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Call for Nominations
2008 NOAA Environmental Hero Awards

 

Purpose

NOAA’s Environmental Hero Awards honor non-NOAA individuals and organizations that volunteer their time to help NOAA carry out its mission — to understand and predict changes in Earth’s environment and conserve and manage coastal and marine resources to meet our nation’s economic, social, and environmental needs. Not only do the awards raise awareness about NOAA’s mission, but they also encourage others to participate in NOAA volunteer programs. 

Background and Criteria

• NOAA’s Environmental Hero Awards were established in 1995 to commemorate Earth Day. The awards recognize people outside of NOAA who volunteer their time toward any one of NOAA’s mission goals. Organizations also will be considered. NOAA employees and previous winners are not eligible for this award.
  
  
• The Long-Time Achievement Award was introduced in 2007 to periodically honor long-time NOAA-related accomplishments (previous Environmental Heroes are eligible for this special award).

Submission Information

Nominating an individual or organization is easy! Simply read the instructions and complete the nomination form provided below and share them with NOAA staff in your line office.

• How to Submit a Nomination? 

  Nominations must be submitted by NOAA staff through their respective line office contacts — see list below — by no later than COB Friday, February 15.  The line office contacts listed below must submit their final nominations (up to 10) to NOAA’s Office of Communications (i.e., Julie Bedford and David Miller) by no later than COB Friday, February 22.  A panel will review the nominations and select/announce the final 10 Environmental Heroes from these candidates by Monday, March 3. Only 10 NOAA Environmental Heroes will be chosen in total. Line office contacts and/or nominators are responsible for informing their respective Environmental Heroes, sending out press releases and coordinating local events.
  

Line Office Contacts:
Susan Buchanan NOAA's National Weather Service 301-713-0622 susan.buchanan@noaa.gov	Jana Goldman NOAA Research 301-734-1123 jana.goldman@noaa.gov
John Leslie NOAA's Satellite and Information Service 301-713- 2087 x 174 john.leslie@noaa.gov	Jeanne Kouhestani NOAA's Marine and Aviation Operations 301-713-7693 jeanne.g.kouhestani@noaa.gov
Ben Sherman and David Hall NOAA's Ocean Service 301-713-3066 ben.sherman@noaa.gov or david.l.hall@noaa.gov	Julie Bedford NOAA's Headquarters/OFA 202-482-6096 julie.bedford@noaa.gov
Monica Allen NOAA's Fisheries Service 301-713-2370 monica.allen@noaa.gov	Robert Hansen NOAA's Education Office 202-482-4594 robert.c.hansen@noaa.gov

• What Should be Submitted?

  Please complete the accompanying 2008 Environmental Hero Award Nomination Form for each nominee. A sample is provided for your reference.

• What do the Award Winners Receive?
  

  • Each winner receives a signed letter of congratulations and appreciation from the NOAA Administrator. They also receive a commemorative plaque. An awards ceremony and/or reception may also take place — details still to be determined.
    
    
• The winners will be listed on the NOAA Earth Day Web page by Earth Day, April 22. It is up to the nominating parties to decide if they want to issue a press release to highlight their winner(s). NOAA public affairs officers can assist in the creation and distribution of releases.
  
  
• Line office contacts and nominators are encouraged to develop local, regional, and/or national events to further recognize the award recipients. The weeks before and after Earth Day (April 22) is the ideal time, but events can be arranged around other activities. If you have an event in mind, please send the event date, time and location, along with a brief event description to Julie Bedford and David Miller in NOAA’s Office of Communications. Please take photos at the event/award presentation and submit them to NOAA’s Office of Communications with captions, as well as the photographer’s name. Note that all images submitted become property of NOAA for public use and may be posted on the NOAA Earth Day Web page.

Deadlines

• Friday, February 15:  Your nominations are due to your line offices contact listed below.
  
  
  • Susan Buchanan, NOAA's National Weather Service, 301-713-0622
  • John Leslie, NOAA's Satellite and Information Service, 301-713- 2087 x 174
  • Ben Sherman and David Hall, NOAA's Ocean Service, 301-713-3066
  • Monica Allen, NOAA's Fisheries Service, 301-713-2370
  • Jana Goldman, NOAA Research, 301-734-1123
  • Jeanne Kouhestani, NOAA's Marine and Aviation Operations, 301-713-7693
  • Julie Bedford, NOAA's Headquarters, 202-482-6096
  • Robert Hansen, NOAA's Education Office, 202-482-459

• Friday, February 22:  Each line office contact submits their final nominations (up to 10) to NOAA’s Office of Communications (i.e., Julie Bedford and David Miller).
  
  
• Monday, March 3: By this date, a panel will have reviewed the nominations and selected/announced the final 10 Environmental Heroes from these candidates. Only 10 NOAA Environmental Heroes will be chosen in total.  Line office contacts and/or nominators are responsible for informing their respective Environmental Heroes, sending out press releases and coordinating local events.
  
  
• Environmental Hero awards ceremony and/or reception (TBD)
  
  
• April 22:  Earth Day — NOAA will officially announces the 2008 Environmental Heroes by posting them on the NOAA Earth Day Web page by this date.

Questions

Please feel free to contact either Julie Bedford (202-482-6096) or David Miller (202-482-0013) in NOAA’s Office of Communications.

Click here for
2008 Nomination Form and Example (.zip)