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EPA Presents Environmental Merit Awards to Six in New Hampshire

Release Date: 04/22/1999
Contact Information: Amy Miller, EPA Press Office (617-918-1042)

BOSTON - Six individuals and organizations from New Hampshire were honored today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for their contributions to the environment.

The New Hampshire winners were among 39 recipients from around New England that received Environmental Merit Awards at an Earth Day ceremony at Faneuil Hall. The awards, given out since 1970, are awarded to individuals and groups who have shown particular ingenuity and commitment in their efforts to preserve the environment. This year's competition drew more than 80 applications.

"Today we celebrate the efforts of a group of people who have gone above and beyond to make the air, water and land cleaner and safer for years to come," said John P. DeVillars, EPA's New England Administrator. "All those who received awards, as well as those who were nominated, stand as models for how each of us can make a difference in protecting our environment."

The six winners from New Hampshire were:

Sarah Pillsbury, NH Dept of Environmental Services
Pillsbury has been outstanding as director of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services' Drinking Water Source Protection Program. Under her supervision, the Source Water Assessment Protection Plan was nominated by EPA-New England as the best in the region. Pillsbury also implemented New Hampshire's Comprehensive State Ground Water Protection Program, one of the first four state programs in the country to win EPA endorsement. This program led to 85 percent of the state's water systems having protection programs in place, compared to a national goal of 50 percent.

Boscawen Selectmen (Thomas Danko, Douglas Supry. Ted Houston and Rene Bollengier)
The Selectmen of Boscawen worked with EPA and the NH Department of Environmental Services to bring about a cost-effective solution to the complex environmental problems involved in the cleanup of the Queen Street Dump and the associated closure of the Corn Hill Road Landfill. This was an excellent example of where the will and resources of federal, state and local governments converged to address past disposal practices. About 22,000 tons of chromium-contaminated tannery wastes were excavated from Queen Street Dump and transported to the Corn Hill Landfill. Without previous experience or training, and without self-serving decisions, infighting, ulterior motives or political agendas, the unpaid selectmen worked together to find cost-effective remediation at the site. Because of the Selectmen's leadership, town citizens appropriated nearly $1 million of local taxes to pay for the town's share of the project.

JMD Industries, Hudson
JMD industries, a small electroplating job shop, has instituted pollution prevention tehniques into its operations that are beyond those required by law. The company has adopted a systematic approach to pollution prevention, establishing a team of employees to map their production process, track materials used and wastes generated, conduct costs analyses, and prioritize opportunities to prevent pollution. The team's six-step approach is a model for other businesses interested in pursuing a pollution prevention program. The company stands as an industry model for reducing waste while maintaining a strong economic advantage.

Public Service of New Hampshire
Public Service of New Hampshire (PSNH), the State's largest electric utility, is being recognized for actively finding new ways to improve their environmental performance.

• NOx Emissions Reduction: Through the use of advanced technology pollution reduction equipment, PSNH will go beyond their compliance obligation to reduce ozone- and acid rain-forming emissions from its Merrimack Station power plant by 90 percent. This is equivalent to removing 700,000 automobiles from the road. Under an innovative agreement between EPA and NH Department of Environmental Services, the state is using this single source emission reduction guarantee to meet its Clean Air Act obligation to implement an enhanced automobile safety inspection program instead of a more cumbersome and expensive tail pipe testing system. This project demonstrates how businesses can respond effectively to environmental problems when regulators develop creative compliance incentives. This partnership of government and industry serves as a model for other states and utilities.
• The Grazing Power Project: PSNH made headlines in 1998 when it became one of the first electric utilities in the country to use sheep to manage vegetation in power transmission line rights-of-way (ROW). A flock of 500 sheep was used in place of mechanical mowers and hand cutting to successfully eliminate selected vegetation on a 13-mile strip of ROW. This unique experiment proved that sheep and vegetation management are a winning combination. The sheep remained healthy, were readily controlled and protected, and controlled vegetation by grazing on the targeted species. The project will be expanded this summer to include a flock of 1,000 sheep and more than 27 miles of ROW.

Fallon Lambert is an independent consultant to the Connecticut River Joint Commissions who authored the significant report, Instream Flow Uses, Values & Policies in the Upper Connecticut River Watershed. This groundbreaking flow policy study brought to light a number of inconsistencies in policies and regulations in place on the river and identified areas where the states and federal government can work cooperatively to better manage the river's flow. Fallon Lambert is dedicated to environmental protection rooted in genuine science.

David M. Carroll, Warner
David Carroll has given his time and energy to help people learn about the importance of wetlands and the role people play in their survival. Through his drawings, writing and public appearances, he has focused on the importance of these lands for the future of turtles and other reptiles in New Hampshire. Carroll, who has an honorary doctorate of humane letters from UNH, talks to students, planning boards, and conservation commissions on the importance of wetlands, buffers and wildlife, especially to reptiles and amphibians. His work has led him to locate several rare species of turtles, which then led to protection. He has exhibited his field notes and artwork at the University of Connecticut and published the "Year of the Turtle," a book about rare turtles in New Hampshire. Carroll's knowledge has helped educate landowners and civic leaders; his art and words touch people in all walks of life.