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EPA Presents Environmental Merit Awards to Eighteen in Massachusetts

Release Date: 05/01/2002
Contact Information: Andrew Spejewski 617-918-1014

BOSTON – Eighteen individuals and organizations from Massachusetts were honored today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for their contributions to the environment.

The Massachusetts winners were among 35 recipients from around New England that received Environmental Merit Awards at a ceremony at Faneuil Hall. The awards, given out since 1970, honor individuals and groups who have shown particular ingenuity and commitment in their efforts to preserve the region's environment. This year's competition drew more than 90 nominations.

"These individuals, businesses, non-profits and government agencies, often with little fanfare, have invested huge amounts of their time to make the environment of New England's cleaner and safer for future generations. And for that I think we should all be grateful," said Robert W. Varney, regional administrator of EPA's New England office. "The recipients we are honoring today are New England's environmental heroes."

The winners from Massachusetts were:

Town of Barnstable Growth Management Initiative

Over the past year, the town of Barnstable has implemented a unique and effective growth management initiative to protect the town's fragile environmnent and address the growing need for decent and affordable housing. The town, with the help of the Cape Cod Commission, developed a program that utilizes its existing housing stock without taxing our environment. It includes: two acre zoning in environmental sensitive areas – or about one half – of the town; a nitrogen management ordinance to promote innovative and alternative wastewater disposal systems; a smart growth ordinance that allow for higher-density zoning in Hyannis' business district; a comprehensive building cap; cluster zoning for subdivisions; and an affordable housing plan. Barnstable's growth management initiative is based on a belief that a community can both protect its environment and provide safe, decent and affordable housing.

Town of Hull Municipal Light Board

Over the past four years, the town-owned Hull Light Plant and energy experts from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst have researched and planned a wind turbine to help meet the town's energy needs. By last year, the turbine was powering the town's 1,000 streetlights and 14 traffic lights, saving taxpayers approximately $60,000. With a 150 foot tall tower and 90 foot blades, it is the largest wind turbine on the East Coast and generates approximately 1.5 million kilowatt hours of electricity per year. With the installation of the turbine, the town has been able to produce energy for itself and for the New England power grid, thereby reducing smog-forming air emissions, as well as the tax rate for town residents and business owners.

Cape Cod Community College

One of Cape Cod Community College's primary missions is service to the community, and as such, the college play an indispensable role in addressing the Cape's environmental problems. In addition to leading a consortium of colleges preparing environmental technicians for the field, the college practices what it teaches through a comprehensive environmental management system for its West Barnstable campus. The school generates its own electricity with a catalytic fuel cell; recycles flourescent tubes, batteries, glass, metal, plastic, cardboard and laboratory waste; and conserves 1.8 million gallons of water a year – almost 50 percent of its former annual usage. Once considered one of the ten worst polluters in the state because of its waste water volume, the school and its environmental achievements are now highly regarded.

TrainRiders/Northeast

On Dec. 14, 2001, a service New England had last seen 40 years ago was revived – train service between Boston and Portland, Maine. The project was 10 years in the making, and the group who made it possible, TrainRiders/Northeast, faced numerous obstacles – replacing delapidate tracks, financing train service, and overcoming the perception that it could not be done. With tremendous perseverance, the non-profit TrainRiders/Northeast brought together all the key players and created a success story. The return of train service has significant environmental benefits, providing commuters and vacationers with an alternative to driving. This reduces traffic congestion and air pollution, especially on hot summer days when ozone levels are high. The revitalized train service also provide an incentive for towns along the rail line to pursue smart growth initiatives. Within one month, Amtrak provided two additional trains for the line, and the success of this line should help revive other dormant passenger rail lines in New England. With the success of this project, TrainRiders/Northeast is looking to continue their mission - to establish new, and expand existing, passenger rail service in other parts of New England

CMGI Stadium (The Kraft Group and Beacon Skanska Construction) – Foxboro

When the Kraft family wanted to build a new home for the New England Patriots and Revolution, they chose to do it in the most environmentally friendly way. The most visible environmental improvement was the daylighting of the Neponset River, which had been buried in underground culverts for the past half century. During construction of CMGI field, the Kraft Group committed over $2 million to divert the river to a more natural, free-flowing 3,000 foot river corridor with over 6,000 plantings. The Kraft Group also built an on-site water treatment facility that will reuse over 60 percent of non-potable water, saving over 11 million gallons of water per year. During the project over 300,000 cubic yards of dirt, 20,000 tons of rock and 50 acres of asphalt have been recycled and re-used. In many ways, CMGI field is a model for environmentally friendly construction.

Raytheon Strategic Goals Program Team – Lexington

In the past year, the Raytheon Strategic Goals Program Team, made up of Frank Marino and Bob Singler, has worked hard to implement the company's first strategic goals corporate sponsorship program and move Raytheon towards the goal of product stewardship and responsibility for the environment. The strategic goals program was developed by EPA and the metal finishing industry as well as government and non-government organizations to move the industry beyond environmental compliance. Raytheon's involvement has attracted more companies to the program and the company's buy in demonstrates that it is really a benefit to the industry. With 20 subcontractors audited by Raytheon each year, the company hopes to instill the goals of the program in them as well as mentoring and transferring information about compliance and pollution prevention on to them.

