From 1995 to 2002, the women and men who worked for the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and their many partners, won a variety of professional, national and international awards and recognition for their work, both individually and for programs and initiatives.

Recognition included organizations like the United Nations Environmental Honor Roll Of 500, the Ford Foundation, Harvard University, the Council of State Governments, Resources for the Future and many others.

Here a list of some of the more significant awards and recognition--

1996 ======

-- The American Legislative Exchange Council adopted Pennsylvania's Land Recycling Program as the national model for industrial site Recycling.

-- The Council of State Governments included Pennsylvania's Land Recycling Program in its Suggested State Legislation Program.

-- A manual of best management practices for food preparation developed by a DEP/industry-led workgroup won the American Society of Agricultural Engineers' Blue Ribbon Award in the 1996 Educational Aids Competition.

-- Dr. Bernard Hoffnar of DEP was inducted into the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service Hall of Fame.

-- Daniel Drawbaugh received the Vice President's Hammer Award.

-- A 12-agency NEPA/404 Process Merger Team, which included four DEP employees, received the Vice President's Hammer Award

1997 =====

-- Carol R. Collier, Director of the Governor's 21st Century Environment Commission, was the recipient of the first annual Touchstone Awards from the Society of Woman Environmental Professionals Philadelphia Regional Chapter.

-- The Industrial Plaza of York project received the international Phoenix Award of distinction for brownfield redevelopment at the International Industrial Site Recycling Conference in Pittsburgh. The site includes a district office of DEP.

-- Gov. Tom Ridge received an award from the United States Energy Association and Johnson Controls Inc. for promoting energy efficiency and championing electric energy competition.

-- The conservation group Renew America selected two DEP programs - Land Recycling and Alternative Fuels Incentive Grants - for inclusion in its 1997 Environmental Success Index.

-- PA State Forest Land receives Environmental Certification from Scientific Certification Systems, only the second state to achieve this honor.

-- DEP's Office of Mineral Resources Management received a national Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Award from the U.S. Department of the Interior's Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement .

-- The Blacklick Creek Watershed Association and the Loyalhanna Watershed Association were both honored with an Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Award from the U.S. Department of Interior's Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement. The Projects included significant involvement by staff from DEP.

-- U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno presented a commendation to a DEP Investigator Darrell Zavislak for his outstanding work during the successful investigation and prosecution of an illegal hazardous waste disposal case in Covington Township, Lackawanna County.

1998 =====

-- 1998 National Telly Award presented for the land use episode of the monthly television series, GreenWorks for Pennsylvania, a production of the Environmental Fund for Pennsylvania.

-- 1998 Three Rivers Environmental Award was given to the Southwest Pennsylvania Ozone Action Partnership.

-- 1998 Government Award from the Water Resources Association was given to James M. Seif, Secretary of DEP.

-- The Consulting Engineers Council of Pennsylvania awarded DEP an Honors Award in the special projects category for the department's involvement in the design of the Little Toby Creek Acid Mine Drainage Treatment Plant in Fox Township, Elk County.

-- The Redevelopment Authority of the County of Washington received the international Phoenix Award of distinction for brownfield redevelopment at the International Industrial Site Recycling Conference, a Pennsylvania Land Recycling Program Site.

-- DEP was a finalist for the annual Civil Engineering Research Foundation Awards in the category of Green Technology in a Model Office Facility for it's "green" Southcentral Regional Office Building in Harrisburg.

-- DEP, along with conservation districts and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, received the Vice President's Hammer Award for their Emergency Watershed Protection Partnership in resolving emergency flood situations in 1996.

-- The Southeast Regional Office of DEP received the Vice President's Hammer Award for its participation on the City of Philadelphia Airport Expansion/Federal Navigation Channel Dredging Project Team.

1999 =====

-- The GreenWorks for Pennsylvania TV Show and the www.GreenWorksChannel.org produced by the Environmental Fund for Pennsylvania won the annual Communications Award from Preservation Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.

-- DEP's recycling radio public service announcement titled, "You'll Never Hear the End of It," was named the winner in two categories of the 1999 Communicator Awards competition.

-- DEP's Used Oil Recovery Program has won a 1999 Pepperpot Award for the development of its newest public service announcement.

-- The GreenWorks Channel, from the the Environmental Fund for Pennsylvania, received the 1999 Environmental Achievement Award, nonprofit organization category, from the Pennsylvania Resources Council at its 60th anniversary awards dinner.

