2007 Department of the Interior Environmental Achievement Award Honorable Mentions

George Stone, Strategic Plan for the Abandoned Mine Lands Program, BLM, Washington, DC

George Stone
BLM, Washington, DC
Phone: 202-557-3573
Email: George_M_Stone@blm.gov

Mr. Stone is recognized for his leadership creating the BLM hardrock abandoned mine lands (AML) program strategic plan. The BLM's AML inventory houses nearly 12,000 sites and 45,000 features (e.g., audits, shafts, waste and tailings piles). Like most programs, AML needs far outstrip its available resources. Mr. Stone's plan fills a critical need for guidance on allocating scarce resources wisely. Under Mr. Stone's guidance and direction, the BLM's field organization collaborated with their Federal and State partners over a twelve month period to detail their operational plans for the next six years. When the AML strategic plan is implemented, the BLM and DOI will have a firm foundation to foster future partnerships, pursue fund leveraging for priority AML projects, and respond to inquiries from appropriators about program workload. The plan is already serving as a model for other DOI and external programs in developing their own strategic and operational plans.

Lassen Volcanic National Park's Recycling Committee, NPS, Mineral, CA

Ms. Mary Martin
Superintendent
Lassen Volcanic National Park
38050 Hwy 36 East
Mineral, CA 96063

Lassen Volcanic National Park's "Green Team" is an interdisciplinary group of nine employees: John Arroyo, Carole Childs, David Harry, Dan Jones, David Larabee, Mike Lafkas, Nancy Nordensten, Andi Stevens and Steve Zachary. The Team is committed to resource stewardship through recycling, reuse and sustainable practices. Team members, along with the volunteer staff they recruited, and Cady Bell, the park's Budget Analyst, are commended for their innovation, dedication, and enthusiasm for a project that benefits the Park, the public, and the environment for many years to come. The entire project was done in cooperation with the State of California, Division of Recycling, which funded the project, assisted with grant amendments and received quarterly reports and reimbursement requests. In 2004, the Committee submitted a successful grant proposal to the California Department of Conservation, Division of Recycling and was awarded $158,423 to implement the project.

In August 2006, the Team completed a 3-year project to plan, fund, and implement a project to increase awareness of and participation in recycling. The project increased collection of California Redemption Value (CRV) glass, plastic and aluminum by 117% between 2004 and 2006. The project was comprised of four components: 1) increase the number of collection sites within the park, 2) consolidate trash and recycling drop-off locations in public areas, 3) design and implement an education program for staff and the public, and 4) collect pre- and post-project data on the amount of material collected to evaluate the project's effectiveness. Establishing an education and outreach program was an integral part of the project and team members embraced this work with energy and creativity. Team members presented recycling information at "all employees" meetings, seasonal employee orientations and during special tours held at the Mineral and Manzanita Lake recycling centers. Portfolios made from recycled content were distributed, each containing an updated "Recycling Center Tips" flyer. Information bulletins were regularly posted in park's electronic newsletter. To educate the public, staff developed a park recycling icon that was easily recognizable and consistent with recycling icons used throughout the State. Informational flyers and a poster were created and posted on public bulletin boards throughout the park.

California Guest Services, NPS Concessioner, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Red Bluff, CA

Mr. Kris Koeberer
California Guest Services, Incorporated
2150 Main Street, Suite 5
Red Bluff, California 96080

As an industry leader, California Guest Services is not only "greening" their concession operation at Lassen Volcanic National Park, they are also actively involved in expanding the lines of communication with other concession companies and agencies. Under their leadership, the second California Public Lands Concessions Symposium, attended by over 100 key public sector park and recreation administrators, was held at Asilomar Conference Center in Monterey, California on October 30, 31, 2006. The conference served as a watershed gathering of managers and administrators from the public and private sector across the local, regional, state and national spectrum with the goal of establishing open lines of communication and sharing models of best practices. Their participation included both planning and panel presentations along with leaders from the National Park Service, California State Department of Parks and Recreation, USDA Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and many others. Key discussion topics included Excellence in Customer Services, Energy Conservation and Sustainable Practices, What's New in Healthier Foods and What's New in Retail. The entire food program component of the Symposium was to the greatest extent possible, made of organic and locally grown foods prepared by the Asilomar Conference Center.

