Mr. Michael Kiley receives the Silver Eagle award from Regional Director Robyn Thorson at the Federal Assistance Coordinators Conference held in South Bend, Ind., on March 7, 2006. - USFWS photo by Paul Glander

Mr. Michael Kiley recently received the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's Midwest Region Silver Eagle Award in recognition of his many years of service on the Indiana Natural Resources Commission.  USFWS Midwest Regional Director Robyn Thorson presented the Silver Eagle pin and certificate to Mr. Kiley on Mar. 7, 200,6 in South Bend, Ind. The Silver Eagle Award is the Midwest Region's most prestigious award given to individuals outside the Service.

Mr. Kiley recently retired from the Indiana Natural Resources Commission.  The Commission  addresses issues pertinent to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and Mr. Kiley served on the Commission for 29 years, the last 15 as Chairman.  He said that he felt 29 years on the Commission was long enough.  

Mr. Kiley is well respected in Indiana for his common sense approach to addressing natural resource issues and considering citizen viewpoints.  He is a strong supporter of wetlands conservation and his accomplishments increased migratory bird habitat as evidenced by the  whooping cranes and sandhill cranes which use the Fish & Wildlife Areas and other public and private lands in Indiana.  Many of these areas were acquired, or are operated with, funds from U.S Fish & Wildlife Service grant programs.

Mr. Kiley advocated for Indiana's rules which address what was then an inadequate number of sewage pump out facilities for boats at marinas on state's larger lakes and rivers.  After the Commission put these rules in place, Indiana received a substantial increase in funding through the Service's Clean Vessel Act grant program as public and private marinas installed pump out facilities.

Mr. Kiley is an attorney who is an ardent supporter of the use of mediation in resolving environmental and permitting disputes.  Mr. Kiley lives in Marion, Ind., where he is a partner in the Kiley, Harker and Certain law firm.  He graduated from the University of Notre Dame and the Georgetown University law school.