-- Jim Tabor, chief of DEP's Coastal Zone Management Section, was recently named a recipient of the 1999 Vice Presidential Hammer Award.

-- Gov. Tom Ridge was honored with an Environmental Partnership Award from the Northeast office of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council in recognition of his leadership in forming collaborative efforts that affect the region's environment.

-- The GreenWorks for Pennsylvania television series won its second bronze statuette in the 1999 Telly Award competition for the "Buy Recycled" episode about people.

-- Former DEP Chief Counsel Terry R. Bossert and DEP Regulatory Counsels Richard P. Mather and M. Dukes Pepper, Jr. are among the members of a team of lawyers who have won a prestigious Award of Outstanding Achievement from the international Association for Continuing Legal Education in the Best Publication category.

-- DEP won one of eight 1999 Council of State Governments' Innovations Awards for its Internet-based compliance reporting system. In the last 3 years, DEP has won an unprecedented four CSG Innovations Awards.

-- The Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI) honored DEP at its 1999 International User Conference in San Diego, California for its work on geographic information systems.

-- "Mountain of Trash" a public service announcement produced by JPL Productions for DEP's recycling media campaign was named a 1999 Telly Award finalist by the International Television Association.

-- The GreenWorks for Pennsylvania TV program "Pennsylvania's First Green Building" about the design and construction of DEP's Southcentral Regional Office received a second place award in the 1999 U.S. International Film and Video Festival and a bronze statuette in the 1999 national Telly Award competition.

-- DEP deputy secretary Ken Giffhorn was presented with the 1999 President's Award by the Pennsylvania Mapping and Geographic Information Consortium.

-- The Northern Montgomery County Recycling Commission presented DEP with its 1999 Excellence in Government Service to Recycling Award.

-- The Pennsylvania Senior Environment Corps project received a national award from Renew America and the President's Council on Sustainable Development for its effort to build new partnerships for protecting the environment as well as the Capital Region Pennsylvania Senior Environment Corps organization. The SEC is a partnership of EASI, DEP and the Department of Aging.

-- DEP Southcentral Regional Office Building was recognized as a national model by Renew America and the President's Council on Sustainable Development and will be included in its Environmental Success Index of successful environmental programs to emulate.

-- Pennsylvania's Land Recycling Program was recognized as a national leader for turning brownfields into safe, usable sites by Renew America organization and will be included in its Environmental Success Index.

-- Roger Hornberger, director of DEP's Pottsville District Mining Office, was honored by the Interstate Mining Compact Commission for his work on interstate mining issues.

-- Eric Conrad receives Public Service Award from the Pennsylvania Council of Professional Geologists.

-- 1999 Governmental Award to James M. Seif, Secretary of DEP from the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society for work as co-chairperson of the Governor's 21st Century Environment Commission along with co-chair Caren Glotfelty, Goddard Professor at Pennsylvania State University.

-- 1999 Leader-of-the-Year Award to James M. Seif, Secretary of DEP from the Pennsylvania Chemical Industry Council for leadership on public policy issues.

2000 =====

-- The peregrine falcon webpage and the "Echoes Through Penn's Woods" environmental documentary won gold and silver awards from the Harrisburg Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).

-- DEP Secretary James M. Seif received the prestigious Fox-Calhoun Award from the Pennsylvania Resources Council.

-- The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary gave DEP the first annual "Excellence in the Estuary Award for Government Leadership".

-- DEP's Used Oil Recovery public service announcement won a bronze Telly Award for communications excellence.

-- The GreenWorks Channel, a video website produced by the Environmental Fund for Pennsylvania, has been awarded an international Crystal Award of Excellence in the Communicator Awards 1999 Video Competition.

-- A Watershed Primer for Pennsylvania: A Collection of Essays on Watershed Issues, published by the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, Allegheny Watershed Network, and DEP, received an Honorable Mention for the 2000 Tom Lee State Award for Excellence from the Association of State Floodplain Managers.

-- "The Recycling Loop - Buying Recycled" GreenWorks for Pennsylvania TV episode, produced by the Environmental Fund for Pennsylvania won The Videographer Awards 2000 competition.

-- Steve Ebersole, Lisa Cook and Hilton McKnight of DEP's Graphics section were awarded five separate Awards for Excellence in the NEOGRAPHICS 2000: Power of Print Competition.

-- GreenWorks for Pennsylvania, a production of the Environmental Fund for Pennsylvania, Wins Communication Award from Preservation Pennsylvania.

