Gift will support Candy Mountain Preserve project
RICHLAND, Washington, June 5, 2015—Bechtel National, Inc. provided a $100,000 gift to the Friends of Badger Mountain to help create a preserve on Candy Mountain in Richland.
Friends of Badger Mountain is a group of area residents dedicated to preserving and maintaining the ridges and natural habitat in the Mid-Columbia region for the benefit of the general public and the environment. The Bechtel donation, which will be paid out over three years, will support FOBM’s campaign to raise $1.5 million to purchase land and construct a trail to the summit of Candy Mountain. Bechtel also will provide a granite marker at the new trailhead.
“Bechtel’s very generous donation to the Friends of Badger Mountain is a major contribution to our community's economic growth and quality of life that will last for generations,” said Sharon Grant, FOBM co-founder. “By this giant step, FOBM will be able to preserve and provide access to Candy Mountain and make a major addition to our intent to establish a system of trails that will connect across our four local ridges."
A global leader in the engineering and construction industry, Bechtel has a corporate commitment to enhancing the communities in which it works through charitable contributions and personal stewardship.
“Preserving the land at Candy Mountain is an exciting addition to our legacy stewardship projects that will provide lasting benefits to the Tri-Cities,” said Peggy McCullough, project director for Bechtel’s Waste Treatment Plant Project. “The trail is a natural extension of our work at Hanford to protect the Columbia River. We want everyone to enjoy the beautiful view of the river from the Candy Mountain summit for years to come.”
Other Bechtel legacy projects in the Tri-Cities include the Hanford REACH Interpretive Center, the Bechtel Planetarium at Columbia Basin College, the Family Fishing Pond, and the Playground of Dreams.
The donation will be made at a public celebration at Trailhead Park (525 Queensgate Dr.) in Richland today at 11 a.m. The event will celebrate 10 years of FOBM success at Badger Mountain and highlight future plans for Candy Mountain. For more information about the event, visit www.friendsofbadger.org.
About Bechtel:
Bechtel is among the most respected engineering, project management, and construction companies in the world. We stand apart for our ability to get the job done right—no matter how big, how complex, or how remote. Bechtel operates through four global business units that specialize in infrastructure; mining and metals; nuclear, security and environmental; and oil, gas, and chemicals. Since its founding in 1898, Bechtel has worked on more than 25,000 projects in 160 countries on all seven continents. Today, our 53,000 colleagues team with customers, partners, and suppliers on diverse projects in nearly 40 countries. www.bechtel.com
At Hanford, Bechtel is designing and building the world’s largest radioactive waste treatment plant for the U.S. Department of Energy at the Hanford Site in southeastern Washington state. The Waste Treatment Plant, also known as the Vit Plant, will immobilize the radioactive liquid waste stored in 177 underground tanks using a process called vitrification. For more information about the Vit Plant, visit www.hanfordvitplant.com.