Photo By Shelby West | NNSY recently received the Sustained Distinguished Performance River Start presented...... read more read more
Recently celebrating his 50th birthday, Woodsy Owl has been America's original and official environmental icon. Woodsy Owl has taught children and adults alike to “give a hoot; don't pollute!” If Woodsy Owl were to visit the shipyard today, Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) would do him proud.
NNSY recently received the Sustained Distinguished Performance River Start presented by the Elizabeth River Project and the 2020 Pollution Prevention Partner Award from Hampton Roads Sanitation District. But this is nothing new for the shipyard.
"There are 143 total River Stars in the program. This year, there are 47 awardees and of the 47, 32 are being awarded Sustained Distinguished Performance, which is documenting significant new results without advancing to another level,” said the Elizabeth River Project's Deputy Director Administrative and River Star Business Program Manager Pam Boatwright. “NNSY is at the top model level in the program and is one of the most recognized River Stars in the program – with winning 19 awards (two other River Stars have won 20). Plus in 2017, NNSY won the Inside Business River Star Hall of Fame award.”
NNSY's accomplishments included the maintenance of wildlife habitats at former shipyard landfills along the river and its tributaries, the cultivation of oysters for placement onto a state maintained reef in the Elizabeth River, energy conservation projects executed by the command and pollution prevention initiatives which reduced the amount of toxic materials released to the environment.
"The shipyard is continuously improving its interactions with the river through reducing pollution levels, using less water, restoring areas along the waterfront to a cleaner, more natural state, and educating its employees of the importance of this both at work and at home,” said acting Environmental Division Head (Code 106.3) Matt Peppers. “NNSY employees volunteer at Elizabeth River Project at cleanup events, as well as serve on the Elizabeth River Project Advisory Committee, reviewing potential new businesses to become star sites based on their efforts to protect the Elizabeth River.”
To receive the Hampton Roads Sanitation District Pollution Partner Award, Norfolk Naval Shipyard had to submit a project, program and/or technology effort that focuses on reduction of waste, or its toxicity at the source rather than traditional treatment, control, and disposal. Submissions can be multimedia pollution prevention efforts for air, land, or water.
"NNSY earned the award by maintaining strict permit compliance and preventing excess pollution from being introduced, despite discharging on average over 1,000,000 gallons of wastewater per day into HRSD's system,” said Occupational Safety, Health, and Environment Office (Code 106D) Deputy Director John Briganti.
Pollution prevention and helping to restore the Elizabeth River is a crucial element in the shipyard's day-to-day activities to fulfill its mission in the repair, modernization, and inactivation of warships and training platforms.
"It gives me goosebumps knowing that the NNSY team is working with our community to build a cleaner future for many generations to come,” said Shipyard Commander Capt. Dianna Wolfson. "Taking care of our environment is everyone's responsibility, together as One Team, not only as a shipyard, but also as a community as a whole, we will continue to strive to improve our environment for our employees, our families, and our communities that surround America's Shipyard.”
| Date Taken: | 03.07.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 03.07.2022 07:31 |
| Story ID: | 415904 |
| Location: | PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 115 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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