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SIX FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE RECEIVE EPA AWARD

Release Date: 04/25/1997
Contact Information: Kathleen Bogie, (617)918-1976

BOSTON -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognized 38 New England environmental champions, including six from New Hampshire, with Environmental Merit Awards during an Earth Day celebration today at Faneuil Hall in Boston.

"New Englanders have a long tradition of being acutely aware of their environment and taking action to protect it. We are pleased to honor just a few of those that truly deserve recognition for their actions," said EPA Regional Administrator John P. DeVillars. "The winners, in fact all of the nominees, set an example for all of us to follow."

The Merit Awards, presented annually since 1970, recognize demonstrated commitment and significant contributions to the environment. The winners were selected from more than 100 nominations received this year from businesses, media, local and state government officials, environmental organizations, and citizen activists.

The New Hampshire winners and basis for recognition are:

Michael Buxton, Assistant Chief of the Nashua Fire Rescue, has been an active member of the Johns Manville Task Force, serving as liaison for the Mayor of Nashua. Mr. Buxton has continued to be an unwavering ally of the EPA since the project began last August. He has contributed his excellent management and diplomatic skills to project operations, which has helped to maintain positive relationships among task force members and other project participants. Through his enthusiastic participation in the decision-making process at all stages of the project, Mr. Buxton has demonstrated his dedication not only to the cleanup of the environment and the health of Nashua residents, but also to the spirit of cooperation between local, state, and federal government.

Ihab Farag, from the University of New Hampshire, greatly enhanced the CLEAN/Pollution Prevention (P2) Program for metal finishers through his assistance, dedication, and energy. With an EPA grant, UNH developed a program offering free, on-site compliance and pollution prevention audits for small and medium-sized metal finishing companies. Building on his existing partnerships with industry and state, Mr. Farag took the lead in marketing this program to state businesses. He pulled together key players for the assessment team and was a very active participant himself. In addition to his work on CLEAN, he runs the student pollution prevention internship program at UNH, is a member of the NH P2 Partnership, and helped the EPA produce a pollution prevention training video for metal finishers called "This Old Factory".

Sharon Francis is Executive Director of the Connecticut River Joint Commissions (CRJC). Under her expert and tireless leadership, the CRJC released a Draft Connecticut River Corridor Management Plan last December. The plan is the result of a multi-year effort on behalf of the CRJC and five local river subcommittees to assess key resource issues along the river corridor in New Hampshire and Vermont, and to develop recommendations to address these issues. Due in large part to Ms. Francis' hard work and commitment, the plan represents a true community-based, grassroots effort to address resource issues in a practical and results-oriented manner, and is a giant step forward in efforts to restore and protect one of New Englands most valuable natural resources.

L. Bruce Hill, senior staff scientist for the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), has displayed a tremendous amount of dedication and commitment to protecting and preserving New Englands environment and public health, and has proved himself an effective, trustworthy scientist. Mr. Hill is responsible for developing and overseeing the AMCs air quality research program, including the extensive monitoring, analysis, and publication of air quality data in one of the nations most pristine areas, the White Mountain National Forest. He has been an invaluable, tireless advocate for strengthening the National Ambient Air Quality Ozone and Particulate Matter Standards, working with a variety of organizations -- public, private, non-profit, and academic. Thanks to Mr. Hill, recreationists, politicians, and business throughout New England are better educated on the effects of air pollution and the importance of reducing it.

The Spicket River Committee is being recognized for its outstanding work on a multi-year volunteer remediation initiative to restore the Spicket River in Salem. Through grassroots organizing and a simple plan for action, the Spicket River Committee organized 10 volunteer clean-up days during 1996 alone. The result is a clear, clean river where families can paddle a canoe for eight miles from the Wheeler Dam all the way to the New Hampshire/Massachusetts border. Such a trip would have been impossible just a few years ago. Additionally, the Spicket River Committee has launched an adopt-a-bridge program that will perform annual maintenance cleanups to insure the continued protection and enjoyment of the river.

The Great Bay Resource Protection Partnership works to protect important natural habitats and resources in the Great Bay area. The partnership is being recognized for its accomplishments in mapping important habitats in the Great Bay Focus Area, with special emphasis on waterfowl. The partnership educated local communities and acquired over $500,000 for land acquisition and protection to be spent on protection of Crommet Creek, the largest undisturbed freshwater wetland complex remaining in the watershed. The partnership continues to be extremely successful in efforts to build on existing conservation efforts, coordinate resources and funding opportunities, and find creative solutions to protect remaining habitat areas.