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EPA honors the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands' Division of Environmental Quality

Release Date: 4/21/2005
Contact Information: Dean Higuchi, (808) 541-2711

HONOLULU -- At the agency's seventh annual Environmental Awards Ceremony today in San Francisco, U.S. EPA Regional Administrator Wayne Nastri presented a plaque to the CNMI's Division of Environmental Quality recognition of its efforts to protect and preserve the environment in 2004.

"The EPA applauds the outstanding achievements of these environmental heroes," said Nastri. "Thanks to their efforts, our air, water and land will be cleaner and safer for generations to come."

The EPA Region 9 Environmental Awards program acknowledges commitment and significant contributions to the environment in California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, the Pacific Islands and tribal lands. At today's ceremony, the EPA presented awards to 37 businesses, government officials, tribes, environmental organizations and citizen activists selected from a pool of more than 175 nominees.

The Pacific area winner and basis for recognition:

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Division of Environmental Quality Saipan,

CNMI The Department of Environmental Quality in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands protects and preserves the islands' environment. Despite limited resources, the department has the most extensive marine monitoring program in the Pacific Region. It collects and tests marine waters year round, working with local and federal agencies. It has also assisted American Samoa in establishing a marine monitoring program. Its monthly volunteer beach cleanup program, the "Clean-Up Brigade," continues to be a great community success. Each year, it also marks Earth Day with an environmental symposium. The department is an active force that continues to work in partnership with local and federal agencies to accomplish its mission of protecting the environment and public.

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