History of VEE

HISTORY OF VIRGINIA ENVIRONMENTAL ENDOWMENT

Virginia Environmental Endowment, a nonprofit, independent corporation, came about in a unique way: by court order. In February 1977, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Allied Chemical Corporation was fined $13.2 million for polluting the James River with the insecticide Kepone. With the approval of Judge Robert R. Merhige Jr., a portion of this fine -- $8 million -- was paid by Allied to fund the creation of Virginia Environmental Endowment for the purpose of improving the quality of Virginia's environment.

Between 1981 and 1991 VEE received another $1.4 million in court settlements paid by the FMC Corporation, Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corporation, IR International, Inc., and Hauni Richmond, Inc. The FMC funds expanded the Endowment's work in Virginia and beyond into the Kanawha River and Ohio River Valleys.

For over thirty years the Endowment has honored its innovative creation by funding imaginative people working effectively to improve the quality of the environment.

During fiscal year 2010, the Board of Directors approved 26 grants totaling $247,951. When combined with matching funds, grants awarded by VEE since 1977 to a wide variety of organizations represent an investment of almost $68 million in environmental improvement.


	HISTORY OF VIRGINIA ENVIRONMENTAL ENDOWMENT Virginia Environmental Endowment, a nonprofit, independent corporation, came about in a unique way: by court order. In February 1977, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Allied Chemical Corporation was fined $13.2 million for polluting the James River with the insecticide Kepone. With the approval of Judge Robert R. Merhige Jr., a portion of this fine -- $8 million -- was paid by Allied to fund the creation of Virginia Environmental Endowment for the purpose of improving the quality of Virginia's environment. Between 1981 and 1991 VEE received another $1.4 million in court settlements paid by the FMC Corporation, Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corporation, IR International, Inc., and Hauni Richmond, Inc. The FMC funds expanded the Endowment's work in Virginia and beyond into the Kanawha River and Ohio River Valleys. For over thirty years the Endowment has honored its innovative creation by funding imaginative people working effectively to improve the quality of the environment. During fiscal year 2010, the Board of Directors approved 26 grants totaling $247,951. When combined with matching funds, grants awarded by VEE since 1977 to a wide variety of organizations represent an investment of almost $68 million in environmental improvement.
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