19 Honored for Outstanding Chesapeake Bay Stewardship
Annapolis, Md. (December 21, 2006) - The Chesapeake Bay Program’s Businesses for the Bay initiative today presented 16 regional businesses with the esteemed Bay Environmental Excellence Award for their efforts in reducing nutrient and chemical pollution in the Bay and its tributaries. Three individuals were also presented with “Mentor of the Year” awards.
Bay Environmental Excellence Award recipients were selected by their peers and honored for their successful efforts to implement pollution prevention projects. Pollution prevention – reducing pollutants through equipment, technology and procedure modifications, or the redesigning of products – benefits businesses by helping improve their bottom line and helping improve the quality of their local environment.
Mentor of the Year awards are granted to existing Businesses for the Bay members who go above and beyond to provide voluntary assistance and experienced insight to others on pollution prevention subjects and related environmental issues.
“Business and industry cooperation is a key component of Chesapeake Bay restoration,” said Businesses for the Bay Coordinator Mary Lynn Wilhere. “Today’s awardees are to be commended for having put forth such a tremendous effort to help protect this national treasure.”
Winners of the Bay Environmental Excellence Awards are:
Alliant Techsystems, Inc. (MD)
Outstanding Achievement for Pollution Prevention- Large Facility
Aqua-Aerobic Systems, Inc. (IL)
Partner of the Year
USDA, ARS, Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (MD)
Outstanding Achievement for Nutrient Reduction- Federal Government
C.R. Hudgins Plating, Inc. (VA)
Outstanding Achievement for Pollution Prevention- Small Facility
Caperton Furnitureworks, LLC (WV)
Outstanding Achievement for Pollution Prevention- Small Facility
Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation (VA)
Outstanding Achievement for Pollution Prevention- Large Facility
Degussa Goldschmidt Chemical Corporation
Outstanding Achievement for Nutrient Reduction
Earl Industries (VA)
Outstanding Achievement for Pollution Prevention- Large Facility
Fairfax County Government, Wastewater Management Program (VA)
Outstanding Achievement for Nutrient Reduction- Local Government
Greif Riverville (VA)
Outstanding Achievement for Nutrient Reduction
NOAA Marine Operations Center (VA)
Outstanding Achievement for a Government Facility- Federal Government
Southeastern Public Service Authority (VA)
Outstanding Achievement for a Government Facility- Local Government
The Brick Companies (MD)
Outstanding Achievement for Pollution Prevention- Medium Sized Facility
Virginia Port Authority (VA)
Outstanding Achievement for a Government Facility- State Government
Volvo Powertrain (MD)
Outstanding Achievement for Pollution Prevention- Large Facility
Warwick Township (PA)
Outstanding Achievement for Nutrient Reduction- Local Government
“Mentors of the Year” are:
Mr. Gordon Worrell
Smithfield Transportation Company (VA)
Ms. Lynne Forsman
Nautical Destinations (MD)
Ms. Ruth Debrito
Smithfield Transportation Company (VA)
More than 700 companies and local municipalities throughout the Bay watershed are members of Businesses for the Bay (B4B). The program works with businesses, government facilities and other organizations to prevent pollution by reducing or eliminating waste at its source. During the 2005-2006 year, B4B members reduced or recycled more than 223 million pounds of waste and saved more than $2.8 million.