As part of the annual conference, NEWEA hosts an awards ceremony to recognize the best of the business of clean water in New England. This year’s award ceremony, held on January 25th, was emceed by NEBRA Executive Director and former NEWEA President Janine Burke-Wells. She read off the names of a lot of NEBRA members!
Karla Sangrey, the long-time Director of the Upper Blackstone Clean Water (UBCW) facility in Millbury, Massachusetts, took home the Biosolids Management Award for her commitment to sustainably and cost-effectively manage the large UBCW’s regional biosolids processing facility. Karla, a professional engineer and certified wastewater operator, is engaged on biosolids management issues in Massachusetts and regionally, advocating for science-based policy and regulations -- “Stewardship Through Science” as it says on the UBCW website [UBCW | (ubcleanwater.org)].
Other NEBRA members receiving recognition from NEWEA include Board Member Aaron Fox from the Lowell Regional Wastewater Facility, who took home the Alfred E. Peloquin Award for Massachusetts for his contributions to excellence in plant operations. Philip and Theresa Tucker from York, Maine, were recognized for their significant public relations efforts with NEWEA Youth Educator Awards. Clayton “Mac” Richardson, who helped get NEBRA started back in 1997, achieved Water Environment Federation (WEF)’s Life Membership and Raymond Vermette with the Dover, New Hampshire clean water facility joined the Quarter Century Operators Club.
Chelsea Little, Superintendent of the Montague, Mass., treatment facility received the William D. Hatfield Award. Dr. Hatfield was a long-time wastewater operator known for his communications and public relations acumen. If you check out the Montague Clean Water Facility website or read the local paper, you will understand why Ms. Little was so deserving of the award. Clean Water Facility - Town of Montague, MA (montague-ma.gov).
Other noteworthy NEWEA awardees include long-time NEBRA collaborator Mickey Nowak, retired from the Massachusetts Water Environment Association (MAWEA), who received the Elizabeth A. Cutone Executive Leadership Award.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s New England Office also recognized several NEBRA members and associates for outstanding efforts in 2022, including the City of Manchester, New Hampshire’s Industrial Pretreatment Program and Anthony Drouin, Administrator of the Residuals Management Section for the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, who was selected as the EPA Educator of the Year.
NEWEA President (and NEBRA member) Fred McNeil presents Karla Sangrey of Upper Blackstone Clean Water with the Biosolids Management Award
WEF President Ifatayo Venner presents Chelsea Little from Montague, Mass., with the William D. Hatfield Award
Anthony Drouin of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services is all smiles as he accepts the award for EPA Educator of the Year presented by EPA’s Mark Spinale and Jason Turgeon from Region I