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To: Members & Affiliates
From: National Office
Date: November 2, 2000
Subject: 2001 NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Reference: MU 00-10

Action Please By:
December 22, 2000

AMSA is now accepting nominations for its 2001 National Environmental Achievement Awards. The award program offers the perfect opportunity to recognize local, state and federal elected/appointed officials for their contributions to the clean water community — and honor your agency and/or individual staff members for notable projects and accomplishments.

Since its inception in 1983, the AMSA awards program has honored 109 individuals and 78 member agencies. AMSA’s National Environmental Achievement Awards program is pleased to solicit nominations in the following categories:

Individual Achievement Awards

  • Public Service — Federal, State or Local Elected or Appointed Officials
    Previous awardees in this category include:
  • Federal — The Honorable Christopher S. "Kit" Bond (R-MO), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee’s VA, HUD and Independent Agencies Subcommittee; The Honorable Bud Shuster (R-PA), Chair of the House’s Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure; and The Honorable Robert Borski (D-PA), Ranking Minority Member of the House Subcommittee on Water Resources & Environment
  • State — The Honorable Parris N. Glendening, Governor of the State of Maryland; and Arleen O’Donnell, Assistant Commissioner of the Bureau of Resource Protection, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
  • Local(2 awards)* — The Honorable Edward G. Rendell, Mayor of the City of Philadelphia; The Honorable Marc Morial, Mayor of New Orleans; and Richard Kennedy, President of Sanitation District No. 1 Board of Directors (KY)

* AMSA will offer two Local Public Service Awards beginning in 2001 – an award may be given to a local official elected or appointed by a community with a service area population of more than 250,000 people; and a second award may also be given to a local leader representing smaller communities (service area populations less than 250,000).

  • Distinguished Performance
    Previous awardees in this category include:
  • Edward O. Wagner, former Deputy Commissioner, New York City Department of Environmental Protection, NY
  • Michele Plá, former Manager of the Clean Water Program, San Francisco, CA
  • George D. Barnes, former Director, City of Atlanta, GA

 

  • Environment
    Previous awardees in this category include:
  • The Honorable Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Water Resources & Environment
  • Cecil Lue-Hing, former Director of Research & Development, Metropolitan Water Reclamation of Greater Chicago, IL

 

Member Agency Achievement Awards

  • Research & Technology
  • Operations
  • Public Service
  • Public Information & Education

    • - Video
    - Printed Publication
    - Educational Program

Enclosed is additional information on the eligibility and criteria for each award and instructions for submitting nominations. Applications must be received by AMSA’s National Office no later than Friday, December 22, 2000. AMSA’s Awards Committee will review each application and select honorees during AMSA’s Winter Conference, January 30 - February 2, 2001, in San Diego, California.

The 2001 National Environmental Achievement Awards will be presented during AMSA’s National Environmental Policy Forum & 31st Annual Meeting in Washington, DC, May 19-23, 2001.

All applications require the endorsement of the nominating agency’s representative to AMSA, via signature. Also, please be sure to indicate your agency’s chief elected official(s) on the application form. AMSA’s National Office will notify the officials indicated if your agency is selected for an award.

If you have any questions concerning the 2001 National Environmental Achievement Awards Program please contact Lisa DuBois at 202/833-3692 or ldubois@amsa-cleanwater.org.

 

2001 INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Public Service Awards (Four Categories — Local (2)*, State and Federal)
Eligibility:
Former or current elected or appointed public officials at the local, state and federal level of government. Award may be given at each level of government.

* Local Public Service Award — two award categories — (1) one award may be given to a former or current elected or appointed official representing a service area population greater than 250,000; and (2) a second award may be given to a current elected or appointed official serving an area less than 250,000 people.

Criteria:
Outstanding public service exhibiting a particular and continuing awareness of the challenges faced by municipal wastewater treatment agencies.

 

Distinguished Performance Award
Eligibility:
Individual formerly representing AMSA member agencies who maintained an active role in the Association during their tenure.

Criteria:
Efforts and dedication in the field of water pollution control while representing their agency.

 

Environment Award
Eligibility:
Unrestricted.

Criteria:
Outstanding environmental service.

 

2001 MEMBER AGENCY ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Please feel free to submit multiple nominations; however, each project/accomplishment can only be nominated in one category.

Research & Technology Award
Eligibility:
Development of a technological innovation related to wastewater treatment or biosolids/sludge use and disposal.

Criteria:
Research project or technological innovation must directly relate to the processes of collection, treatment or reuse of wastewater or use or disposal of biosolids/sludge. Project must have been conducted in-house, or by consultant under direction of the agency. Project results must have practical application.

 

Operations Award
Eligibility:
Outstanding project, system or method relating to wastewater treatment operations.

Criteria:
Innovative and effective project, system or method relating to wastewater treatment plant or collection system operations developed and successfully implemented by an AMSA member in a cost-effective manner while achieving environmental compliance objectives.

 

Public Service Award
Eligibility:
Significant contribution during the past year in local, state or national public service related to wastewater treatment, public utility operation or environmental protection.

Criteria:
Involvement must be by agency staff or commissioners (directors, chairs) with no added payment for public services rendered. Public service must be voluntary (not required by regulation or law).

 

Public Information & Education Awards (Three Categories — Video, Printed Publication and Educational Program)
Eligibility:
Outstanding and innovative video, printed publication and/or educational program related to wastewater treatment or pollution prevention and control.

Criteria:
Program, publication or video must have been produced by the agency staff or by an outside vendor at the express direction of the agency. Program, publication or video must cover some aspect of the agency’s operations, and must have been produced for general use or distribution.

 

NOMINATION GUIDELINES AND CHECKLIST

All applicants must follow the guidelines described below.

  • Supporting information, such as documents, reports and videotapes, will be accepted; however, due to the limited time available for the Awards Committee to review such materials, the Association strongly recommends that the attributes of all nominees be highlighted as concisely as possible in the summary overview.
  • Please note that all applications and summary overviews are photocopied for each member of the Awards Committee. Nominators are encouraged to submit unbound, clear originals.
  • It is expected that applicants for the Public Information & Education Awards in video, printed publications and educational programs will submit the appropriate supplemental material in addition to the summary overview.

 

For each nomination, please provide the following:

Individual Achievement Awards

  • Completed nomination application (with endorsing signature of AMSA representative)
  • Summary overview detailing how the work and activities of the nominee specifically meet the criteria for the selected award category. Please identify the name of the nominee and award category at the top of the summary overview, which should not exceed 2 pages of double-spaced, 12-point type.

 

Agency Achievement Awards

Please feel free to submit multiple nominations; however, any project/accomplishment may be nominated in one category only.

  • Completed nomination application (with endorsing signature of AMSA representative)
  • Summary overview that lists and answers the following 10 points:
1) What is the activity?
2) Time frame of the activity. education benefits? If so, to whom?
3) Goals and objectives of the activity.
4) Results of the activity. activity?
5) Level of participation in the activity - who, how many employees, organizational structure?
6) Is the activity replicable by others?		 7) Did the activity have environmental
8) Was there a demonstrated need for the activity?
9) In what way was the activity innovative?
10) Additional information?

Please identify the agency name, award category and project/program name at the top of the summary overview, which should not exceed 4 pages of double-spaced, 12-point type.

  • Supporting Material (if necessary)

 

Submit one completed application per entry by December 22, 2000 to:
Lisa DuBois, AMSA, 1816 Jefferson Place, NW, Washington, DC 20036-2505

 

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