2016 Governor's Environmental Excellence Awards

2016 Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards

November 23, 2016

Contact: David Madore, Communications Director, david.madore@maine.gov or (207) 287-5842

Governor Paul R. LePage and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2016 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence. The awards, which are administered by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, recognize businesses, nonprofit organizations, and public entities for their extraordinary efforts to protect and improve Maine’s environment.  “Maine DEP is pleased to spotlight this year’s winners, who provide solid examples of innovation and sustainability for Maine businesses and citizens to follow,” said Maine DEP Commissioner Paul Mercer.

The Maine Department of Environmental Protection is committed to improving our State’s regulatory climate and to creating a stronger culture of cooperation between government and Maine people and businesses.  The 2016 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence will be awarded in the following categories:

Small Business:  Sentry EHS of Westbrook

Sentry EHS is an environmental technology solution created by St.Germain Collins – who has been helping clients comply with environmental, health and safety (EHS) regulations for nearly 25 years. Concerned with how quickly EHS regulations change and with clients’ inability to keep up with those changes, St. Germain Collins developed Sentry EHS. Originally, used as an in-house database to track regulatory changes and compliance due dates, St. Germain Collins launched Sentry EHS 2.0 to reach and better serve the needs of their clients.

Medium Business: Penobscot Energy Recovery Company (PERC)

PERC has been recognized for their design and implementation of a zero liquid discharge (ZLD) program to recycle all process water internally to higher uses and avoid sending the process wastewater to the Penobscot River. Through this program, the existing wastewater treatment plant was repurposed to treat the “gray” process wastewater to remove contaminants for proper landfill disposal. That water could then be recycled to areas that require water anyway, thus backing out a user of very clean water and reducing consumption.

Large Business: Wyman’s of Maine

Wyman’s has made a conscious effort over the last several years to evaluate and reduce their energy usage, water usage, and to limit their pollutant discharges to the Narraguagus River. In 2015, Wyman’s took a substantial step in accomplishing these goals by minimizing their processing wastewater discharges to the Narraguagus River from the more concentrated process wastewater generated during the fresh processing season and expanding their spray irrigation system in order to effectively manage, treat and dispose of lagoon effluent wastewater. Additionally, internal facility practices, system upgrades and system changes were made throughout their processing system to limit water usage and reduce or eliminate solids discharge.

Community, Public Sector, or Nonprofit: Professor Leonard Greenhalgh

Maine DEP recognizes the efforts of Leonard Greenhalgh, founder and president of the non-profit Maine Coastal Habitat Foundation. For the past 30 years, almost entirely at his own expense, he has worked to restore coastal wetlands that had been filled in by mining debris, and he has been doing it in a way that maximizes positive impact on the Maine economy.

As a business school teacher, Mr. Greenhalgh knows that environment remediation and enhancement of the economy are compatible. His restoration activities have contributed to the Maine off-season economy, improved real estate values and returned the neglected granite quarry to a beautifully restored Maine landscape.

In the coming weeks, Commissioner Mercer, Deputy Commissioner Loyzim and senior staff from Maine DEP will be making site visits to the honorees at their establishment to make the award presentations.