NOAA Recognizes 2004 Environmental Heroes

NOAA RECOGNIZES 2004 ENVIRONMENTAL HEROES

The Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) presented its Environmental Hero Award to 30 individuals and three organizations this year from across the United States and around the world. Given in conjunction with Earth Day celebrations, the award honors NOAA volunteers for their “tireless efforts to preserve and protect our nation's environment.”

“NOAA and the nation are fortunate to have such dedicated people volunteer so much of their time,” said retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “They set a perfect example for others to follow in their communities. America needs more environmental heroes like them.”

Established in 1995 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Earth Day, the Environmental Hero award is presented to individuals and organizations that volunteer their time and energy to help NOAA carry out its mission.

“On behalf of the 12,500 men and women working for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, I am pleased to present you with this 2004 Environmental Hero Award,” Lautenbacher wrote in a letter to the recipients. “Your dedicated efforts and outstanding accomplishments greatly benefit the environment and make our nation a better place for all Americans.”

There are a total of 33 winners—30 individuals and three organizations. Visit the NOAA Earth Day Web site at http://www.noaa.gov/earthday to read more about this year’s award winners. Recipients of the 2004 NOAA Environmental Heroes Award are:

Recipient	Location
Homer Canelis	Cazadero, Calif
Mary Dudley	Boise, Idaho
Thor J. Lassen	Arlington, Va.
Cornelia Norman Penland	New Orleans, La.
P.J. Foley	Quincy, Mass.
Robert Kramer	Dania Beach, Fla.
Jack C. Caldwell	Lafayett, La.
Mark Lancaster	Weaverville, Calif.
Curtis Duncan	Goodland, Kan.
Clay Freinwald	Seattle, Wash.
Clay Freinwald	Seattle, Wash.
Soraya Flores-Guirreri	New Orleans, La.
Wayne E. Johnson	Fort Smith, Ark.
J. David Lambert	Jacksonville, Fla.
Pietro Parravano	Half Moon Bay, Calif.
Jim Rea	Glasgow, Mont.
Ron Valley	Spokane, Wash.
Donald Oswalt	Salem, Ore.
Pauline Dyer	Seattle, Wash.
Hugh Robert Williams	Savannah, Ga.
Hannah Nevins	Moss Landing, Calif.
Ian Miller	Port Angeles, Calif.
Jamie Hall	San Francisco, Calif.
Ken Nedimeyer	Tavernier, Fla.
Richard Carey	Severna Park, Md.
Nikolai Filippovich Elansky	Moscow, Russia
Joseph Sealy	Barbados, West Indies
Anthony Guillory and Paul Meyer	Huntsville, Ala.
Leroy Jones and Harry R. Davis, Jr.	Somverville, Texas
KAKM Channel 7	Anchorage, Alaska
Monterey Bay Kayaks	Monterey, Calif.
Northeast Marine Pilots Association	Newport, Rhode Island

NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of the nation’s coastal and marine resources. To learn more about NOAA, please visit http://www.noaa.gov.