Friday, April 25, 2003

Wilmington, NC -- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), an agency of the Department of Commerce, has selected William A. McLellan, research scientist at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, as one of this year’s NOAA Environmental Hero Award recipients.

The award recognizes McLellan for his outstanding efforts to respond to and investigate marine mammal strandings throughout the nation. The award will be presented at 2:15 p.m., Sunday, April 27 at Greenfield Park Amphitheatre as part of the Lower Cape Fear Celebration of Earth Day.

McLellan is one of 35 individuals to be so honored, and the only one in North Carolina. Presenting the award will be Laurie Allen, of Silver Spring, Md., director for the Office of Protected Resources, NOAA Fisheries. Dr. Jo Ann Seiple, dean of the UNCW College of Arts and Sciences, will also have brief remarks.

Held in conjunction with Earth Day celebrations, the award honors NOAA volunteers for their “tireless efforts to preserve and protect our nation's environment.” McLellan has been responding to strandings for more than 18 years and is currently the large whale necropsy team leader for the Mid-Atlantic and the North Carolina state stranding coordinator.

He has volunteered numerous hours and driven thousands of miles in his effort to assist the stranding network and scientists in understanding the causes of strandings, including human-induced mortalities, basic biology and the causes of die-offs. McLellan has responded to die-offs on the West Coast in 1998 and in Texas in 1994 and has responded to requests for assistance whenever requested. He has been a significant part of the large whale response team along the Atlantic coast, spending many days necropsying animals to determine what caused them to die.

"NOAA and the nation are fortunate to have such dedicated people volunteer so much of their time,” said retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “They set a perfect example for others to follow in their communities. America needs more environmental heroes like them.”

Established in 1995 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Earth Day, the Environmental Hero award is presented to individuals and organizations that volunteer their time and energy to help NOAA carry out its mission. Previous recipients include oceanographers Jean-Michel Cousteau and Sylvia Earle, and actor Ted Danson, head of the American Oceans Campaign.

“On behalf of the 12,500 men and women working for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, I am pleased to present you with this 2003 Environmental Hero Award,” Lautenbacher wrote in a letter to the recipients. “Your dedicated efforts and outstanding accomplishments greatly benefit the environment and make our nation a better place for all Americans.”

There are a total of 36 winners—35 individuals and one organization. Five awards are being presented posthumously. Recipients of the 2003 NOAA Environmental Heroes Award are:

Recipient Location

Phil Ruhle - Rhode Island

William A. McLellan - Wilmington, N.C.

Robert Macedo - New Bedford, Mass.

Loretta Lawrence - Islamorada, Fla.

Patrick Repman - Midland, Texas

Marvin O. Hill - Beverly, West Virginia

John Pulasky - Billings, Mont.

H. Don McFarland - San Antonio, Texas

Carl Ojala - Ypsilanti, Mich.

Francis H. Smith - Falmouth, Mass.

Morgan Angus and Tara Whittle - Lothian, Md.

Clyde Brown - Moss Point, Miss.

Capt. Krzysztof Romowicz, Capt. Adam Kedziora, Capt. Darek Grzybek, Capt. Marek Czapiewski, Mieczyslaw Miakinko, Robert Zuk, Januz Maslanka, Piotr Kaminski, Wlodzimierz Jarzynski, Andrzej Kalicki, Daniel Skrzypek, Konrad Socko, Marianna Pastuszak - Gdynia, Poland

Cathy P. McNeil - Golden, Colo.

Terry Onslow - Girdwood, Alaska

Ismael Figueroa - Miaramar, Puerto Rico

Thomas F. Kazo - Sunrise, Fla.

Milton C. Shedd (posthumous) - Irvine, Calif.

Jackie Ciano, Michael Newcomer, Emily Argo, Tom Hinds (posthumous) - Fernandino Beach and Sarasota, Fla.

Alabama Emergency Response Team (ALERT) - Calera, Ala.

NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of the nation’s coastal and marine resources. NOAA is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce. To learn more about NOAA, please visit http://www.noaa.gov.