Zipcar – Cambridge and Boston

It's a pioneer business reducing air pollution in the Boston area. Zipcar is a car-sharing company which provides a fleet of 66 cars to 1,800 members living in the Boston area who occasionally need a car but may not want to own one. Members can reserve a car for as little as an hour when they need one. Zipcar's owners estimate that 45 percent of members avoid having to buy a car or end up selling a car when they join. The service has taken an estimated 525 to 600 cars off the road in Boston alone, thereby reducing the amount of smog-forming chemicals released into the air from cars. Zipcar is collaborating with local governments for future expansion to Washington D.C. and New York City.

Connecticut River Watershed Council

Nearly 50 years ago, the Connecticut River was described as the best landscaped sewer in the nations. Today, the river is largely cleaned up and restored – an environmental jewel to be appreciated and protected. At the center of this turnaround is the Connecticut River Watershed Council (CRWC). Founded in 1952, the group has worked to promote restoration, conservation, and protection of the river and surrounding watershed. The council's record of achievement is founded on partnerships – when important issues arise, the council brings people together to address the challenges. In the mid-1980s, CRWC created the Connecticut River Watch program to monitor water quality using trained volunteers. More recently, the council has established a migratory fisheries restoration initiative to build fishways and remove dams to restore access to spawning habitats. For five decades the council has worked to resolve environmental challenges and protect New England's largest river ecosystem, the Connecticut River.

The Gulf of Maine Council – Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia

In 1989, the New England governors and Canadian maritime provinces premiers created the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment, a unique alliance of government agencies working to foster ecosystem conservation and cross-border cooperation. The council's mission is to maintain and enhance the environmental quality of the Gulf of Maine and to allow for sustainable resource use by existing and future generations. The council recently completed "A Year of the Gulf" celebration and developed a five-year action plan that charts a course for improved stewardship of this priceless natural resource. The EPA is recognizing the Gulf of Maine Council and in particular, seven dedicated individuals with 2002 Environmental Merit Awards for their innovative and sustained commitment to improving management of the gulf. The following people are cited for this award: Bill Ayer of New Brunswick (with the Department of Environment and Local Government), Richard Delaney of Massachusetts (former director of Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management), David Hartman of New Hampshire (director of the New Hampshire Coastal Program), Barry Jones of New Brunswick (formerly with the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture), David Keeley of Maine (with the Maine State Planning Office), Art Longard of Nova Scotia (deceased, was with the Department of Fisheries) and Peter Underwood of Nova Scotia (formerly with the Department of Environment, now Deputy Minister of Dept. of Fisheries and Aquaculture).

Trust for Public Land – Boston

Founded in 1972, the Boston-based Trust for Public Land has protected more than 1.4 million acres of land across the country, including 100,000 acres in New England. The trust is a non-profit group dedicated to preserving land for people to enjoy as parks and open space. For the trust, 2001 was an extraordinary year in New England with the protection of 26,000 acres and a new 171,000-acre project in northern New Hampshire. Recently, the Trust for Public Land celebrated its 200th project in the region. As a result of their dedication, thousands of acres of precious wildlife habitat across New England has been conserved. These beautiful lands will be enjoyed by many throughout the region.

William Weibrecht – Martha's Vineyard

When Bill Weibrcht took over as Martha's Vineyard Airport Manager, he not only was running the state's fourth largest airport – located, incidentally, on a rare and endangered sandplain grassland and atop a sole source aquifer – but was also in charge of a trichloroethylene cleanup from a defunct dry cleaning operation at the airport. Weibrecht, who is also president of the Massachusetts Airport Management Association, worked to finalize a cleanup plan and an expansion of the airport while preserving the fragile and endangered environment. He has conducted habitat management workshops at the airport and enlisted the assistance of island conservation groups and the Martha's Vineyard Commission. His leadership at the Massachusetts Airport Management Association has influence airport managers in the state and contributed to closing the gap between environmental interests and aviation.

James Broderick – Newton

James Broderick of Newton has been an advocate for open-space preservation for many years, and in 2001 he chaired the Newton Community Preservation Alliance, a group which dedicated itself to the passage of Newton's Community Preservation Act. State legislation allows communities to levy a surtax of up to 3 percent on property taxes for open space acquisition. Broderick organized the alliance, lobbied local legislators, lobbied for donations, an mobilized poll workers on election day. The local initiative passed in Newton in great part because of Broderick's efforts and as a result, the character of the city will be preserved because Newton can look forward to ongoing funding for conservation and land acquisitions that have been put off for decades.

