Dominion Celebrates Earth Day With $1.1 Million in Grants to Community-Based Environmental Projects

RICHMOND, Va., April 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Dominion Resources is contributing $1.1 million to community-based environmental projects and organizations in 11 states where it provides energy in celebration of the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day.

"Dominion's commitment to the environment has been longstanding, as evidenced by the nearly $3.5 billion we have invested in the last decade to reduce the impact of our operations on the air, water and land," said Thomas F. Farrell II, chairman, president and chief executive officer. "We also recognize the importance of the efforts of other likeminded organizations, so we are pleased to be able to partner with them through these grants to help protect endangered species, restore wetlands, preserve forests, educate the public and support environmental outreach."

The grants will be distributed to about 90 different environmental and conservation organizations in April for projects to be completed during the next several months. The majority of the grants are being made through Dominion's philanthropic arm, The Dominion Foundation. Other funding is being provided through corporate sponsorships.

For a complete list of all grants, please visit - http://www.dom.com/news/2010/pdf/one-million-env-grants.pdf

• In Virginia, where Dominion Virginia Power is the state's largest electric utility, the company is providing nearly $520,000 to 41 different organizations. Recipients include Ducks Unlimited, Trout Unlimited, Audubon Society, The Nature Conservancy, Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Friends of Chesterfield's Riverfront and Virginia Institute of Marine Science.

Projects include $25,000 for research and restoration efforts for endangered species of freshwater mussels in the rivers of Southwest Virginia, building rain barrels to raise money for outdoor environmental education facilities in Northern Virginia, and restoring a trout stream in Augusta County.

• In Pennsylvania, where Dominion Transmission operates a large natural gas storage-and-transmission system, The Dominion Foundation will provide five grants totaling $115,000. The Elk Country Visitors Center in Benezette will receive $50,000. The Western PA Conservancy in Blairesville will use a $35,000 grant to fund Watershed mini-grants.

• In New England, where the company's Millstone, Brayton Point, Salem Harbor and Manchester Street power stations make it the largest generator of electricity and it provides electricity in competitive retail markets through Dominion Retail, the foundation is providing more than $120,000 for 14 projects. The Long Island Sound Foundation in Groton, Conn., will receive $21,000 for the 2011 Long Island Sound Children's Calendar.  The Sea Research Foundation in Mystic, Conn, will receive $12,500 for "Faces of Our Planet Series 2010." In Massachusetts, the Boston Harbor Alliance will receive $17,500 for "Plays in the Park" on Georges Island.  The Roger Williams Zoo in Providence, R.I., will receive $10,000 to provide environmental education classes in urban core cities.

• Ohio environmental and conservation groups will receive $112,000 for 10 projects to be completed in 2010 in the Dominion East Ohio service area. Those projects include: Habitat for Humanity, $37,500 for the organization's ReStore programs in Cleveland, Akron, Canton, Youngstown, Lima and other areas, which recycle building materials and other products; and the Cleveland Zoological Society, $25,000 for its ZooBus Free Lunch program, which enables 17,000 children to participate in environmentally focused, science-based educational programs.

• West Virginia environmental organizations will receive $62,500 in grants for 10 projects, including $20,000 for the West Virginia Envriothon, a conservation education program and competition for students in grades 9 through 12.  The program encourages students to work as a team to acquire natural resource knowledge and critical thinking skills. Dominion units Dominion Hope Gas and Dominion Transmission operate in West Virginia.

• Also included in the giving program is $75,000 for the company's multi-state program "Project Plant It!" in support of National Arbor Day and $50,000 for "Putting Our Energy to Work for the Environment," Dominion's signature program that allows employees to volunteer their time to partner with environmental organizations on hands-on projects.

Earth Day, April 22, 2010, was first held in the United States in 1970 and is now celebrated worldwide with activities and events designed to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's environment, and focus attention on issues affecting its air, water and land.

The Earth Day environmental grants are part of Dominion's overall commitment to volunteerism and philanthropy. In 2009, the company and its charitable foundation gave more than $20 million. Recent large grants include more than $1 million in 2008 to food banks in 14 states and $1 million to non-profit health clinics last year. Also in 2009 the company provided $4 million to EnergyShare, a program it created to help people in need pay heating and cooling bills.

Dominion (NYSE: D) is one of the nation's largest producers and transporters of energy, with a portfolio of more than 27,500 megawatts of generation, 12,000 miles of natural gas transmission, gathering and storage pipeline and 6,000 miles of electric transmission lines.  Dominion operates the nation's largest natural gas storage system with 942 billion cubic feet of storage capacity and serves retail energy customers in 12 states. For more information about Dominion, visit the company's Web site at www.dom.com. 

SOURCE Dominion

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