-- "Faces of the Farm" GreenWorks for Pennsylvania episode wins 2000 Silver Telly Award and has been accepted into the 15th Annual Festival of Independents at the Philadelphia Festival of World Cinema.

-- DEP's Southcentral Regional Office Building is one of the first 12 buildings to be certified for sustainable design and construction by the U.S. Green Building Council.

-- Ozone Action Partnership TV Spot Wins National Advertising Awards.

-- The Small Business Development Centers presented DEP Secretary James M. Seif with Small Business Advocate Award.

-- DEP's television public service announcement (PSA), titled "Life's Better" public service announcement in English and Spanish has been recognized in two categories with "Awards of Distinction" by the 1999 Communicator Awards, a national awards competition.

2001 =====

-- DEP Wins Champion Award from EPA's WasteWi$e Program

-- DEP, Partners Win Axium Award for Internet Production

-- DEP and partners garner gold and silver awards from Harrisburg Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) awards for Year 2000 Annual Report, GreenWorks Gazette and GIS video for kids

-- DEP's John Hines winner of American Water Resources Association Award

-- Erie Brownfield Site Wins National Phoenix Award

-- PaSiteFinder.com Brownfields Website Wins Communications Award

-- Erie County Envirothon team wins national Envirothon competition.

-- Pennsylvania West Nile GIS Program wins international recognition at ERSI conference.

-- The National American Water Works Association (AWWA) presented a small water systems program award to the Pennsylvania Section AWWA for the DEP-AWWA Drinking Water Partnership Program.

-- Pennsylvania's PASDA GIS program wins international recognition.

-- DEP mine inspector John Davidson wins Sportsman of the Year Award for his watershed restoration efforts.

-- Pennsylvania wins most national mine safety awards.

-- DEP Deputy Secretary for Water Management Larry Tropea, Jr., P.E., DEE, was named recipient of the Pennsylvania Water Environment Association's prestigious Roy F. Weston Award.

-- Chuck Duritsa, DEP's Southwest Regional Office Director, GreenWorks-Environmental Fund, green building projects win 3 Rivers Environmental Awards.

-- John P. Winston,with DEP's Bureau of Radiation Protection, received the prestigious Board of Directors Award for Meritorious Service from the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD) Inc.

-- The GreenWorks for Pennsylvania television series won top honors in the 2001 Videographer Awards.

-- Steve Ebersole received "Best Design of Annual Reports" Award in the NEOGRAPHICS 2001: Power of Print Competition.

-- DEP Artists were also awarded 3 Awards for Excellence in NEOGRAPHICS 2001

-- DEP Secretary James M. Seif was named a winner of the 2001 National Public Service Award.

-- 2001 Council of State Governments Innovation Award for the Growing Greener Watershed Protection and Restoration Program

2002 =====

-- DEP Artists Win Multiple Tri-State Design Awards for Fourth Year bringing total to 16.

-- DEP Employee One of Five Pa. National Guard Soldiers Honored

-- The Indiana Chapter of the Pennsylvania Senior Environment Corps (PASEC) was awarded the Chapter of the Year at the Environmental Alliance for Senior Involvement (EASI) International Conference

-- DEP's West Nile Surveillance and Control team's "Web of Surveillance" received the first place Team Innovation Award for its booth and the second place Innovation Award for its Team Success presentation at the Governors Innovations in State Government Competition Oct. 31 in Harrisburg.

-- RFI Energy Inc. of Sligo, Clarion County received the 2002 Excellence in Surface Mining Reclamation Award from the U.S. Department of the Interior's Office of Surface Mining (OSM).

-- The Pennsylvania Recycling Certification Program received a University Continuing Education Association (UCEA) Region II award in the category of Outstanding Non-Credit Program Development.

-- Harrisburg Mayor Stephen R. Reed honored the efforts of Gov. Mark Schweiker and other state officials involved in the Quecreek Mine Rescue during the city's annual Fire Bureau Medal Day on Oct. 7. DEP staff receiving awards were Barbara Sexton, Jay Scott Roberts, Richard Stickler, Joseph Sbaffoni, Ellsworth Pauley, Lynn Jamison, William Booshar, Thomas McKnight, Elaine Holland, Curtis Pieper, Michael Dimatteo, Robin Lighty, Michael Bedrin, Charles High, Calvin Kirby, Darlene Crawford, Dennis Buterbaugh, John Repetz, Karl Lasher, Ron Ruman, Patryck Paul, Susan Rickens, Kristen Wolf, Kerry Chippo, Brandi Hunter, Robert Andersen, Marshall Osborne, Steve Ebersole and interns Julie Vastyan and Christine Bufton.

