CE awarded with regional EPA award Published April 25, 2014 BOSTON -- Hanscom Air Force Base received a government regional award in the Fuel Oil Reduction category as part of the annual awards presented at the Environmental Protection Agency 2014 Environmental Merit Awards to Massachusetts organizations and individuals here April 22. The awardees were among 26 recipients across New England honored for contributing to improving New England's environment. The base is credited with reducing the use of fuel oil by 61 percent in 2013, a reduction of 397,541 gallons of oil. "The majority of the savings was achieved by switching three of our four boilers to cleaner-burning natural gas," said Charles Strickland III, 66th Air Base Group Environmental Section chief. "Other actions that helped the system achieve optimal operational efficiency included repairs to the distribution system and improved boiler controls." Taken together, Hanscom's conversion to natural gas and efficiency measures resulted in a net reduction of 1,225 metric tons of the greenhouse gas carbon-dioxide, Strickland said. Each year EPA's New England office recognizes individuals and groups whose work has protected or improved the region's environment in distinct ways. Merit awards, given out since 1970, honor individuals and groups who have shown particular ingenuity and commitment in their efforts. Longtime Hanscom civil engineer Donald Morris, who is now retired, received a Lifetime Achievement award. As the former environmental manager, Morris managed environmental issues for an extremely complex facility, which included a national superfund site, a major MIT research and development lab, a public/private housing partnership, a partially-owned state airport. "Don has been a professional, reliable and effective partner with EPA, whether during a compliance assistance effort or an EPA multi-media inspection," said Strickland. "He consistently volunteered for EPA initiatives, from the Environmental Management Reviews, to mercury case studies, to the Federal Green Challenge initiative and numerous EPA Federal Facility workshops." The Environmental Merit Awards, which are given to people who have already taken action, are awarded in the categories of individual; business; local, state or federal government; and environmental, community, academia or nonprofit organization. "We extend our congratulations and gratitude to this year's Environmental Merit Award winners, who are helping to ensure a cleaner environment and healthier communities here in New England," said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA's New England office. "In addition to iconic natural beauty and vibrant communities, New England is fortunate to have citizens who care deeply about the environment we share." Editor's note: Information contained in this article was pulled from an EPA news release.