>>ANNOUNCER: More than eight hundred people with one mission - promoting a healthy environment.
We are the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection.
>>KATHY COSCO: It was born during an era when concerns about our environment were just beginning
to become part of the wider public conversation.
Today the DEP's Youth Environmental Program has helped raise the environmental awareness
of generations of young West Virginians.
The DEP's Sarah Alford joins us now and Sarah, this year's Youth Environmental Day was a
celebration of half a century of that good work.
>>SARAH ALFORD: Kathy, Youth Environmental Day celebrated
its 50th birthday last month and like some things, it just keeps improving with age...
>>NARRATION: They came from all over West Virginia -- hundreds
of campers converged on North Bend State Park for a day of fun.
Mountaineer mascot Jonathan Kimble was a big hit -- signing autographs and posing for pictures...
and it was a chance to be recognized for a year's worth of good work...
Nearly $15-thousand dollars in awards are presented, thanks to companies that contribute
donations to the program.
>>ROBIN OLLIS-STEMPLE: This event is just an incredible way to inspire children and
adults to take environmental leadership roles in the state and hopefully grow young children
into environmental careers and it's just a perfect place for a company like DuPont to
place some resources.
>>NARRATION: DuPont Washington Works is one of this year's corporate sponsors -- the company
contributed five thousand dollars to the program this year in observance of the plant's 65th
anniversary.
Also recognized this year, Program Manager Diana Haid's more than 30 years of service
to the Youth Environmental Program.
DIANA HAID: I am so overwhelmed!
Thank you!
Thank you so much!
>>NARRATION: At its core though, Youth Environmental Day is about raising awareness, and that message
was not lost on these campers...
>>BROOKE WELCH: I decided to get involved with Youth Environment Day because after watching
stuff at school about waste and stuff and how it doesn't decompose right stuff doesn't
and how if you plant trees and work in your environment it can help a lot -- even just
one person.
>>JULIA BLAND: Throughout the years I've been like worried about the environment -- stories
about the environment and how it's slowly disappearing -- I just decided to try and
help out.
>>SARAH ALFORD: Kathy, program organizers say they hope Youth Environmental Day is around
for another 50 years and beyond and if the success of the program so far is any indication,
it will still be going strong when today's participants are grandparents themselves.
In Charleston, I'm Sarah Alford for Environment Matters.
>>KATHY COSCO: Thanks, Sarah
Cabinet Secretary Randy Huffman recently presented two dozen environmental awards of excellence
during the DEP's annual Environmental Awards Ceremony.
As the DEP's Tom Aluise reports this year's award winners were recognized for their commitment
to a cleaner, healthier West Virginia.
>>NARRATION: They come from business and industry, government and education and community and
volunteer groups throughout West Virginia -- all with one thing in common: environmental
excellence...
>>TOM ELKINS: It's an honor to get an award -- to be recognized for all your hard work
over the last few years of dedication so yeah, it feels really nice to get an award for getting
recognized.
>>NARRATION: Winners were nominated by DEP inspectors and DEP staff.
>>RANDY HUFFMAN: The environmental regulations -- that's the minimum standard of what everyone
is expected to achieve so there's no special recognition for just simply complying with
the law.
What's unique about this group is that they all have gone above and beyond that minimum
standard and that's truly what makes a difference in our communities.
>>NARRATION: Twenty four awards in thirteen different categories were given out.
Topping the list: The Buffalo Creek Watershed Association -- you may recall our recent story
about their efforts to improve fish habitat along 13 miles of the stream that was devastated
during 1972 flood that followed a mine slurry dam collapse.
The DEP recently awarded the group more than three hundred thousand dollars to complete
the project.
>>EDDIE ADKINS: All the board members were survivors of the Buffalo Creek flood and to
see this restoration of Buffalo Creek and to see the enhancement the way it's looking,
it just make you feel so good inside knowing you're going to leave this for the next generation
to take care of and all I can say is thanks to the DEP for this award.
>>NARRATION: and thanks to all this year's winners for their continuing efforts to make
West Virginia a better place to live and work.
In Charleston, I'm Tom Aluise for Environment Matters.
>>KATHY COSCO: For a complete list of this year's winners, you can check out our website:
dep.wv.gov Coming up -- a do it yourself project that
can help you save money and the environment, too.
Plus -- spring cleaning time as a crew of DEP volunteers lends a hand to help clean
up a local roadway.
We're back in a moment.