BOSTON - 3 winners in Connecticut were acknowledged today at EPA's 2015 Environmental Merit Awards ceremony. The environmental leaders were among 27 recipients across New England recognized for helping to enhance New England's environment.
Each year E.P.A. New England acknowledges individuals and groups in the 6 New England states who have worked to protect or enhance the region's environment in distinct ways. The merit awards, given out since 1970, honor individuals and groups who have shown particular ingenuity and commitment in their efforts.
"New England is rich with people who understand the importance of preserving the environment, but the citizens we are recognizing today went above and beyond in working as stewards of our air, land and water," said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA's New England office. "In addition to iconic natural beauty and vibrant communities, we New Englanders are fortunate to have neighbors who care deeply about the environment we share."
This year's Environmental Merit Awards plan was dedicated to Mayor Thomas Menino, who died in 2014 after 2 decades as Boston's mayor, and who championed environmental plans in the city he led and loved.
The Environmental Merit Awards, which are given to people who have already taken action, are awarded in the categories of individual; business (including professional organizations); local, state or federal government; and environmental, community, academia or nonprofit organization. Also, each year E.P.A. presents lifetime achievement awards for individuals. The Environmental Merit Award Winners from Connecticut listed by category are:
Lifetime Achievement
Patricia Widlitz, Guilford
During 20 years in the Connecticut House of Representatives, Patricia Widlitz consistently supported the cause of environmental protection and sustainability. She was an effective advocate who used her in-depth knowledge of issues, keen understanding of the legislative process, and strong alliances with colleagues to ensure the passage of several landmark pieces of legislation. As a state representative, Widlitz was an early leader on climate change and on programs that got manufacturers to address waste and recycling issues. Widlitz also was a primary sponsor of a law called the Act Concerning Climate Change that established clear targets for emission reductions. The law also established a Governor's Steering Committee on Climate Change and gave the committee the authority to develop a comprehensive, multi-sector Climate Change Action Plan. In 2008, Widlitz led the effort to strengthen Connecticut's focus on climate, with passage of a bill that established emission reductions goals of ten percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and at least 80 percent below 2001 levels by 2050.
By getting directly involved, Widlitz helped create programs in Connecticut to capture and recycle obsolete electronic equipment, as well as unused and wanted mattresses. She championed legislation that established programs involving manufactures in the effort to keep products out of the waste stream when they are no longer used. As a result of her efforts, Connecticut was among the 1st states in the nation to have programs for the recycling of e-waste and paint. With her involvement, it also became the 1st state to pass a mattresses recycling law, which will take effect in May. As chairman of the Connecticut General Assembly's Environment Committee, Widlitz also made certain important other environmental bills made it to the finish line and were signed into law, including, measures to protect Long Island Sound and enhance air quality through tighter auto emissions standards. Later, as chairman of the Finance Committee, she helped secure over $1 billion in bond backing for Connecticut's Clean Water Fund, which provides grants and loans for wastewater treatment projects, and tens of millions of bond dollars for buying open space.
Governmental
Sharee Rasnak and Meg Harvey, Conneticut Department of Public Health, CTDPH and Licensing Division, Connecticut Office of Early Education
Sharee Rusnak and Meg Harvey of the Connecticut Department of Public Health, working with the state's Office of Early Childhood, created a plan to protect children at daycare centers from chemical exposure. The Child Day Care Screening Assessment for Environmental Risk - or SAFER-- plan was designed to prevent exposures and problems that have occurred in other states where day care centers were built on or near waste sites, in buildings where manufacturing contaminated the building, or where nearby businesses, like dry cleaners or nail salons, emitted chemicals. The plan screens all daycare centers for potential problems and raises awareness about daycare center siting. The SAFER approach was quicker and less expensive to put in place than getting new regulations passed and funded. Staff also felt daycare centers would more easily embrace a plan that did not involve new regulations. SAFER uses 3 approaches to find potential environmental concerns. First, it compares the location of a center with the state's hazardous waste location list. Second, applicants for new daycare licenses fill out a questionnaire about past uses of the property. And third, state staff inspect new daycare centers, looking for signs of past industrial use. If potential problems are found, daycare operators are asked to come up with recommendations to reduce exposures. Nearly 40 daycare centers have been referred to SAFER staff for evaluation, leading to 14 location visits. Some of these have found significant environmental problems.