Accomplishments in "greening" their concession operation at Lassen Volcanic National Park include:

• Food Items: serves only organic, fair-trade certified and shade grown coffees bought from a locally based coffee vendor.
• Serviceware: replaced all plastic cups in hotel rooms with Greenware Cups, which are fully compostable and made entirely from the renewable resources of Nebraska corn, thus removing over 2000 non-bio-degradable cups from the waste stream. Expanded use of 100% compostable trash bags from Envision, a non-profit agency that provides jobs, job training and rehabilitation services to blind and low-vision people.
• Retail Items: Purchase local products to reduce the amount of fossil fuels consumed in the shipping process, such as: 1) Pacific Sun Olive Oil, a local, woman-owned, family run, sustainable farming operation producing high quality olive oil products. 2) Recycled-content shirts, 3) Organic Cotton Apparel, and 4) Good Wood, among others. Goodwood firelogs have clean woodchips and sawdust from mills and forest trimming operations that are diverted from landfills. They are densely compressed and bound only by the natural lignin in the wood and without the use of petroleum or chemical binders, thus lower and safer emissions and zero reliance on fossil fuels. Goodwood firelogs burn longer and emit 25-50% less carbon dioxide then burning traditional cordwood.
• Sale of Natural Bug Repellents, Soaps and Candles at their park visitor shopping centers.
• Housekeeping and Janitorial Products: exclusive use of all natural, non-hazardous cleansers and detergents in their housekeeping and janitorial services, and a "just in time" purchase philosophy so they do not need to store large quantities of cleaners on site, reducing the potential for large spills.

Forever Resorts, LLC, 22 NPS concession operations, NPS, multiple locations

Mr. Rex Maughan
Forever Resorts, LLC, manages 22 concession operations for the National Park Service
Forever Corporate Plaza
7501 East McCormick Parkway
Scottsdale, Arizona 85258

In support of their corporate environmental commitment as environmental leaders, Forever Resorts established a corporate model to guide the implementation of environmental management systems at each of their operating locations based on the international standard ISO 14001:2004. By early 2006, they completed the implementation and received registration by an international registrar. The international registrar completed verification of the Forever Resorts' environmental management system at all 40-plus properties in the United States, including the 22 located on National Parks. Using nationally certified auditors and following international protocols, the independent registration audit confirmed conformance with all clauses of the international standard through records review, site inspections, and interviews with personnel.

2006 Jackrabbit Pass Cleanup, BOR, AZ

Jack Simes
Bureau of Reclamation, Yuma, AZ
928-343-8334
jsimes@lc.usbr.gov

Jackrabbit Pass is an isolated site prone to illegal dumping. At this year's cleanup event, 127 participants turned out to help. The event removed 12.34 tons of trash and debris, including recycling for 114 tires, 2.04 tons of metal, and three Car bodies. Additionally, 31 large batteries properly disposed of at Yuma County Public Works Sanitation and 15 gallons of oil (in containers) were recovered and turned over to the City's hazardous materials program.

This successful cleanup was a direct result of the prior community-based collaborations and partnerships, and founded by the principles of the on-going Yuma Area Colorado River Sweep program (since 1989). The Bureau of Reclamation's Yuma Area Office provided participants with Take Pride in America sew-on patches, fresh drinking water, support personnel, trash bags, and a backhoe with operator. The City of Yuma's Clean and Beautiful Commission provided staff support, drinking water and snacks from Wal-Mart donations, and trash bags from Home Depot donation. The Ocotillo District, Boy Scout of America and other community groups provided the people to help do the heavy-lifting that cleaned up this site: two Explorer Posts, one Scout troop, Marine Corps Air Station's MALS-13 personnel, Arizona Department of Corrections inmates, Yuma County Probationers, Yuma Union High School FFA students, and the City of Yuma's Police Officers who patrolled this isolated area. Dick's Towing removed three abandon vehicles. Liberty Motor Sports provided two Rangers with a trailer. Allied Waste provided four 40-cubic yard containers to haul trash and debris. Yuma County provided a 30-cubic yard container to haul tires for recycling. Arizona Department of Transportation provided two dump trucks with operators and a 4x4 pickup with trailer. The City of Yuma's Public Works Department also provided two 4x4 pickup trucks with trailers, a loader and two 10-cubic yard dump trucks with operators. Escamilla & Sons Farms provided two Port-a-Potties.

Greening the Potomac River National Wildlife Refuge Complex, FWS, Woodbridge, VA

Greg Weiler, Refuge Manager
Potomac River NWR
(703) 490-4979
greg_weiler@fws.gov

Stephen P. Boska, a Maintenance Mechanic at the Potomac River National Wildlife Refuge Complex is a champion recycler and true environmental leader. Stephen has promoted and developed an aggressive recycling program at their Complex, which for the last three years has had an impressive solid waste diversion rate of over 50 percent and as high as 63 percent, surpassing diversion rates of most refuges and hatcheries in the region where Environmental Management Systems (EMS) are implemented. Their recycling accomplishments are particularly noteworthy because they were not achieved under a formal EMS greening program (they were not among 11 entities in the region designated for EMS), but through the vision and dedication of one employee.

