The City of Santa Clarita will host the 18th annual River Rally Clean-up and Environmental Expo on Saturday, September 22, 2012 from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. The river clean-up event will involve removing trash from the Santa Clara River at 18386 Soledad Canyon Road, between Whites Canyon and the State Route 14.

New to this year’s clean-up is the need for organizations and community volunteers to pre-register in order to participate.  Volunteers can register via the GreenSantaClarita.com website or by calling the River Rally hotline at (661) 284-1415.  The deadline to sign-up to participate is Friday, September 14, 2012.

“Protecting our natural resources is everyone’s responsibility and River Rally is a great way to get residents of all ages involved,” says Mayor Frank Ferry.  “Since 1994, volunteers have helped preserve our quality of life by removing more than 360,000 pounds of trash from the Santa Clara River and its tributaries.”

All participating volunteers must wear closed-toe shoes, appropriate clothing for walking in the riverbed, and plenty of sunscreen.  Gloves, collection bags, and refreshments will be provided to participants, and the first 1,200 volunteers will receive a commemorative giveaway.

In addition to the River Rally Clean-up, an Environmental Expo will be held featuring different ways to preserve the environment.  Attendees can gather information about recycling, air quality, pollution prevention, water quality, open space preservation, and wildlife conservation programs in Santa Clarita.

River Rally Clean-up is an important annual event, bringing together thousands of Santa Clarita residents.  Almost half of the Santa Clarita Valley’s water supply comes through the Santa Clara River as well as being home to 14 endangered bird species, six endangered plant species, 57 archeological sites, and 12 historical landmarks.

For more information on the 18th annual River Rally and Environmental Expo or to complete the required pre-registration forms, call the River Rally hotline at (661) 284-1415 or visit GreenSantaClarita.com.