Environmental Excellence Awards – 2007

TVA Environmental Excellence of the Year Award

This award is presented for leadership, technical innovation, and professionalism that best exemplifies TVA's commitment to responsible environmental leadership.

 

Award winner: Peggy Shute

Peggy was selected for this award as a result of her exemplary management of the Heritage Resources staff. The biological data her team has collected and the recommendations they've made have helped guide effective conservation and land planning activities on TVA-managed public lands. Peggy's leadership has ensured compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, wetlands regulations associated with the Clean Water Act, and key executive orders.

Peggy led a TVA team through the first programmatic consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service concerning the routine operation and maintenance of TVA dams. Her collaborative approach and deep commitment to this effort enabled the Fish and Wildlife Service and Tennessee Valley states to gain an enhanced understanding of TVA's integrated operation of the river system and the benefits it provides.

Peggy was also selected as the recipient of the Management Commitment award.

Management Commitment Principles

• Integrate responsible environmental practices into business operations by establishing goals, measuring progress, and reporting on performance through a comprehensive environmental management system.
• Factor environmental considerations into business decisions.
• Train TVA employees on their environmental responsibilities, expect them to use effective environmental processes, and hold them accountable for their performance.

Environmental Protection & Stewardship Award

 

Award winner: Holston-Cherokee-Douglas Watershed Team

The Holston-Cherokee-Douglas Watershed Team was recognized for its leadership in environmental stewardship in the northeast region of the Valley, and for its exceptional focus on continually improving relationships with customers.

Through an integrated approach, the 24 members of the watershed team strive to uphold their environmental responsibilities to protect the Valley's natural resources, including protecting water resources, planning and managing TVA lands, and certifying numerous Clean Marinas across the seven reservoirs the team manages. They work to improve shoreline conditions by helping to reduce erosion, and they develop sustainable partnerships and volunteer coalitions to aid in the enhancement of public recreation opportunities.

Environmental Protection & Stewardship Principles

• Manage the competing demands on the river system and Valley resources by optimizing their value to diverse stakeholder interests.
• Practice responsible environmental stewardship of the Valley’s natural resources.
• Encourage our customers, suppliers, and partners to do the same.

Environmental Compliance Award

Award winner: Kingston Fossil Plant

Kingston Fossil Plant employees received this award as a result of their hard work and exemplary focus on the task of reducing nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide emissions from the plant.

Kingston Fossil Plant representatives

Kingston achieved a remarkable level of success in reducing these emissions by maximizing the percentage of Powder River Basin coal burned, closely monitoring and controlling the combustion process, implementing innovative operating methods at reduced loads, providing operators with key data to track emissions savings, and performing engineering analyses to ensure their innovative operating methods did not result in damage to a unit.

Environmental Compliance Principles

• Comply with environmental laws and regulations.
• Assess the effects of TVA operations on the environment.
• Operate with a goal of continuous improvement.

Pollution Prevention Award

Award winner: Watts Bar Nuclear Plant

Watts Bar Nuclear Plant employees received this award for their outstanding integrated approach to minimizing water and soil pollution during the steam generator replacement project. They worked collaboratively with site contractors and effectively communicated expectations regarding the movement of huge pieces of equipment from the river to the plant, while minimizing soil disruption, stream bank excavation, and herbicide use.

Watts Bar Nuclear Plant represenatives

In addition, by using best management practices, the Watts Bar Nuclear employees significantly reduced the generation of hazardous waste and minimized sedimentation in wetlands and small creeks near the site.

Pollution Prevention Principle

Minimize the effects of our operations on the environment through a combination of: demand-side management, source reduction, recycling and reuse, and pollution control.

Partnerships/Public Involvement Award

Award winner: Colbert Fossil Plant Environmental Outreach Team

The team earned this award for its ongoing community outreach activities regarding environmental education and community involvement. Their efforts included lectures, plant tours, and discussions centered around issues related to environmental science, stewardship, impacts, and career opportunities.

Colbert Fossil Plant Environmental Outreach Team representatives

Through presentations to numerous students as part of an ongoing interaction with the community, the team enhanced the understanding of TVA's environmental work. They also provided an introduction for future environmental leaders and strengthed the partnership TVA has with the Valley communities it serves.

Partnerships/Public Involvement Principles

• Build partnerships through effective two-way communications with our stakeholders and customers.
• Solicit and respond to public input that enables regional influence over regional resources.

Innovation & Technology Award

Award winner: Gallatin Fossil Plant Instrument Shop

The Gallatin Instrument Shop employees earned this award for their successful design and implementation of a new continuous emissions monitoring system, or CEMS, that monitors air emissions at the plant.

Gallatin Fossil Plant Instrument Shop representatives

The CEMS values reported each year dictate the air emissions fees that are paid by TVA fossil plants, so it is extremely important that the values be accurate and complete. Gallatin's innovative, low-cost monitoring system continues to enhance the quality of the plant's CEMS program, improves monitoring availability by reducing lost hourly data from analyzer failures, and contributes to TVA's progress in helping to improve the region's air quality.

Innovation & Technology Principles

• Use our integrated power system as a living laboratory to showcase energy innovations and solutions.
• Develop technologies and expertise to serve the public good by finding new and better solutions for environmental protection.