The V.I. Montessori School on St. Thomas and St. Croix residents Marcia Taylor and Harold Mark received this year’s U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Environment Quality Awards, the agency announced Friday.
“EPA is thrilled to honor the work of these environmental trailblazers,” EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck said in a press release. “These Virgin Islanders have had a major impact on protecting the environment in their communities and inspire us all to work for a cleaner, healthier environment.”
The Environmental Quality Awards are presented annually by the EPA during Earth Week to individuals, businesses, government agencies, environmental and community-based organizations and members of the media in EPA Region 2, which covers New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and eight federally recognized Indian Nations. The awards recognize significant contributions to improving the environment and public health in the previous calendar year.
Taylor got the award as an individual citizen for her work as the volunteer principal investigator in a three-year project that reduced runoff into bays by about 124 tons a year. The project was funded though the federal Stimulus Funds program under the V.I. Resource Conservation and Development Council umbrella. It centered on Fish and Coral Bays on St. John and East End Bay on St. Croix.
“It’s exciting to be finally recognized,” Taylor said, adding that it was a big job that took a lot of time.
EPA indicated that she spent 30 to 40 hours a month on the project.
Taylor is also involved in environmental concerns for her paying job. She works in the University of the Virgin Islands Marine Advisory Service and organizes Coastweeks on St. Croix.
Montessori School got the award in the environmental education category for its leadership in protecting the environment.
“We’re elated about his,” said Michael Bornn, Montessori head of school.
Three from the school were in New York on Friday to accept the award: Peggy Hunt, business director; Gloria Zakers, who heads the school’s Peter Gruber Academy; and Kayla Clendinen, an 11th-grade student.
While the school’s 103 kw-solar system was the “icing on the cake” and reduced the school’s electrical dependency on the V.I. Water and Power Authority to zero, Bornn said the school has a long history of environmental awareness.
It was years ago the school replaced incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents and began recycling aluminum cans, Bornn said, adding that a $12 million construction project is currently expanding the school energy savings with insulated roofs, window covers, shade covers, more cistern capacity and a 100,000-gallon gray water cistern to water plants.
Mark received the award for government agencies for his work as the environmental manager of the Drinking Water Program at the Planning and Natural Resources Department. The EPA said Mark went above and beyond his duties, frequently serving as an advisor to small, isolated communities across the islands.
Mark has been particularly successful at making use of federal funds to help improve public and private water systems throughout the Virgin Islands, the EPA said.
Mark said that his work in small communities such as V.I. Housing Authority communities, condominiums, hotels, apartments and schools involves helping the communities apply for federal grants.
“So at least a certain amount goes to them,” he said.
