Robert Hughes Of EPCAMR Recognized With Susquehanna River Basin Honors

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission recently presented the Commission’s sixth William W. Jeanes, Sr. Award for Environmental Excellence to Robert E. Hughes for his commitment and dedication to abandoned mine reclamation and abandoned mine drainage remediation.

 

Hughes is the executive director of the Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation– a nonprofit organization covering 16 counties in eastern Pennsylvania. The Jeanes Award honors organizations and individuals who contribute to the protection of water quality in the Susquehanna basin.

 

Hughes is an advocate for innovative, environmental sound reclamation and AMD remediation techniques. Among his notable contributions, he serves as liaison and project coordinator between state, federal and local agencies to complete hundreds of AMD remediation projects.

 

He also coordinates and co-hosts the Annual Statewide Conference on Abandoned Mine Reclamation and Abandoned Mine Drainage Remediation. The conference, which will run July 13-16 this year, brings partners, conservation districts, watershed organizations, environmental professionals, regional non-profit organizations, local governments and consultants together to address AMD – the Commonwealth’s number one non-point source of pollution.

 

Hughes is the co-author and creator of an AMD activity/coloring book for elementary-aged school children, which allows area students to understand Pennsylvania’s local geology and water quality impacts due to abandoned mines located throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania. The book is available on EPCAMR’s website.

 

About the Award

 

William W. Jeanes, Sr. (native of Wayne, Pa., 1909-1987) co-founded the Upper Chesapeake Watershed Association in 1952 and served as its president for eight years. He and the organization were vigilant about the quality and quantity of water coming from the bay’s largest tributary – the Susquehanna River. Jeanes led the group as an intervener during the relicensing proceedings of the four hydroelectric dams on the lower Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania and Maryland.

 

Past recipients of the Jeanes Award include:

 

-- 2007 – R. John Dawes, Administrator, Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds

 

-- 2006 – Homer (Skip) W. Wieder, Jr., Sr. Vice President Emeritus, Geisinger Health System

 

-- 2005 – PPL Project Earth, Pennsylvania

 

-- 2002 – Harry Barnes, Program Coordinator, BOCES, New York

 

-- 2000 – Dr. Betty Conner, League of Women Voters, Pennsylvania

 

For more information, visit the Susquehanna River Basin Commission website.