Hon. Frederick M. Kalisz Jr. – New Bedford

Even before his inauguration as mayor of New Bedford in 1998, Frederick Kalisz realized the potential in his city's brownfield sites. He realized that environmental assessments and cleanups would not only safeguard the health and safety of city residents, but would also create redevelopment opportunities and reduce urban sprawl. Since 1998, the city, led by Mayor Kalisz, has cleaned up and redeveloped 10 brownfield sites. More than $50 million has been invested and more than 700 jobs have been created or preserved. Two of the biggest successes have been with the former Talleyrand Chemical site and the former Standard-Times field. With many environmental and economic challenges before the city, Mayor Kalisz has used innovative efforts to bring stakeholders together for the benefit of the city and his work is an example for other cities facing the same challenges.

Robert Lawton – Statewide (Pocassett)

For more than 25 years, Robert Lawton of the Massachusetts Division of Fish and Wildlife has been involved in the regulation of power generation stations on the state's coastlines. Evaluating the potential impact of these plants on fish species is a scientific challenge, with the potential for contentious debates. Lawton has always applied the scientific method to arrive at how companies applying for permits should be treated because every proposed power plant presents a unique set of circumstances and potential impact on the coastal environment and the fish species which inhabit those environments. Lawton is now retiring, but has been a dedicated Massachusetts Fish and Wildlife employee for 30 years, and has also worked on a wide variety of other issues with the goal of protecting the state's natural resources.

Mimi McConnell – Upper Cape Cod

The Community Working Group at the Massachusetts Military Reservation is regarded as a national model for bringing citizens and the military together to resolve complicated and emotional issues of pollution clean up at military bases cooperatively and respectfully. In 2001, four years of work by the CWG came to fruition with a master plan for future uses of the 22,000-acre base, a plan developed in no small part because of Mimi McConnell's work. As chairwoman of the state-appointed group, McConnell guided the group – listening to all points of view; giving competing agendas fair hearings; bringing the group to consensus in contentious public meetings and innumerable meetings. The group would not have accomplished their goals without the effort and unstinting dedication of Ms. McConnell.

William Stanton – Marshfield

In 2001, William Stanton was focused on several major environmental issues confronting Massachusetts' South Shore: preservation of open space, preservation of historic sites and affordable housing. He championed the adoption of the Community Preservation Act in Marshfield. He led the effort to build an environmentally friendly layover site for the Greenbush Commuter Rail project, and his efforts should ensure there are no negative impacts on the surrounding watershed. For the last four years has been executive director of the North and South River Watershed Association; He is an advisor to the Massachusetts Audubon Society; for 19 years he has been a member of the Marshfield Conservation Commission. And for his overall dedication to the community, Mr. Stanton was named the Marshfield Citizen of the Year for 2001.

Donna Williams – Grafton / Blackstone Valley

In her professional life, Donna Williams is the Advocacy Coordinator for the Massachusetts Audubon Society at their Broad Meadow Brook Sanctuary and in that capacity was one of two people who turned the sanctuary into a thriving regional education and conservation center. She is also chairwoman of the Grafton Conservation Commission who helped secure 8,700 acres of land for conservation in Grafton, Upton and Hopkinton – one of Massachusetts first "Areas of Critical Concern." She has also led stormwater improvement efforts in her community and secured a $25,000 grant for a Quinsigamond River restoration project. Ms. Williams has also developed an extensive volunteer water quality monitoring network now in its 10th year and her efforts have led Worcester and surrounding communities to take action because of monitoring results. Since 1994, she has served as an official of the commission which oversees the National Park Service's operations in the Blackstone River Valley. Ms. Williams embodies the highest standard of local and regional environmental activism and her stewardship and vision has been instrumental in the incredible recovery and improvement of the Blackstone.

Michael D. Yacino - Statewide (Northboro)

It is hard to imagine the success of Massachusetts' Lead Shot Initiative without Michael Yacino. The Department of Environmental Protection's educational outreach campaign assists rod and gun clubs in developing environmental stewardship plans at shooting ranges. As the initiative was forming, Yacino, the Executive Director of the Gun Owners' Action League, became a crucial player in the initiative's success. As a result of his work, 80 clubs have invited the DEP to visit and are rapidly adopting management practice plans. Yancino has also been instrumental in bringing the program to other states. Yacino's participation in the Lead Shot initiative provided regulators with the insight to make the program work and his encouragement of proper lead management to sportsmens' clubs has resulted in environmental protection and preservation of these clubs' futures.

Also recognized for its work in Massachusetts was:

The New England Chapter of the American Public Works Association

Spurred by EPA penalties against several town Department of Public Works (DPWs), the New England Chapter of the American Public Works Association took action in 2001. The group approached EPA New England to develop a self-audit program for DPWs in New England. DPW garages who performed self-audits, reported environmental violations, and corrected the violations would be given a low priority for inspections. Together with EPA, the Association has developed tip sheets and fact sheets for DPW directors, and held a series of workshops. More than 250 people attended the NEAPWA spring meeting last April to learn about the initiative. To date, more than 300 New England DPW garages have signed up for this voluntary program. NEAPWA is working with EPA New England to measure the environmental benefits of the program.