Governor Corbett Announces 2012 Environmental Excellence Awards Winners

HARRISBURG, Pa., April 18, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Tom Corbett today announced that 17 environmental projects from across the state will receive the 2012 Environmental Excellence Award.

"These businesses, schools and organizations have demonstrated a commitment to reducing our impact on the environment, and I commend them for their efforts," Corbett said. "The winning projects raise the bar for all of us to be more environmentally conscious."

Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Mike Krancer will be the keynote speaker at tonight's Pennsylvania Environmental Council award event at the Hilton in downtown Harrisburg.

"Innovation is paramount to our ability to craft sensible environmental policy," Krancer said. "We applaud all the award winners for their spirit of innovation and their passion for improving the environment."

Governor Corbett and DEP urged any Pennsylvania business, school, government agency, trade organization, non-profit organization or agribusiness involved in efforts to promote environmental stewardship and economic development to apply for the award. DEP and the non-profit Pennsylvania Environmental Council then reviewed the applications and made selections.

The winning projects include those focused on abandoned mine reclamation, alternative energy, energy management and the creation of a public compressed natural gas refueling station.

For more information, visit www.dep.state.pa.us or www.pecpa.org.

Media contact: Katy Gresh, 717-787-1323

Editor's note: The 17 winners of the 2012 Governor's Environmental Excellence Awards are listed below, by county:

Allegheny County
Giant Eagle – Giant Eagle Delivering a Clean Future, CNG Project
Propel Schools – Sunflower Fields Forever
Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission – Regional Traffic Signal Program

Berks County
Anthony Rymar – UGI-PNG former Water Street Manufactured Gas Plant

Butler County
Connoquenessing Watershed Alliance Inc. – Thorn Creek Habitat Improvement Project

Centre County
Bald Eagle Area School District – Wingate Complex Renovation with Solar, Geothermal and Environmental Center

Clinton County
Trout Unlimited – West Branch Recovery Benchmark Project

Franklin County
Chambersburg Area School District – CASD Energy Management, Conservation and Energy Star Partnership

Lancaster County
ElectroCell Technologies Inc. – ElectroCell Technologies/Snavely Farms Green Cycle Nutrient Trading and Odor Reduction Project
Mount Joy Borough Authority – Nutrient Credit Trade and Class A Implementation Program

Luzerne County
Earth Conservancy – Espy Run Wetlands Enhancement Project

Montgomery County
Greener Partners – Longview Center for Agriculture

Philadelphia County
ARCA Advanced Processing LLC – First URT Refrigerator Recycling Plant in the United States
PECO, in partnership with the Franklin Institute and the National Energy Education Development Project – PECO Energizing Education Program
Zoological Society of Philadelphia – Bird Lake Wetland

York County
PA Apiculture Inc. – PennApic Learning Center and Public Outreach Program
Sunnyside Farm – Farming without Petroleum

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor