Washington, DC — The seven winners of the 2008 National Wetlands Awards will be recognized at an evening ceremony on May 13th, 2008, at the Canon House Office Building in Washington, D.C. The ceremony will be open to the press and public.

“These wetland champions are restoring and protecting one of America’s greatest natural assets through education, conservation, and dedication,”� said Benjamin H. Grumbles, EPA’s Assistant Administrator for Water. “These profiles, both in courage and in stewardship, show us all how to meet the President's national goal of increasing, not simply maintaining, the quantity and quality of our wetlands.”�

The National Wetlands Awards are given to individuals and families who make significant contributions to protecting and enhancing these essential natural resources. Awardees are selected by a diverse group of wetland professionals from around the country. The Awards program is administered by the Environmental Law Institute and is supported by a consortium of government agencies including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA Forest Service, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Federal Highway Administration, and NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service.

The Honorary Congressional Co-Sponsors of the ceremony are Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA); Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME); Representative James Oberstar (D-MN); and Representative Jim Saxton (R-NJ).

The ceremony will take place at 6 pm on May 13th in the Caucus Room of the Canon House Office Building. Photographs will be available for free download from www.nationalwetlandsawards.org on May 15th. For more information about the ceremony or the National Wetlands Awards, contact Brett Kitchen at kitchen@eli.org or 202.939.3833 or visit our website.

The Environmental Law Institute is an independent, non-profit research and educational organization based in Washington, DC. The Institute serves the environmental profession in business, government, the private bar, public interest organizations, academia, and the press. ELI publishes the Environmental Law Reporter, the Environmental Forum, and the National Wetlands Newsletter. For further information from the Environmental Law Institute, please contact Brett Kitchen at (202)939-3833 or kitchen@eli.org.

Contact Info: Brett Kitchen
phone: (202)939-3833
email: kitchen@eli.org.

Website : Environmental Law Institute