Chino, California – Since 2008, Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA/ Agency) and the City of Chino have hosted an annual two-day Earth Day event for students and the community to learn about water conservation and environmental stewardship through activities and demonstrations. On March 12, 2020, Governor Newsom issued an Executive Order in response to concerns about Coronavirus that directed all Californians to cancel large gatherings of more than 50 people. As a result, this year’s Earth Day event has been canceled.
The event is held annually in the Chino Creek Wetlands and Educational Park and features fun, hands-on and interactive activities for students and the public. Students, teachers and IEUA and Chino staff look forward to this event every year, and past events have brought more than 4,000 attendees to the park over the span of the two-day event. IEUA and the City of Chino take our responsibilities to protect the public’s health and our employees’ health very seriously, and social distancing is considered an effective method to prevent the spread of this virus.
The Earth Day event will be returning to the Chino Creek Wetlands and Educational Park next year. We encourage everyone to mark their calendars for April 21st (student day) and April 22nd (community day) and look forward to seeing you there in 2021.
“The collaboration between IEUA and the City of Chino has produced 11 consecutive, successful Earth Day events and we are disappointed that we are not able to host our event this year,” stated Kati Parker, IEUA Board President. “While there has been only one reported case in San Bernardino County to-date, our top priority is ensuring the safety of our students, teachers, employees, and the public.”
“While we are disappointed that we have to cancel Earth Day this year, the health and safety of our community is our top priority. We encourage students and the public to take the time to learn more about the history of Earth Day and look forward to the enjoying this event next year,” said Chino City Manager Matt Ballantyne.
The Inland Empire Utilities Agency covers 242-square miles, distributes imported water, provides industrial/municipal wastewater collection and treatment services, and other related utility services to more than 875,000 people through its member agencies which include Chino, Chino Hills, Cucamonga Valley Water District, Fontana, Fontana Water Company, Montclair, Monte Vista Water District, Ontario, and Upland. ieuadev.wpengine.com