Gov. Tom Wolf Wednesday has honored Department of Environmental Protection Southwest regional counsel Mike Heilman with a Governor’s Award for Excellence for his efforts to protect clean air in Pennsylvania.

“Mike’s strengths are found outside of the courtroom as well, where he combines his background as a licensed engineer with his legal counsel to provide sophisticated technical judgment,” said DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell. “His mentorship for younger attorneys will pay dividends for DEP’s Office of Chief Counsel for years to come.”

When a number of Greene County residents faced a dangerous situation of methane bubbling up in their neighborhood, Heilman worked with the DEP office of Active and Abandoned Mining Operations to show that the source of the gas was an underground coal mine. Heilman then took the lead in the courtroom, fighting back against the responsible mining company’s appeal of the order issued by DEP to correct the problem.

Heilman also took part in the response to a coke plant in Monessen, Westmoreland County, that was the source of odors, fugitive emissions, and community tensions. He led DEP’s efforts with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to reach a precedent-setting settlement to institute sulfur controls at this class of coke plant. The new agreement will provide a major benefit to local residents’ air and quality of life.

Gov. Wolf presented Governor’s Awards for Excellence to 47 employees representing 10 Commonwealth agencies. The awards recognize Commonwealth employees for exemplary job performance or service that reflects initiative, leadership, innovation and increased efficiency.

Click Here for the complete announcement.

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[Posted: May 9, 2018]

5/14/2018