About the Awards

Balancing human use with the needs of coastal and ocean resources is the goal of the CZMA.

Innovation, resourcefulness, leadership and a commitment to balancing the human use of America's coastal and ocean resources with the needs of the resources themselves - these are the hallmarks of the Walter B. Jones Memorial and NOAA Excellence Awards.

The Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) of 1972 created a unique and voluntary partnership of federal and state governments to provide a balance between land and water uses and resource conservation along America's 95,000 miles of coastlines, including the Great Lakes. In 1990, as part of the reauthorization of the CZMA, the late Congressman Walter B. Jones provided NOAA with the authority to honor the people and organizations of America for their dedication and outstanding contributions in helping the Nation maintain healthy coastal and ocean resources and balance the needs of these resources with human use.

At that time, Congressman Jones identified three award categories as particularly important: excellence in local government, excellence in marine and coastal graduate study, and a coastal steward of the year. NOAA later added additional categories to recognize the broad spectrum of contributions made by this country's many motivated, caring individuals and organizations.

Eligibility

The awards program is open to individuals, organizations, and state and local government agencies and their employees. Individuals, organizations and agencies cannot nominate themselves; they must be nominated by others. Candidates can receive an award in a category only once. For a list of previous winners, please click here (pdf, 96 kb). Federal employees and officials are not eligible for the Walter B. Jones Memorial Awards, and are not eligible for the NOAA Excellence Awards, except for the category of Excellence in Ocean and Coastal Resource Management.

Awards Ceremony

Winners will be notified in February, 2005 and honored at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. in March, 2005.

2003 Award Winners. From left: David Keeley, Andy Holschbach representing Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, Planning, Resources and Land Management Department, Eileen Vandenburgh, Conrad Field, Penn Estabrook representing Maine Fishermen's Forum, Woody Miley, NOAA Administrator VADM Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ernest Soczka representing Cabrillo Power, I, LLC, Dr. Brian Bingham, Brian Silliman, Kimberly Heiman, Tenley Conway, and Kathy Klein representing the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary.

Walter B. Jones Memorial Awards

Coastal Steward of the Year - honors an individual who has exemplified strong, sustained leadership in finding a balance between the human use of the coast and ocean and the needs of that environment.

Excellence in Coastal and Marine Graduate Study - recognizes graduate students whose academic study promises to contribute materially to the development of new or improved approaches to coastal or ocean management. Up to 10 awards will be given in 2005.

Excellence in Local Government - given to local governments that have inspired positive change in the field of coastal management by developing or implementing principles embodied by the CZMA. Up to five awards will be given in 2005.

NOAA Excellence Awards for Coastal and Ocean Resource Management

Volunteer of the Year - recognizes an individual of any age who, outside of his or her work in an employment or student capacity, has donated substantial time to significantly improve the coastal or marine environment.

NGO of the Year - honors a non-government entity, such as a non-profit organization, association, citizen's advisory council, friends group or foundation that has made significant contributions supporting coastal or marine resource programs.

Excellence in Promoting Diversity in Coastal or Ocean Resource Management - bestowed in honor of the late U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Ronald H. Brown. The award is given to a representative of a university, state, local or tribal government, or a private citizen who has made an outstanding commitment to integrating cultural or ethnic diversity into coastal or ocean resource management programs.

Excellence in Business Leadership - recognizes a business organization that has made significant contributions, "above and beyond the call of duty," to improve or protect the coastal or ocean environment and that demonstrates the ability to balance business interests with environmental needs, as articulated in the CZMA.

Excellence in Ocean and Coastal Resource Management - given to an individual who has initiated innovative practices and brought positive change to the management of ocean or coastal resources at either the state or national level.

Deadline

All entries for the 2005 Walter B. Jones Memorial and NOAA Excellence Awards must be received no later than December 3, 2004.

Selection Criteria

All nominations must demonstrate, in detail, how the candidate meets the following criteria:

Coastal Steward of the Year

• Effectiveness in enhancing a balance between responsible use of coastal resources and the preservation of these resources;
  
  
• Effectiveness in advancing the goals of the CZMA;
  
  
• The use of innovative approaches, techniques, or programs;
  
  
• Ability to generate public support for addressing coastal issues through education, legislation, or other means; and
  
  
• Duration of work.

