Duquesne Light Company, Pittsburgh Penguins Clean & Protect Riverfront for Earth Day
On Earth Day, April 22, employees from Duquesne Light Company (DLC), the Pittsburgh Penguins and several other organizations got their hands dirty volunteering at the Three Rivers Heritage Trail along Pittsburgh’s riverfront. The event was organized in partnership with Friends of the Riverfront and supports DLC’s commitment to environmental stewardship and the Penguins Pledge, a sustainability initiative comprised of corporate and philanthropic partners.
More than 30 volunteers spent the day planting trees, picking up trash and conducting other trail maintenance and restoration in the North Side. Teams also removed invasive honeysuckle, which, left unchecked, can displace native plants and threaten the biodiversity necessary for insects and wildlife to thrive. DLC employees have participated in nearly 20 riverfront cleanup events since 2020.
“We’re grateful for the chance to once again roll up our sleeves and directly support the health and longevity of this valued regional asset and ensure it remains safe and accessible for everyone for decades to come,” said Angela Feldbauer, DLC’s manager of environmental, social and governance and corporate giving.
Once teeming with industry, the riverfront was reclaimed and revitalized starting in 1991 with the incorporation of Friends of the Riverfront, dedicated to building and maintaining the 33-mile Three Rivers Heritage Trail system. Today, more than a million people use the trails every year for recreation and exercise or as a greener way to commute — saving a potential 1,000 tons of CO2 emissions to support cleaner air.
The riverfront’s transformation is emblematic of the power of public-private partnerships, and Tuesday’s restoration event helped promote its ongoing success.
Friends of the Riverfront is also a prior microgrant recipient from DLC’s Community Impact Grants program, which awards grassroot projects and programs that directly support our customers and communities and further our mission of building a clean energy future for all.