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El Paso doctor honored with presidential volunteer award

Release Date: 06/25/2007
Contact Information: Dave Bary or Tressa Tillman at 214-665-2200 or [email protected]

EPA’s top leader to present commendation to Dr. Elaine Barron for outstanding service

(Dallas, Texas – June 25, 2007) Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Stephen L. Johnson will present the President’s Volunteer Service Award to Dr. Elaine M. Barron of El Paso, Texas, today for her outstanding work to improve public health and create a healthier environment.

Dr. Barron will receive the gold-level award, which recognizes individuals who devote 500 or more hours to volunteer service.

“Today we honor Dr. Elaine Barron for answering President Bush’s call to serve a cause greater than herself,” said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. “Dedicated volunteers like Dr. Barron are inspiring others to join them in creating a brighter, healthier future for America.”

Some of Dr. Barron’s outstanding volunteer work includes her role as a charter member and first chairman of the grassroots group Paso del Norte Air Quality Task Force, which later evolved into the Joint Advisory Committee to improve air quality. The committee has made recommendations to all levels of government and has achieved several successful results, such as seasonal fuels, dedicated commuter lanes for crossing the border, improved air quality monitoring networks and enhanced vehicle inspection and maintenance in Mexico.

Dr. Barron has served on the Texas Medical Association Council of Public Health, EPA National Environmental Justice Advisory Committee and EPA Clean Air Act Advisory Committee, among many others. She is currently the board chair for the El Paso City-County Health and Environmental District and a member of the El Paso Greater Chamber of Commerce’s Health Care Advisory Council.

In his January 2002 State of the Union address, President Bush called on all Americans to make a difference in their communities through volunteer service. The President's Council on Service and Civic Participation created the President's Volunteer Service Award program as a way to thank and honor Americans who, by their demonstrated commitment and example, inspire others to engage in volunteerism. Individuals, families and groups who have achieved a certain standard – measured by the number of hours served over a 12-month period or cumulative hours earned over the course of a lifetime – receive award recognition. More information on the President’s Volunteer Service Award is available at http://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov/.

To learn more about activities in EPA Region 6, please visit www.epa.gov/region6.