For fifty years, EPA New England has honored those who have made outstanding contributions to protect New England's environment. EPA's Environmental Merit Awards Program has honored teachers, citizen activists, business leaders, scientists, public officials and others who have made outstanding contributions on behalf of the region's public health and natural environment. The Environmental Merit Awards recognize outstanding accomplishments during the past year and over a lifetime.

Annual nominations may be submitted for an individual, business, government agency, not-for-profit, professional association, or college/university whose work to protect and improve New England's environment during the past year is worthy of recognition. Nominators may nominate themselves.

Award categories and award criteria are described below. Nominators should carefully review the descriptions, submit nomination applications into the most appropriate category, and address each of the award criteria. Please note that application forms must be filled out in their entirety along with a one-page summary of the nominees' accomplishments, and must be submitted by the application deadline. Applications are evaluated and ranked. Selected award recipients are notified in August. Award recipients are invited to the Environmental Merit Awards Ceremony to be held in Boston in September.

No longer accepting 2020 EMA applications.

Annual Award

Annual Award Criteria: (Total 65 pts)

• EPA's mission is to protect human health and the environment. Please explain how your work connects to the 2018-2022 strategic plan and EPA's environmental statutes. (35 pts)
• Measurable, sustainable and lasting public health or environmental results (15 pts)
• Ability of the program/activity to be replicated or widely shared (10 pts)
• Promotion of innovative ideas or approaches (5 pts)

You must identify which priority your application addresses:

• Improve Air Quality
• Provide Clean and Safe Water
• Revitalize Land & Prevent Contamination
• Ensure Safety of Chemicals

Lifetime Achievement Award

Lifetime Achievement Awards are reserved for individuals who have demonstrated a continuous commitment to environmental and public health issues leading to measurable, lasting and sustained results over a career or a lifetime.

• Please identify if the applicant is currently engaged in this effort or has retired.

Lifetime Award Criteria: (Total 30 pts)

• Describe the nominee's work over their entire career. (20 pts)
• What has been the long term impact of the nominee's body of work, which has been measurable, sustainable and has had lasting results. (10 pts)

Ira Leighton In Service to States Annual Award

To honor Ira, the "Ira Leighton in Service to States Annual Award" will recognize an individual or organization that has made significant strides in facilitating state and federal partnerships through innovative sustainable solutions addressing critical environmental challenges in New England. The successful candidate will have actively demonstrated conviction and leadership in protecting the environment and in promoting sustainable practices. Specifically, the candidate will have demonstrated outstanding accomplishments and contributions in improving the air, waste, or water environment in New England at the local, state, or regional level. Actions should reflect commitment, demonstrated results, increased awareness, proven public benefit, and improved public policy and/or resulted in a more efficient use of natural resources. Successful award recipients are champions of sustainability and agents for positive change within New England. They demonstrate a record of outstanding performance in leading implementation of sustainable practices and effective environmental management through employment of innovative strategies.

The New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission, the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management, the Northeast Waste Management Officials' Association in coordination with New England state Commissioners and the US EPA, Region 1 initiated this award as a tribute to Ira Leighton. He was a US EPA Deputy Regional Administrator who dedicated over forty years as a public servant to protecting the environment, and passed away in 2013.

Children's Health Award

The Children's Health Merit Award is awarded to an individual or group that has demonstrated significant progress, contribution, leadership toward protecting children from environmental health risks in schools, homes, childcare environments, or other places where children live, learn and play in New England including: advancement to increase awareness of children's unique vulnerabilities to pollutants and other environmental hazards through research, education, outreach or capacity-building; development of activities or programs that have produced tangible reduction in risk to children from environmental health hazards.

Children's Health Merit Award Criteria: (Total 65 pts)

• EPA's mission is to protect human health and the environment. Please explain how your work connects to the 2018-2022 strategic plan and EPA's environmental statutes. (35 pts)
• Measurable, sustainable and lasting public health or environmental results (15 pts)
• Ability of the program/activity to be replicated or widely shared (10 pts)
• Promotion of innovative ideas or approaches (5 pts)

You must identify which priority your application addresses:

• Improve Air Quality
• Provide Clean and Safe Water
• Revitalize Land & Prevent Contamination
• Ensure Safety of Chemicals