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Department of Ecology News Release - February 2, 2007
07-019
YAKIMA – A longtime citizen advocate for cleaning up the Hanford Nuclear Reservation will be honored during a reception of the Hanford Advisory Board (HAB) scheduled for 7 p.m., Feb. 1, at the Hanford House/Richland Red Lion.
The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) will present its Environmental Excellence Award to outgoing HAB chairman Todd Martin, recognizing his work to assure citizen involvement in the cleanup at Hanford.
Martin, a resident of Northport, Wash., also will be presented a personal letter from Gov. Chris Gregoire lauding his efforts.
Hanford is the most contaminated site in North America. Its cleanup is vital for the protection of the Columbia River and the Northwest.
Martin has served as the HAB board's chair for six years and has supported the cleanup of Hanford for at least 20 years. He also was on the Hanford Concerns Council, a group that helped Hanford workers find solutions to issues before they escalated to litigation or whistleblower status.
“Todd's service to Hanford's cleanup is hard to measure but impossible to ignore. He has truly made a difference, and is a tremendous asset to citizens of Washington,” said Jane Hedges, manager of Ecology’s Nuclear Waste program in Richland.
Martin is a charter member of the board, which is made up of diverse interest groups affected by the Hanford cleanup. Membership includes representatives of local and tribal governments, environmental groups, local business, the Hanford work force and the public at large. The board’s mission is to provide informed advice to the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Washington State Department of Ecology regarding cleanup efforts at Hanford.
The Environmental Excellence Award is the state's highest award for recognizing environmental stewardship. The department issues the award to individuals, businesses and organizations that have shown leadership, innovation or extraordinary service in protecting, improving or cleaning up the environment.
For more about Hanford, see Ecology’s Hanford cleanup website: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/features/hanford/
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Media contact: Joye Redfield-Wilder, public information manager, (509) 575-2610