Environmental Awards Presented

LEXINGTON, Va., April 8, 2011 - The 2011 Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards were presented April 6 during the Environmental Virginia symposium at VMI’s Center for Leadership and Ethics.

Gold Medal winners are as follows:

Environmental programs, large businesses - MillerCoors Shenandoah Brewery for its recycling and sustainability program.

Environmental programs, small businesses/nonmanufacturing - Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants of Virginia for its Earthcare Program.

Environmental programs, government - U.S. Army Fort Monroe Public Works for its environmental program; Virginia Master Naturalist Program; Virginia Tech for implementation of its sustainability plan; and 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.

“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,” commented Virginia Gov. Robert McDonnell.

Criteria for this year’s awards, which were sponsored by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Dominion, and Smithfield Foods Inc., included environmental benefit, stakeholder involvement, public outreach, transferability, and innovativeness.