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EPA Presents Environmental Merit Awards to Six in Rhode Island

Release Date: 04/22/1999
Contact Information: Amy Miller, EPA Press Office (617-918-1042)

BOSTON - Six individuals and organizations from Rhode Island were honored today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for their contributions to the environment.

The Rhode Island winners were among 39 recipients from around New England that received Environmental Merit Awards at an Earth Day ceremony at Faneuil Hall. The awards, given out since 1970, honor individuals and groups who have shown particular ingenuity and commitment in their efforts to preserve the environment. This year's competition drew more than 80 applications.

"Today we celebrate the efforts of a group of people who have gone above and beyond to make the air, water and land cleaner and safer for years to come," said John P. DeVillars, EPA's New England Administrator. "All those who received awards, as well as those who were nominated, stand as models for how each of us can make a difference in protecting our environment.'

The six winners from Rhode Island were:

Andrew McLeod, former commissioner of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management
Andy McLeod was a strong advocate for the improvement of Rhode Island's environment. McLeod advanced new environmental conservation and resource management initiatives, championed open space acquisitions, smart growth management practices and sustainable urban development. Under McLeod's leadership, DEM implemented a one-stop permitting system, established the state's first watershed initiative, and faciliated the approval of an automobile inspection and maintenance program to improve Rhode Island's air quality. He worked hard to enhance the DEM's effectiveness through open communications with the RI General Assembly and his efforts to make the department more accountable to the public.

Joseph Migliore, engineer at RI Department of Environmental Management
Joseph Migliore, a principle environmental scientist at DEM, for a decade pursued his vision of cleaner Rhode Island waters, with a campaign to reduce sewage discharged from boats. His efforts culminated with the designation of the entire state as a "No Discharge Area" in 1998. It was the first such statewide designation in the country. Migliore laid the groundwork for success by: educating boaters, shellfishers, the public, harbormasters, and regulators; helping to create a statewide network of sewage pumpout stations; and demonstrating the success of the No Discharge concept at Great Salt Pond on Block Island. Migliore's efforts culminated with the EPA's approval of the No Discharge designation last year. His work raised environmental awareness among boaters and the public, and created cleaner and safer waters and shellfish beds in Rhode Island.

Norman Richards, University of Rhode Island
Director of the Mohegan Nation's Environmental Division, Norman Richards uses techniques to help the Nation with environmental protection. A former EPA scientist in Washington and Florida, Richards now runs a pollution prevention program at the Mohegan Sun Resort, which is setting the standard in New England. The Nation, a leader in "Green Purchasing," buys many recycled plastic materials and is solidifying contracts to buy biodegradable disposable utensils. The Nation was rated in the 97th percentile for recycling in the state in 1997. Under Richards, the Nation is also working to reduce solid waste incineration emissions. Every Nation and resort employee must take a course on pollution prevention techniques.

Raymond Wright, University of Rhode Island
Wright is the chairman of the University of Rhode Island's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. He is a role model and mentor to his students. Save the Bay calls Wright a true friend of Narragansett Bay and its rivers. The many water quality sampling and modeling projects he has designed and implemented demonstrate his unswerving dedication to clean and safe waterways. Wright is a principle investigator on the Blackstone River Initiative (BRI), one of the most ambitious scientific studies of a watershed ever undertaken. The technical expertise, good science and outstanding efforts of the BRI advanced a global understanding of pollution problems in this watershed.

Linda Green, University of Rhode Island, Watershed Watch Program Director Linda Green has shown an outstanding commitment to local volunteer monitoring efforts in communities in Rhode Island, New England and nationally. Green is a founder of RI's Volunteer Monitoring Steering Committee, a group that brings together state agencies and volunteer monitoring groups to share information and discuss significant environmental issues. She also runs regional and national volunteer monitoring conferences. She has been an integral part of the success of the Wood-Pawtucket Watershed, which became the first River Council in the state. Her extensive experience with watershed programs, her talents as a scientist capable of providing clear presentations to listeners of all technical backgrounds and her abilities to work with a wide range of collaborators make her a true environmental steward.

Special Award for Distinguished Environmental Service John H. Chafee, U.S. Senator from Rhode Island
As a three-term governor of Rhode Island and as a four-term U.S. Senator, John Chafee has put together an unsurpassed environmental record that has benefitted water, air, urban parks and open space. Chafee has been an effective proponent in ensuring the passage of environmental laws including the Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the Endangered Species Act and the Coastal Barrier Resources Act. In the 1960s, as governor, Chafee launched a visionary "Green Acres Program" that preserved unspoiled Rhode Island treasures such as Colt and Brenton Point State Parks. As Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, Senator Chafee remains focused on the protection and investments which will benefit future generations.