World Wire presented an article about the latest recipient of the Heinz Award for the Environment. It announced that Thomas Fitzgerald of Louisville, Kentucky, “an influential voice in improving the environmental landscape within his home state and across the nation, is among five distinguished Americans selected to receive one of the $250,000 awards, presented by the Heinz Family Foundation.” That’s quite a nice prize for being environmental, which is not such an easy task for an individual.
Tom Fitzgerald, 53, has been at it for almost 30 years. It states that:
He is an authority on the enforcement of the national Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) of 1977, the federal law designed to protect against the adverse environmental and societal effects of surface coal mining operations, as well as other regulatory issues affecting the environment. After earning his law degree, Mr. FitzGerald worked as a law clerk and environmental specialist for the Appalachian Research and Defense Fund, and in 1984, reshaped the Kentucky Resources Council, providing free legal assistance on environmental matters, pursuing environmental advocacy and making the name “Fitz” synonymous with environmental protection in Kentucky.
So Kentucky is a Fitz state. It’s appropriate considering he has effectively curbed mining in some areas without litigation. In order to preserve areas like Black Mountain, which is Kentucky’s highest peak and watersheds that provide local drinking water, “he regularly leverages a generally ignored provision of SMCRA to persuade regulatory officials to declare areas of local or regional importance unsuitable for coal mining operations.” It appears Tom knows his stuff. Michigan could use more individuals like him because “he has helped draft ordinances to protect communities from sewage sludge disposal and factory hog farms as well as negotiated state statutes providing environmental protections related to Brownfield redevelopment, the siting of new power plants, solid and hazardous waste management, renewable energy and energy efficiency.” Heck my area was the dumping ground for the Black Lagoon cleanup and I’m on Lake Erie! Michigan has given too much leeway to CAFO’s. We could use much more Brownfield redevelopment for old factory sites. And don’t get me started on solid and hazardous waste management in Michigan. We’re full of dumps. And of course we are nowhere near many, many states as far as renewable energy, conservation, and energy efficiency.
Tom Fitzgerald is a stellar example of what one citizen can do. Imagine if every state could come up with just 10 people like this? What a difference it would make for the health and welfare of the people, land, air, water, and wildlife of our nation. Evidently he’s covered this base also because he “has developed plans for an environmental leadership training program designed to cultivate the next generation of environmental watchdogs and create teams of volunteers, drawn largely from retired state environmental employees, to assist citizens and communities impacted by pollution.” Hopefully more states will be getting their “Fitz on” in the near future and not a day too soon.
Read more about his accomplishments that earned him the $250,000 award: http://world-wire.com/news/0809090001.html
Tags: Kentucky
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