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Barnegat Bay Protectors Honored For Efforts
 | | Barnegat Bay honors protectors at their 10th anniversary festival. |
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OCEAN COUNTY - As part Hales, Ph.D., the program's new director, and announced Jeanine of its 10th anniversary celebration, the Barnegat Bay National Estuary Program (BBNEP) recognized community leaders who had made significant contributions in protecting the bay.
Island Heights Mayor David Siddons, a member of the BBNEP Policy Committee, opened the ceremony by introducing L. Stanton Cava of Bradley Beach will be the new public outreach coordinator.
Terry O'Leary of Bayville received a Guardians of Barnegat Bay Lifetime Achievement Award for his work as an educator and champion of Barnegat Bay protection, which was presented by Rich Kunze of the Ocean County Utilities Authority and BBNEP Advisory Committee Chair.
David Friedman of the Ocean County Soil Conservation District received a Guardian of Barnegat Bay, Government Leading by Example Award for his tireless efforts at protecting water and soil quality in the watershed. His award was presented by Island Heights Councilwoman and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Press Officer Karen Hershey.
Willie DeCamp of Save Barnegat Bay accepted the Guardians of Barnegat Bay Community Caretaker Award for his organization's work in educating the citizens of Ocean County about nitrogen pollution in the bay and the importance of protecting open space. This award was presented by Greg Auriemma, chair of the Ocean County Sierra Club, which has been working closely with Save Barnegat Bay.
Also participating in the ceremony were BBNEP Policy Committee members Dr. Jon Larson, president of Ocean County College, Freeholder Joseph H. Vicari, representing Ocean County, a cosponsor of the Barnegat Bay Festival and Tom Fote of Toms River, the citizen member of the BBNEP Policy Committee.
More than 50 organizations and agencies exhibited at the festival, highlighting the need to protect the bay and the many enjoyable and educational activities
associated with it.
Freeholder Director John P. Kelly said, "We need to ensure all of our residents
and visitors are aware of how fragile the Barnegat Bay is and what they can do to keep it a great water play land for our children and their children. Efforts such as this festival help create public awareness of the important contributions individuals can make to achieve that goal."
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