Trending
STEUBENVILLE -- Due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Ohio River Sweep has been postponed to 2021, with a date to be determined.
The news came Friday from Lisa Cochran, spokesperson for the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission.
"The concerns associated with the coronavirus at any social event were simply not worth the risk at this time," Cochran stated in a release. "The safety of the coordinators and volunteers is the first priority of the program."
E. Louise Holliday, the Jefferson County environmental educator with the J.B. Green Team, said she was disappointed but understood the concerns.
"It was due to how it (COVID-19) started creeping back up again," Holliday said. "We feel real bad about having to cancel it, but what can we do about it?"
The 2020 effort was delayed once before, and organizers then opted to cancel this years event.
"I am disappointed to postpone the event again, of course. I appreciate that you rescheduled your Ohio River Sweep. I appreciate that you recruited volunteers and promoted the event," Cochran said.
The move was made after ORSANCO and the Foundation for Ohio River Education officials consulted with state and regional leadership.
Since 1948, ORSANCO and its member states have cooperated to improve water quality in the Ohio River Basin, ensuring the river can be used for drinking, industrial supplies and recreational purposes and can support a healthy and diverse aquatic community.
ORSANCO operates monitoring programs to check for pollutants and toxins that may interfere with specific uses of the river, and member states include Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, New York, Virginia and West Virginia.