2003 Walter B. Jones Memorial Award Winners for Excellence in Coastal and Marine Graduate Study. From left: Brian Silliman, Kimberly Heiman, Tenley Conway, Eileen Vandenburgh, and NOAA Administrator, VADM Conrad C. Lautenbacher.

Excellence in Coastal and Marine Graduate Study

• Overall benefit of graduate study to advancing the goals of the CZMA;
  
  
• Use of innovative approaches;
  
  
• Technical soundness of study; and
  
  
• Transferability of the study's results to coastal and ocean management practices.

Excellence in Local Government

• Effectiveness in advancing the goals of the CZMA at a local level;
  
  
• Effectiveness in increasing public awareness of coastal issues;
  
  
• Use of innovative approaches, techniques, and/or programs to advance the goals of the CZMA; and
  
  
• Ability of the agency/program to serve as a model for other local government efforts.

Andy Holschbach (center) accepts the 2003 Walter B. Jones Award for Excellence in Local Government on behalf of the Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, Planning, Resources and Land Management Department from Congressman Walter B. Jones, Jr. (left) and NOAA Administrator, VADM Conrad C. Lautenbacher (right).

Volunteer of the Year

• Contribution to improving the health of coastal and marine environments;
  
  
• Success in promoting an attitude of stewardship and responsibility to individuals, organizations and /or communities; and
  
  
• Duration of volunteer work.

NGO of the Year

• Effectiveness in advancing the goals of the CZMA;
  
  
• Effectiveness in increasing public awareness of coastal issues;
  
  
• Use of innovative approaches, techniques, or programs to advance the goals of coastal or ocean management;
  
  
• Transferability of approaches, techniques, or programs to other non-government organizations; and
  
  
• Usefulness of activity to coastal or ocean management programs.

Excellence in Promoting Diversity in Coastal or Ocean Resource Management

• Effectiveness in integrating cultural or ethnic diversity into coastal or ocean management programs;
  
  
• Effectiveness in increasing public awareness of coastal issues among minority or non-traditional groups;
  
  
• Use of innovative approaches, techniques, or programs to advance goals of environmental justice and diversity; and
  
  
• Transferability of approaches, techniques or programs to other coastal or ocean management efforts or activities.

Excellence in Business Leadership

• Effectiveness in advancing the goals of the CZMA;
  
  
• Effectiveness in increasing public awareness of coastal issues;
  
  
• Use of innovative approaches, techniques, or programs to advance the goals of coastal or ocean management;
  
  
• Success in promoting coastal and ocean resource stewardship; and
  
  
• Transferability of approaches, techniques, or programs to other businesses.

Woody Miley accepts the 2003 NOAA Award for Excellence in Coastal Zone Management from Congressman Walter B. Jones, Jr. (left) and NOAA Administrator, VADM Conrad C. Lautenbacher (right).

Excellence in Ocean and Coastal Resource Management

• Effectiveness in advancing the goals of the CZMA or National Marine Sanctuaries Act (NMSA);
  
  
• Effectiveness in increasing public awareness of ocean, estuarine and coastal issues;
  
  
• Use of innovative approaches, techniques, or programs to advance the goals of the CZMA or NMSA;
  
  
• Transferability of activity to other ocean or coastal resource management programs.
  
  
• The award is open to individuals who work with state coastal management programs, national estuarine research reserves, and national marine sanctuaries.

Preparing Your Entry

• There is no entry fee for nomination.
  
  
• Please type or print your entry using either the form below or a separate sheet of paper.
  
  
• Please select only one category per nomination.
  
  
• Answer all of the questions listed on the entry form, including a detailed description of the nominee's accomplishments. Incomplete nominations will be disqualified.
  
  
• You have the option to include documentation and samples of work that reflect the nominee's efforts and achievements (such as media coverage, awards, letters of recognition, etc.). Video tapes cannot be accepted. Nomination entries, including documentation and samples of work, cannot be returned.
  
  
• Letters of support for the nomination are welcome but must be included with the entry.

Download the entry form (pdf format, 64 kb). The file is a portable document format which can be viewed with Adobe Acrobat Reader. To get a copy of this free software, visit the Adobe site.

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For Additional information on the awards:
Email: jonesawards.2005@noaa.gov