Published: July 30, 2008 09:51 pm      

State DEP announces 2007 environmental awards

Those who strive to protect the environment were honored recently by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection.

DEP Secretary Randy Huffman distributed awards recognizing businesses, municipalities and individuals working to protect the environment, working to be good corporate neighbors and educating the state’s citizens.

“We look forward to this event each year because it affords us the opportunity to recognize businesses and individuals who go beyond compliance and strive for stewardship,” Huffman said.

The award you take back with you proves that when you say you care about the environment, you mean it.”

Eligibility for the industrial awards includes exemplary environmental performance in the past calendar year, a compliance record that reflects no outstanding violations and a record of cooperation with regulatory authorities, Huffman added.

Locally, the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Beckley received an award for its hazardous waste generators and Marcia Wilson-Cales of the Greenbrier River Watershed Association in Lewisburg received the community involvement award.

Other award categories and recipients included:

Industry Greater Than 100 Employees — CSX Transportation.

Municipal Landfill — H.A.M Sanitary Landfill in Peterstown.

Most Improved — Armstrong World Industries in Beverly.

Most Improved Sewage Treatment Plant Greater Than 400,000 Gallons Per Day — City of Grafton.

Sewage Treatment Plant Greater Than 400,000 Gallons Per Day — City of Petersburg.

Environmental Stewardship — Kevin Compton of Bluewell Public Service District in Bluefield.

Brownfields and Voluntary Program — West Virginia Department of Transportation, Division of Highways in Morgantown.

Environmental Volunteer of the Year — Doris Dean of the Wilsonburg New Horizon 4-H Club in Clarksburg.

Environmental Stewardship Awards for Education — Janet M. Butler of the Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge in Williamstown.

Cabinet Secretary Award — Coal River Energy LLC in Alum Creek.

— Fred Pace