Business, Industry, Trade or Professional
James Fleming, Hartford
Jim Fleming, president of the Connecticut Automotive Retailers Association, knows that auto dealers must play a key role in getting more people driving electric vehicles and other alternative fuel vehicles. After the state D.O.E. and Environmental Protection opened a charging station last year at its Hartford building, Fleming began envisioning a competition among dealers to see who could sell the most electric vehicles and plug-ins. He went to the state DEEP with his idea, which led to the 1st "Connecticut Revolutionary Dealer Award", recognizing the dealers who sell or lease the highest number of electric vehicles. Fleming's innovative thinking, combined with the support of the retailers association, led to an innovative competition that inspired dealers to find ways to educate prospective new car purchasers about electric vehicles. This plan presents a model of private-public partnership that can be replicated in other states. The Connecticut Revolutionary Dealer plan is a partnership that Fleming views as critical toward putting Connecticut on the road to clean fuels and clean vehicles. The association also is encouraging auto dealers to help install more public charging stations. As of December, 38 auto dealers had installed chargers. Fleming's efforts ultimately will put more drivers behind the wheel of an electric vehicle, helping to protect our environment.
Other Recognition
In dedicating the merit awards to Menino, E.P.A. noted that because of Menino's robust environmental agenda, the city reduced greenhouse gas emissions, emerging as a national leader in climate action, and was 1st in the nation to adopt a green buildings standard for large private developments.
In addition to the Environmental Merits, E.P.A. New England acknowledged 2 Federal Green Challenge award winners, one from Massachusetts and one from Vermont. The Federal Green Challenge is a national E.P.A. initiative that challenges federal agencies to set goals and report on their achievements in the areas of waste, energy, transportation, purchasing, electronics management, and water conservation. The Virginia Boston Healthcare System was acknowledged for its laundry operation on the Brockton hospital campus, which processes roughly eight million pounds of pillowcases, sheets, towels, and patient apparel each year for the eleven Virginia hospitals in New England. The Vermont Army National Guard Ethan Allen Training Location in Jericho, Vt., was also recognized. This training Location hosts the Army Mountain Warfare School and an 11,000 acre firing range.
E.P.A. New England also acknowledged winners of the 2014 National Food Recovery Challenge, part of EPA's Sustainable Materials Management Program, which looks for to reduce the environmental impact of materials through their entire life cycle. In 2013, EPA's Food Recovery Challenge participants nationally diverted in excess of 370,000 tons of wasted food from entering landfills or incinerators. Of this, in excess of 36,000 tons of food was donated to feed people in need, which equates to nearly 56 million meals. The U.S.D.A. estimates wasted food costs America in excess of $165 billion annually and that the average family of 4 throws away $1,600 of food each year. The National Award winners represent the highest percent increase in food waste diversion over the previous year in their given categories.
National Food Recovery Challenge Award Winner: College and University: Worcester State University, Worcester Massachusetts
National Food Recovery Challenge Award Honorable Mention: College and University: Wellesley College, Wellesley, Massachusetts
National Food Recovery Challenge Award Honorable Mention: Other Sector : Parkland Medical Center, Derry, New Hampshire
E.P.A. also acknowledged the 2014 National WasteWise New England Award Winners. EPA's Wastewise plan helps organizations and businesses apply sustainable materials management practices to reduce municipal and select industrial wastes. Nationally, WasteWise participants reported preventing and diverting a total of nearly 7.6 million tons of waste from being disposed in landfills or incinerators in 2013. This amount of waste diversion represents a reduction in greenhouse gases equivalent to taking in excess of 2.3 million passenger vehicles off the road for one year. The National Award winners represent the highest percent increase waste diversion over the previous year in their given categories.
National WasteWise College/University, Partner of the Year: University of Southern Maine, Portland, ME; National WasteWise Non-Profit Organization, Partner of the Year: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA; National WasteWise Non-Profit Organization, Honorable Mention: Norwalk Hospital, Norwalk, CT.
More information on this year's Environmental Merit Award winners and photos from the event will be accessible at: http://www.epa.gov/region1/ra/ema/index.html