-- Gov. Mark Schweiker honored 41 Pennsylvania companies and organizations from 28 counties Sept. 25 for their outstanding achievements in environmental protection at the annual Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence ceremony.

-- The Society of Women Environmental Professionals of Greater Philadelphia has announced that Louise S. Thompson, Esq. of the office of Chief Council for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is the Touchstone Award Winner for 2002.

-- Gov. Mark Schweiker presented the first-ever Governor's Award for Excellence in Service Sept. 9 to six state employees for life-saving decisions they made during the early hours of the Quecreek Mine Rescue in Somerset County in late July. The award winners are: Richard Stickler, Joe Sbaffoni, Lynn Jamison, Ellsworth Pauley, Bill Bookshar, and Tom McKnight.

-- Pennsylvania's CD-ROM, "Focus On Biodiversity!" earned top honors recently at the 2002 AXIEM AWARDS™.

-- Michael DiMatteo, a hydrogeologist with the Bureau of Mining and Reclamation, received the first ever "Outstanding TIPS Contributor Award" this month from the U.S. Office of Surface Mining (OSM) .

-- DEP's Northeast Regional Office was part of an award-winning team recognized by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the design of cleanup systems for the Tranguch Gasoline Site in Hazleton City and Hazle Township, Luzerne County. The Corps presented a Chief of Engineers Special Recognition Award in the Environmental Remediation category.

-- DEP Deputy Secretary Eric Conrad accepted the Special Achievement in GIS (SAG) Award for the Pennsylvania Incident Response System, known as PAIRS at the annual ESRI International User Conference.

-- The National Association of Environmental Professionals has recognized Pennsylvania's land-recycling website - PASitefinder.com - with its National Environmental Excellence Award.

-- Senior Counselor to the Governor Patrick J. Solano is the recipient of the 2002 Heritage Partnership Lifetime Achievement Award from the Heritage Conservancy.

-- DEP Secretary David E. Hess accepted one of four National River Heroes Awards on behalf of Pennsylvania's watershed groups at the River Network's third annual National River Rally in Asheville, N. C.

-- Sgt. 1st Class Nicholas Lazor III of Harrisburg, an air quality program specialist with DEP was one of the recipients of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard's prestigious Soldier of the Year and Baker Leadership Awards for 2001.

-- DEP and Northeast Regional Air Quality Manager Tom DiLazaro were recognized by the Coalition for Appropriate Transportation (CAT) as the "Transit Advocate of the Year" at the group's recent annual meeting in Bethlehem.

(Photo: Back cover of a 1995-2002 Commemorative Booklet on accomplishments distributed in 2002.)

Related Articles In This Series:

Feature: 20 Years Of Growing Greener: A Celebration Of Leadership, Partnership, Accomplishment

1996 - Gov. Tom Ridge Talks About His Very Personal Connection To Lake Erie And The Need To Work Together To Restore The Great Lakes

1996 - Gov. Tom Ridge: Expanding Partnerships To Clean Up The Susquehanna River And The Chesapeake Bay Beyond

1996 - Gov. Tom Ridge Joins With Governors Of Delaware, New Jersey, Federal Officials To Establish The Delaware Estuary Program

1996 - Gov. Tom Ridge Thanks First Environmental Excellence Award Winning Businesses For Eliminating 1.4 Million Tons Of Waste, Pollution

1996 - Gov. Tom Ridge Talks About Rebuilding Pennsylvania's Industrial Heritage Through Land Recycling

1996 - Gov. Tom Ridge Talks About The Vision And Actions Needed To Restore Our Environment At The PA Environmental Council’s Three Rivers Awards

1996 - Department Of Environmental Protection Mission Statement & Statement Of Values

1995-2002 - DEP Secretary James M. Seif: The Assignment Was Clear - Take The Kick Me! Sign Off DER

1995-2002 - DEP Secretary David E. Hess: Many New Hands Now Help Protect Penn’s Woods

1995-2002 - Environmental Accomplishments Of The Ridge & Schweiker Administrations

1995-2002: Awards And Recognition For Environmental Programs During The Ridge & Schweiker Administrations

[Posted: December 14, 2019]

12/16/2019