The Georgia Pacific Foundation has contributed $1,000 to Save the Illinois River, Inc. (STIR) for 2005. The announcement was made by Gill Luton, public relations manager for Georgia Pacific in Muskogee.
"We are very pleased to continue our support of what we feel is an important organization that is doing some very important work in protecting the Illinois River and Lake Tenkiller," Luton said. "We hope STIR is able to more forward in keeping the Illinois River and Oklahoma's other scenic streams clean."
STIR Vice President Ed Fite of Tahlequah said Georgia Pacific Foundation is a steadfast supporter. He said the funding will be used to improve communication with STIR members and stakeholders in the Illinois River and Tenkiller Lake watersheds. Improvements in STIR's website, www.illinoisriver.org, will be possible thanks to the Georgia Pacific contribution he said.
STIR is a not-for-profit conservation organization chartered for the protection of the Illinois River, it's tributaries, and Tenkiller Lake. STIR was founded by Tahlequah residents in the early 1980s. STIR joined with Oklahoma to win an important United States Supreme Court decision that upstream states must meet the water quality standards of downstream states.
STIR played a major part in adoption of Oklahoma's phosphorus limit for scenic rivers. Currently the organization is working to support Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson to protect the Illinois River and Tenkiller Lake from excess chicken manure.
