohio to support river clean ups.

The funds will be awarded through the H2Ohio Healthy Rivers Livery Grant, which provides up to $10,000 to a livery for cleanup supplies, special waste disposal, and event promotion. The program supports livery owners in removing trash from rivers and addressing long-standing cleanup needs.

"Canoe liveries are uniquely equipped to partner with us on H2Ohio’s mission to keep our rivers clean,” said Governor DeWine. “Ohioans can enjoy time outdoors with family and friends, paddle down the river, and take pride in helping to preserve our beautiful waters.”

The program has seen continued success with liveries and volunteers, multiple liveries continuing clean-up efforts this year to host additional clean ups. Volunteers will float across almost 200 miles of river across the state over the course of 48 scheduled clean ups this year. They are expected to remove more than 20,000 pounds of trash are from Ohio’s waterways.

“The grant program does a fantastic job connecting livery owners with people who care deeply about the health of their local waterways,” said ODNR Director Mary Mertz. “By being good stewards of the outdoors, we can ensure that these special places will be enjoyed for decades to come.”

River clean ups will occur at locations in Adams, Warren, Montgomery, Greene, Stark, Hocking, Paulding, Hamilton, Summit, and Clermont counties. For more information about participating in a river clean up, please contact Adam.Lanzillotta@dnr.ohio.gov.

The H2Ohio Healthy Rivers Livery Grant promotes clean water and rivers across Ohio while fostering meaningful partnerships with liveries. Livery owners and their staff spend countless hours on their home waters supporting healthy and safe recreational use of Ohio’s natural resources. This grant opportunity enables livery owners to remove larger types of trash to support water quality, public health, habitat opportunities, and educational programming on their local river. To apply, canoe livery owners can visit the H2Ohio Rivers Livery Grant website. Livery owners should review the grant eligibility guidance before beginning a grant application.

The H2Ohio Healthy Rivers Livery Grant provides up to $10,000 to a livery for cleanup supplies, special waste disposal, and event promotion, such as this cleanup hosted by Canal Fulton Canoe Livery.

The businesses and river systems that received grant awards this year are:

• MoonDoggie LIVERee, Ohio River & Ohio Brush Creek ($6,240)
• Little Miami Yak Shack LLC, Little Miami River ($8,450)
• Little Miami Watershed Network, Little Miami River ($10,000)
• Canal Fulton Canoe Livery, Inc., Tuscarawas River ($9,992)
• Hocking Hills Adventures, Hocking River ($7,300)
• Auglaize Canoe & Kayak, Auglaize & Blanchard rivers ($10,000)
• Little Miami River Outfitters, Little Miami & Great Miami rivers ($4,750)
• Paddle the River, LLC, Cuyahoga and Mahoning rivers ($10,000)
• Schack’s Yaks, Ohio River & Mill Creek ($8,900)
• Taiters Kayak, Stillwater, Mad, and Great Miami rivers ($4,790)
• Water’s Edge Canoe Livery, Paint Creek ($4,048)
• Adventures on the Great Miami, Great Miami River ($2,070)

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