Colonial Donates $160,000 To Conservation In 2015

The Catawba River in South Carolina

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — This week, Colonial Pipeline made a $10,000 donation to the Catawba Riverkeepers. The Catawba RiverKeepers educate and advocate to protect the Catawba-Wateree River Basin’s lakes, rivers and streams in South Carolina for everyone who depends on and enjoys them. Colonial has supported this organization for many years. 

In March 2016, Colonial will host the Catawba Riverkeepers for a day of learning and engagement. The group will receive a facility tour of Colonial’s Charlotte facility and learn more about our operations. The group will also give Colonial employees a presentation on their mission and how industry and local residents can help protect the river ecosystem. The purpose of this engagement is to create more conversation between Colonial and conservation groups, as we share the same mission to protect the environment we share our pipeline with. 

This donation and dialogue is part of Colonial’s initiative to deliver on our values by supporting conservation groups in all 13 states we operate in. To date, Colonial has donated $160,000 in 2015 to various conservation groups that are active protecting the environment along our pipeline corridor. In 2015, volunteer and engagement activities with field and office employees have taken place with the Nature Conservancy of Louisiana, Nature Conservancy of Mississippi, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, Restore Earth Foundation, Chattahoochee Nature Center, Tri-State Bird Rescue and the Tennessee River Gorge. Activities are currently planned for early 2016 with the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, Nature Conservancy of Texas, Piedmont Land Trust (North Carolina) and Catawba Riverkeepers. 

New partnerships with organizations like Duck Unlimited of Alabama, the Alabama Wildlife Federation, Virginia Forever, Nature Conservancy of Maryland, Stroud Water Research Center (Pennsylvania) and the New York/​New Jersey Baykeeper are being finalized with the expectation that volunteer and engagement activities for our employees in each area will also be developed. As part of this initiative, just about all Colonial employees from Houston to New York will have the opportunity to learn more about a local conservation group and their work to protect our environment; show a local conservation group about Colonial’s operations and values, and volunteer to make a tangible impact in their local communities. 

Developing these relationships and getting all Colonial employees engaged with their local communities will not only help everyone understand how we can work together to protect the environment, but ultimately make us better operators and community partners.