2006 Ohio Lake Erie Awards

Individual Recipient: James White

The Ohio Lake Erie Commission is pleased to present the 2006 Ohio Lake Erie Award to James White in honor of his outstanding contributions to Our Great Lake.

As Executive Director of the Cuyahoga River Community Planning Organization and River Navigator for the Cuyahoga American Heritage River, Jim has devoted tremendous energy to furthering the status of Ohio's Crooked River. He strongly promotes the development and implementation of the River's Remedial Action Plan as the region's blueprint and strategy for public and private partners to work together towards restoring and protecting the river.

Jim champions self-sustaining watershed management in the Cuyahoga River watershed to better address remedial actions along the river. He has fostered the development of watershed groups in most of the sub-watersheds of the river to help maintain the wise-stewardship of the local resources and address restoration actions in measurable steps. Because of these efforts, the Cuyahoga RAP serves as an "incubator" to sub-watershed groups by providing technical and public education assistance and support for common problem solving.

Jim's asset-based management approach led to the creation of the Cuyahoga - Lake Erie Environmental Restoration Technology Enterprise Center (CLEERTEC) which helps merge the needs of environmental restoration with innovative technology and economic development. Working with other local partners, this effort has attracted $1.8 million in federal funding to develop and implement a prototype high-performance shoreline management system replacing aging steel bulkheads along the Cuyahoga's shipping channel. The goal is not only to improve habitat in the ship channel while reinforcing the shoreline, but also to manufacture the structures locally and market them in other areas around the Great Lakes.

Jim took an active role in the development of the Great Lake Regional Collaboration Strategy, particularly in highlighting the importance of creating consistent, long term funding sources to support local restoration efforts. He is a strong advocate of the Great Lake Remedial Action Plan program, as well as connecting better management of the watersheds around Lake Erie with a key to the long term protection and restoration of Ohio's Great Lake.

The Ohio Lake Erie Commission commends Jim White for his very significant contributions and dedication to the protection and restoration of Lake Erie, and is proud to present to him the 2006 Ohio Lake Erie Award.

http://www.epa.state.oh.us/oleo/lakeerieawards/06leawin.htm