Governor McDonnell Announces Environmental Excellence Award Winners

RICHMOND - Governor Bob McDonnell today announced the winners of the 2011 Governor's Environmental Excellence Awards, which will be presented at the Environment Virginia Symposium in Lexington. The awards recognize the significant contributions of environmental and conservation leaders in three categories: environmental projects, environmental programs and land conservation. They are given to businesses and industrial facilities, not-for-profit organizations, government agencies and individuals.

Speaking about the awards, Governor McDonnell remarked, "We are very proud of the Virginians in these private, non-profit and government entities who have demonstrated the innovation and dedication to improve our environment and make the lives of their fellow Virginians better."

The Gold Medal winners in each category are:

• Environmental programs (large businesses) - MillerCoors Shenandoah Brewery for its recycling and sustainability program
• Environmental programs (small businesses/non-manufacturing) - Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants of Virginia for its Earthcare Program
• Environmental programs (government):
• The environmental program at U.S. Army Fort Monroe, Public Works
• The Virginia Master Naturalist Program
• Virginia Tech for implementation of its sustainability plan
• The Town of Purcellville in Loudoun County for its "Go Green Purcellville" initiative
• Environmental programs (not for profit) - The Chesapeake Bay Foundation for its environmental education program
• Environmental project (government) - The Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Newport News for its sulfur hexafluoride management project
• Environmental project (not for profit) - James River Association for its "Extreme Stream Makeover" initiative
• Land conservation - The Nature Conservancy for the Dragon Run conservation area

Award winners were chosen based on criteria including environmental benefit, stakeholder involvement, public outreach, transferability and innovativeness.

This year's awards were sponsored by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Dominion and Smithfield Foods Inc.

Additional information on the Governor's Environmental Excellence Awards is available on the DEQ website here.