EPA Honors Fresno State’s WET Center

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Receives Environmental Award for Efficient Water Infrastructure

SAN FRANCISCO -The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Regional Administrator Jared Blumenfeld today recognized California State University, Fresno’s Water, Energy and Technology (WET) Center at an environmental award ceremony. The Pacific Southwest Region’s 2012 Efficient Water Infrastructure Award was presented at Fresno State to the WET Center’s David Zoldoske.

“EPA applauds Fresno State’s Water, Energy and Technology Center for serving as a research and development lab for efficient water technology,” Blumenfeld said. “This center demonstrates that academia and business can collaborate to develop and promote practical applications of new technologies.”

The WET Center at Fresno State is home to the Claude Laval Water and Energy Technology Incubator and testing facilities of the International Center for Water Technology (ICWT) to serve organizations that provide an entryway for entrepreneurs, innovators, and businesses to accelerate and commercialize their products within the San Joaquin Valley and globally. New water tech companies can use the WET Center’s hydraulic lab or confer with faculty and staff as advisors. The state-of-the-art WET lab is the newest offering from the ICWT which has been a center of product testing for irrigation and water flow technology products for over 30 years.

The WET Center is a 20,000 square-foot space located in the heart of the “Blue Tech Valley” of California, also known as the San Joaquin Valley. According to a WET Center brochure, the BlueTechValley is where “great ideas and concepts unite to launch businesses focused on global growth opportunities. Along with the water and energy nexus, there are four targeted sectors aligned with the WET Center: water technology, clean/renewable energy, air quality solutions, and agriculture technology.” More information about the WET Center can be found at: www.wetcenter.org. Also, more information may be found at www.Californiawater.org.

The EPA Pacific Southwest Region’s Environmental Awards program acknowledges commitments and significant contributions to protecting the environment in California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, Pacific Islands and tribal lands. Groups and individuals were selected from nominees received this year from businesses, government officials, tribes, media, academia, environmental organizations and community activists. For more information on the other 2012 award winners please visit: http://epa.gov/region9/awards.

Contact: Michael Ardito, 415-972-3081, ardito.michael@epa.gov

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