SAN DIEGO, Oct. 6, 2010 – Sempra Energy Foundation today announced the recipients of its second Environmental Champions Awards, providing $1 million in grants to 50 non-profit organizations with programs that focus on environmental education.

        “These organizations are committed to developing educational programs to provide students with the knowledge and tools to protect and conserve our environment,” said Debra L. Reed, chairman of the Sempra Energy Foundation.  “We’re proud to honor and support these efforts.”

        Each of the 50 organizations, which hail from Southern California, Louisiana and Alabama, will be awarded grants ranging from $5,000 to $50,000.  The grants will support education programs with a focus on environmental stewardship and conservation.
  
        The Chula Vista Nature Center will use its grant to bring live animal encounters into underserved schools to increase awareness of local wildlife and habitats to promote environmental stewardship in San Diego.

        The Collaborative for High Performance Schools organization received a grant to implement a program to teach students green building concepts and practical application in the Los Angeles area.

        Keep Mobile Beautiful, Inc. will use its grant to further develop the Fantastic Plastic program in Mobile, Ala., which will educate students on the harmful effects of plastic in the waste stream, while encouraging volunteerism and environmental conservation.
 
        The full list of 2010 Environmental Champions award recipients is available at www.sempraenergyfoundation.org.
 
        The Sempra Energy Foundation is the 501(c)(3) private foundation of Sempra Energy, a Fortune 500 energy services holding company with 2009 revenues of more than $8 billion.  The Sempra Energy companies’ 13,800 employees serve more than 29 million consumers worldwide.
 
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