Pocatello, Idaho, is advancing a project to revitalize the city’s Portneuf River corridor through enhancements that will promote ecosystem health and water recreation.rnThe city recently completed additional public access points and has plans for riverfront parks, hike-and-bike trails, and streambank restoration to aid water quality.rnstrong>Marathon Petroleum’s midstream segment, MPLX, provided a $20,000 grant and employee volunteer support to help complete the newest access points.rnrnThe Portneuf River flows for 111 miles through southeastern Idaho and Pocatello, which is celebrating further progress toward revitalizing the river corridor to benefit the environment, wildlife and residents. The City of Pocatello recently marked the completion of its eighth river access point, expanding opportunities for public recreation that previously haven’t been available.rnrn“All the access points include parking areas and concrete planks for launching kayaks, canoes, paddleboards and tubes,” said the City of Pocatello’s Science & Environment Administrator Hannah Sanger. “The community has been super excited and has been getting out on the water more and more.”rnrnThe public access points are the first completed elements of a comprehensive revitalization plan that resulted from a 2016 river vision study. It incorporated input from thousands of residents whose top priorities were creating recreational access and strengthening the health of the river’s ecosystem. Over the next several years, other planned improvements include riverfront parks, hike-and-bike trails, wetland development and streambank restoration to enhance the quality and quantity of water flowing into the river from upstream tributaries.rnrnAlong with federal funding and other public resources, support has come from companies with ties to the region such as Marathon Petroleum’s midstream segment, MPLX. A $20,000 MPLX grant helped purchase materials for constructing the river access points, and MPLX employees joined other community volunteers to build fencing around parking areas at access points.rnrnMPLX employee volunteers helped build fencing around parking areas that are part of the new public access points along the Portneuf River. rnrn“With our operations around Pocatello and across Idaho, many of our employees feel a connection to this project and can understand the tremendous benefits it will bring to the environment and quality of life in the area,” said MPLX Senior Stakeholder Engagement Representative Dean Adam. “In a state that’s linked to the outdoors as strongly as Idaho, we are proud to help advance this initiative.” rnrnWhile community interest in restoring the river launched the revitalization effort, Sanger noted that continuing the public-private collaboration that has developed will be necessary to move it across the finish line. rnrn“This is crucial to the success of the project. Otherwise, we just couldn’t fund it,” Sanger said. rnrn
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