HARRISBURG — With the aim of showcasing the best of the best among Pennsylvania’s environmental stewards, the Wolf Administration invites all Pennsylvanians who’ve recently worked on successful environmental projects to apply for the 2020 Governor’s Awards for Environmental Excellence, the state’s top environmental honor.

“The dedicated volunteers who take action to restore or protect their environment, whether in their own neighborhood or across the state, are a significant force for good in Pennsylvania,” said Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Patrick McDonnell. “It’s impossible to imagine Pennsylvania without their contributions to the quality of our land, air, and water, and it’s an honor to spotlight their accomplishments each spring.”

The Governor’s Awards for Environmental Excellence are open to all individuals, whether they led or participated in a project, and to all schools, nonprofit organizations, businesses, farms, and government agencies. People may also nominate an individual or organization by applying on their behalf.

DEP oversees the award selection process, evaluating projects on seven criteria: degree of environmental protection, climate change, sustainability, partnership, economic impact, innovation, and environmental education and outreach. Projects don’t have to meet all criteria to merit an award and may be nonprofit or for-profit.

Projects must have been completed before Oct. 15, to be eligible. Past winners may submit applications for new projects, but projects that have previously received an Environmental Excellence Award aren’t eligible.

The deadline for application submission is Dec. 17, at 5 p.m. Guidelines may be found on the application web page.