Without formal training, Mr. Boska independently initiated components of recycling programs typically found only at EMS stations, including designating a coordinator (himself), keeping records of recycling efforts (begun in FY 2004), developing simple standard operating procedures to make recycling easy for us, engaging their partners in recycling efforts, and instituting an environmentally preferred purchasing program. He researched recycling markets and found that they could recycle many materials, including metals, tires, paper, used motor oil, plastic, and glass. He helps collect, separate, and process all materials they recycle. In FY2006, the Complex generated 7.3 tons of trash. Through Mr. Boska's efforts, they sent 3.68 tons or 50.3% of this waste to various places for recycling. In addition, to the items below, they recycled 100 gallons of used motor oil, batteries of all sizes, fluorescent bulbs, and IT components:

MATERIALS	POUNDS RECYCLED, FY 2006.
Copper	21
Aluminum	28
Fencing Material	700
Waste Paper	2360
Plastic and Glass	295
Steel	3780
Tires	180
Total Pounds Recycled:	7364

Stephen Boska also demonstrates a commitment to recycling by integrating the purchase of recycled products into their standards for best management practices. In 2006, they purchased 119 tons of recycled concrete products for road and trail maintenance and 66 gallons of recycled motor oil for use in vehicles and heavy equipment.

The Complex of three National Wildlife Refuges was established primarily for the protection of migratory birds. By recycling and buying recycled-content products, they reduce the demand for virgin material extraction which often results in the loss or impairment of habitat for migratory birds. Mr. Boska's passion for recycling demonstrates that he is aware of this and the interdependency of ecosystems, resources, biodiversity, and the human culture entrusted to their stewardship. It demonstrates that he believes that those actions will help us to better preserve, conserve, and protect wildlife and other resources for future generations.

Greening the Oregon Fish & Wildlife Office, FWS, Portland, OR

Monty Knudsen, Assistant Project Leader
Oregon FWS Office
Phone: (503) 231-6179
Email: monty_knudsen@fws.gov

The recycling program of the Oregon Fish & Wildlife Office was started in 1993 by Ted Buerger and Carol Schuler. It has since been expanded and maintained by a group of "Recycling Rangers" that assist with waste reduction, recycling and other "Green" efforts throughout the office.

Every employee is responsible for sorting their waste paper and either taking it downstairs to the bulk barrel area or depositing it in the recycling stations at each copier, printer or in the communications room. "Recycling Rangers" assist by checking these printer station areas and taking that paper to the basement barrels for eventual pickup and recycling. The OFWO contracts with Paper Chase Recyclers for paper recycling. Paper Chase provides receptacle barrels and guidelines for sorting waste paper into 3 grades or types. Initially their first recycling waste hauler said they were generating nearly 1750 lbs of waste paper per month when the office was at peak staff levels (~75 - 78 staff). Through the encouragement of the Recycling Rangers the resultant minimization practices such as e-mail and double sided copying their volume was reduced to approximately 1000 lbs. per month within 3 months. At current staff levels (68) they produce approximately 900 pounds of waste paper per month.

Through the efforts of the Rangers, the office has located a supplier of 100% chlorine free white ledger paper that has a high content of recycled fiber. Although they pay 4x what virgin fiber, bleached paper costs, they are supporting business's that developed the technology to produce this paper which eliminates the detrimental environmental effects of dioxins produced by paper mills that make bleached paper.

In their lunch room Recycling Rangers take home and recycle curbside or seek out venues for recycling their metal, glass, plastic, and packing materials (foam etc.). Recycling Rangers make the arrangements to recycle their phone books curbside and take their disposable batteries to Salem for curbside recycling because curbside battery recycling is not available in Portland. Their Recycling Rangers have also located several venues to take items such as old CDs, back up batteries for computers, Styrofoam, and unusable electronic parts and equipment, to keep these items out of the waste stream and into productive circulation. The Rangers have also located a business in Portland that reclaims the ballast material (including mercury) and the glass from fluorescent lights. Thus, they store dead fluorescent bulbs in the basement closet and the Rangers deliver the dead bulbs quarterly (approximately 60-100 bulbs) to this business at a cost to the office of $.08 per foot.

With regard to energy and other resource use, the Rangers have timers set on all the photocopiers to turn off at 6:30 pm, printers are turned off at COB by the last person in that sector. They have a timer on the library lights, and in select locations have had every other florescent bulb turned off in the overhead lights. They close the blinds tightly at night to minimize heat exchange, turn off all office and hall lights at night and shut down computers. The Rangers convinced the building owner to fix the lawn sprinkler system to irrigate as lightly as possible and not on the pavement or side walk to conserve water and to landscape with native plants after exterior building renovations to further reduce water use. They have reduced the size of the motor pool, and only drive the larger vehicles and trucks when necessary to conserve fuel consumption. Also, to further reduce fuel use and costs, they have scheduled within the next 60 days, the purchase of one hybrid vehicle (Ford Escape Hybrid) to replace one of their conventional vehicles.

Greening the Pendills Creek & Sullivan Creek National Fish Hatcheries, FWS, Brimley, MI

Curtis R. Friez, Complex Manager
Pendills Creek & Sullivan Creek NFH
Phone: (906) 437-5231
Email: curt_friez@fws.gov

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