Campaign for Clean Air Fund-raising Effort Off to Good Start

Twelve companies or foundations have contributed a total of $121,600 to the Center for the Environment’s Campaign for Clean Air. The Center must raise an additional $150,400 in matching funds to secure a grant from the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

If the matching dollars are secured, the NCDOT will reimburse the Center for 80 percent of the four-year $1.2-million air quality improvement initiative designed to address the significant air quality issues affecting our region.

 Campaign for Clean Air sponsors to date include the Blanche and Julian Robertson Family Foundation, the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, Food Lion, Duke Energy Foundation, F&M Bank, Power Curbers, N∙Focus, Caniche, Global Contact Services, the First United Church of Christ Foundation, Square D and the Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation. Sponsor gifts range from $1,000 to $25,000 with the average gift slightly more than $11,000.

“We are most grateful to these sponsors,” says Jay Laurens, the Center’s director of resource development. “They clearly understand the importance of clean air to the health of our citizens and the health of our local economy. These generous gifts reflect their endorsement of the Center and its efforts.”

The American Lung Association’s current State of the Air Report ranks Rowan County as the 13th worst county or parish in the nation for ground-level ozone concentration levels. Of the twelve counties ranked worse than Rowan, 10 are in California and two are in Texas. The average population of the 12 is nearly two million citizens. Rowan has a population of 130,000.

“The fact that our ozone pollution levels are comparable to some of the most urbanized, densely populated counties in the nation should be of concern to all of us,” says John Wear, Center executive director. “Through the Campaign for Clean Air, we hope to educate and empower our citizens to address this important issue.”

If you are interested in being a sponsor of the Campaign for Clean Air, please contact Jay Laurens at 704-637-4295.