2022 Gulf of Maine Council Awards

The Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment recently announce their award winners for the 2022 Award Ceremony in late July up in Portland, ME. Several New Hampshire residents were recognized, including NHDES’ Water Division Director Rene Pelletier.

Rene Pelletier, previous Gulf of Maine Council Chair, was presented with the Distinguished Service Award. The award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions toward protecting and conserving natural resources in the Gulf of Maine through their exceptional service to the Gulf of Maine Council. Rene has provided thoughtful leadership to the Gulf of Maine Council and his insights and expertise helped the council to foster binational relationships and launch initiatives aimed at protecting the natural resources, economy, and communities that define this unique watershed.Other New Hampshire recipients included, Bryce Stenson, a coastal research volunteer with the New

Hampshire Sea Grant Extension Program, was awarded the Longard Volunteer Award. The award, named in memory of Art Longard, a founding member of the Gulf of Maine Council, recognizes volunteer commitment to environmental protection and sustainability within the Gulf of Maine. Bryce embodies the volunteering spirit. Driving an hour to go out into the field throughout the year, he profiles beaches by monitoring changes in elevation, on top of volunteering to monitor rainbow smelt populations. Bryce’s extensive contributions are helping communities on the seacoast understand how coastal storms impact them and how they should respond to such conditions.

Gretchen Young, Environmental Projects Manager for the City of Dover, was recognized with a Visionary Award. The Gulf of Maine Council Visionary Awards are presented to individuals or organizations within each of the five Gulf of Maine jurisdictions who display innovation, creativity, and commitment to promoting a healthy Gulf of Maine. Gretchen has helped to reduce pollution from stormwater runoff into the Gulf of Maine. She helped secure funding and resources to improve Dover’s stormwater system by partnering with the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services and the Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership to bring residents as well as seven developers and non-profit organizations together to investigate alternative funding strategies that worked for everyone.