Bill Dewey Honored as NOAA Environmental Hero for 2008
April 22, 2008
NOAA has selected Bill Dewey of Shelton, Wash., as an Environmental Hero for volunteering thousands of hours over the last two decades to help develop and implement public policy that protects water quality, marine resources and supports sustainable aquaculture.
NOAA’s Environmental Hero Awards were established in 1995 to commemorate Earth Day by honoring volunteers who help NOAA carry out its mission — to understand and predict changes in Earth’s environment and conserve and manage coastal and marine resources to meet our nation’s economic, social, and environmental needs. The award program also raises awareness about NOAA’s volunteer programs.
“Thousands of people across the country join forces with NOAA each year and the Environmental Hero award is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to several of those individuals that have made a significant impact,” said retired Navy Vice Admiral Conrad Lautenbacher, Ph.D., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “Bill’s dedication to being part of the solution has earned him a deserved reputation for service, integrity, excellence, and teamwork. His positive and energetic efforts benefit the nation.”
A shellfish biologist by training and a clam farmer for over 27 years, Dewey has taken an active role in shaping local, national and international policy for aquaculture, with a focus on environmental and human health issues and shellfish farming regulations. He is a member of NOAA’s Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee, and has served on numerous panels including the National Academy of Sciences panel on the Introduction of Non-native Oysters to Chesapeake Bay; the Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants; the Western Regional Aquaculture Center; the Puget Sound Council; and the Woods Hole Marine Aquaculture Task Force.
“Bill is an unwavering steward for marine resources. His long-term commitment to improving cooperation among scientists, marine resource managers, aquaculture producers, and stakeholders has led to a better understanding of the critical role aquaculture plays in the U.S. seafood supply and the restoration of marine species,” said Michael Rubino, NOAA’s Aquaculture Program Manager.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department, is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and information service delivery for transportation, and by providing environmental stewardship of our nation's coastal and marine resources. Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with its federal partners, more than 70 countries and the European Commission to develop a global monitoring network that is as integrated as the planet it observes, predicts and protects.
Contact: Brian Gorman, 206-526-6613