Earth Conservancy

EC Awards

Since its inception, EC has initiated a variety of land use plans and projects that reflect the organization's commitment to environmental remediation, land revitalization, conservation, and responsible land use. In addition, EC has also expanded its objectives to include environmental education and community outreach activities.

Over the past several years EC has earned local, state and national recognition for their innovation and their accomplishments and contributions.

2007 Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business & Industry – Pride of Place – environmental enhancement award

EC received the Chamber’s 2007 Pride of Place Award for its work on the Greater Hanover Area Recreation Park and the Sugar Notch residential development projects. Both sites required extensive reclamation work prior to creating both the recreation park and site for development at a residential area.

2007 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence

EC received the 2007 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence for its reclamation of the Cleveland Landfill site, which was a designated collection site for household debris following the 1972 Agnes Flood.

2002 NORTHEASTERN PA ENVIRONMENTAL PARTNERSHIP AWARD

EC and the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry were honored with a 2002 Environmental Partnership Award for a joint effort to reclaim and develop a 441-acre parcel of former Blue Coal Corporation land. A former abandoned strip mine and flood recovery landfill, the site is earmarked for use as the Hanover Crossings business and technology park.

This site is incorporated into EC's Mixed Use Land Development Project, which has proposed integrated residential, business, commercial and recreational development throughout a 2,000-acre area along the State Route 29 corridor in the City of Nanticoke and Hanover and Newport Townships.

2002 GOVERNOR'S AWARD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EXCELLENCE

This award, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the Governor's Office, honors recipients for their contributions to the Commonwealth's environment and economy, as well as their innovation and effective use of existing resources.

EC received the 2002 award in the Land Use Category for the creation of two athletic fields on a former mine-scarred site, currently known as the Luzerne County Recreational Area in Hanover Township. This is the first phase in a multi-phase project to convert 63 acres of scarred land into a recreational facility.

Eventually, this land will be donated to a community entity that can oversee and maintain this site for community recreational use.

1998 GOVERNOR'S AWARD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EXCELLENCE

EC's LUP was developed in 1995 as a long-term, comprehensive plan for the 16,300 non-contiguous acres of land in 20 Luzerne County municipalities that EC purchased from the bankrupt Blue Coal Corporation in 1994. Implementation of this plan began in 1997 and will take about 25 years to complete.

CERTIFICATE OF ENVIRONMENTAL ACHIEVEMENT

from Renew America and The National Awards Council for Environmental Sustainability

Each year, the national environmental non-profit, Renew America, conducts a nationwide search for programs that provide innovative solutions to today's tough environmental challenges. Programs are evaluated for effectiveness, natural resource conservation, economic progress and human development.

The LUP was honored with a certificate of achievement and was included in Renew America's Environmental Success Index, in the Growth Management/Regional Planning category.

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

from the Northeast Pennsylvania Environmental Partners

This award, sponsored by the Economic Development Council of Northeastern PA, the Northeast Office of the PA Environmental Council, Procter and Gamble Paper Products, Wilkes University, and the Northeast PA chapter of the World Future Society, was awarded to EC for developing partnerships and achieving excellence in environmental protection and resource conservation in Northeastern PA through its LUP.

EC's Yard and Leaf Waste Composting Facility has received the following:

PA WASTE WATCHER AWARD, 1998, 1999, 2001, and 2002

for EC's Composting Program

This annual award, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the Public Recycling Officials of Pennsylvania, and the Pennsylvania Waste Industries Association, recognizes public and private efforts in recycling and waste reduction programs throughout the state of Pennsylvania.

     Since 1995, EC has operated a large-scale yard and leaf waste composting operation in Newport Township, PA. The facility accepts yard and leaf waste, including brush, tree trimmings, and natural Christmas trees, free of charge from local municipalities and residents and is the only facility of its type in Luzerne County.

     Material brought to the facility is composted into mulch and used on EC projects, including a reclaimed 43-acre land parcel, in a volunteer tree-planting project, and as a growing medium for plants in our Phase II wetland project.

1996, SECOND PLACE PO-NE AWARD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION

by the Pocono Northeast Development Fund

EC's Yard and Leaf Waste Composting Facility earned this award for its environmental and community contributions. Material is accepted from Luzerne County residents and municipalities free of charge, and the material produced at the facility is used in reclamation and occasionally, for community planting projects.

CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION FOR LEADERSHIP IN RECYCLING

from Luzerne County

Luzerne County presented EC with this certificate in recognition of the organization's support and leadership in conducting a recycling program that helps to improve the quality of life in Luzerne County.

EC also received recognition for other efforts, including:

1999 -- SECOND PLACE PO-NE AWARD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION

from the Pocono Northeast Development Fund

EC received this award for its Volunteer Tree Planting Program, which helps reforest former mine-scarred lands in Luzerne County. Each spring, EC organizes volunteers from local schools and the community to plant seedlings on its reclaimed lands. To date, more than 1,000 children and adults have planted over 5,000 seedlings.

1998 PO-NE AWARD HONORABLE MENTION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION

from the Pocono Northeast Development Fund

The Pocono Northeast Development Fund recognized EC in 1998 for its environmental assessment of a 230-acre site in Hanover Township that had been scarred by past mining and also used as an emergency landfill after the 1972 Agnes Flood that severely impacted most of the Wyoming Valley.

This environmental assessment revealed that the site contained no contaminants exceeding hazardous levels and was suitable for industrial development. This allowed the site to be re-zoned to light industrial use and a portion of it is now being developed into a high-end business park by the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry.

1999 & 2000 CERTIFICATES OF APPRECIATION

from Junior Achievement

EC has participated in JA's Job Shadow Day, opening up its facilities to high school students interested in pursuing careers in the environmental field. EC personnel meet with these students to talk about the specifics of their jobs, the skills required, and their backgrounds. The students are then given a detailed overview of EC and its efforts in the Wyoming Valley, and then the students are taken on tours of current projects to see EC's environmental efforts up-close.

EC accomplishes its mission through:

Reclamation Mine Drainage/Artificial Wetlands Land Use Plan

Open Space Plan Composting Forest Game Program Environmental Technologies

Land Sales/Development Opportunities