Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Awards Ceremony Slated for August 24

NASHVILLE – Deputy Governor Claude Ramsey will join Department of Environment and Conservation Commissioner Bob Martineau on Friday, August 24, for the 2012 Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Awards.  The ceremony will be held at the Ed Jones Auditorium on the Ellington Agriculture Center campus in Nashville beginning at 11:30 a.m.  

The Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Awards program recognizes exceptional voluntary actions that improve or protect our environment and natural resources with projects or initiatives not required by law or regulation.  In its 26th year, this year’s awards program covered nine categories: Building Green; Energy and Renewable Resources; Environmental Education and Outreach; Environmental Education and Outreach (school category); Land Use; Materials Management; Natural Heritage; Sustainable Performance; and Lifetime Achievement.  

WHO:

Deputy Governor Claude Ramsey

Environment and Conservation Commissioner Bob Martineau

Agriculture Commissioner Julius Johnson

Deputy Commissioner Shari Meghreblian, Environment and Conservation 

11 award recipients from across Tennessee 

WHAT:

Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Awards Ceremony 

WHEN:

Friday, August 24

11:30 a.m. – Brief remarks by Deputy Governor Claude Ramsey and Commissioner Bob Martineau, followed by awards luncheon

1 to 3 p.m. – Awards ceremony  

WHERE:

Ellington Agriculture Center – Ed Jones Auditorium

440 Hogan Road, Nashville, TN  37220 

Awards and Recipients:

• Excellence in Building Green: Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis / Sustainable Building Program (Shelby County) 
• Excellence in Energy and Renewable Resources:  The Tennessee Renewable Energy & Economic Development Council (Knox County) 
• Excellence in Environmental Education and Outreach:  Duck River Watershed Education and Action Project (Marshall County)
• Excellence in Environmental Education and Outreach / Schools:  Tigers Initiative for Gardening in Urban Settings / TIGUrS Urban Garden (Shelby County)
• Excellence in Land Use:  Cherry Farms Conservation Project (Lauderdale County)
• Excellence in Materials Management:  Cumberland County’s Friendly Glass (Cumberland County)
• Excellence in Natural Heritage: Athens Community Initiatives to Restore and Protect Our Natural Heritage (McMinn County)
• Excellence in Sustainable Performances:  Food City Energy Conservation Objective (Statewide)
• Pursuit of Excellence Recognition:  Going Gold Twice / BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee (Hamilton County)
• Pursuit of Excellence Recognition:  Environmental Partnership Initiative / The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay State Park (Hamilton County)
• Robert Sparks Walker Lifetime Achievement Award: To be announced at event 

For more information about the Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Awards program, please visit www.tn.gov/environment/awards.  

###