Port Corpus Christi Receives Environmental Excellence Award
The Port of Corpus Christi (Texas), the fourth largest port in the U.S. in total tonnage, has earned the 2018 Texas Environmental Excellence Award (TEEA) in Pollution Prevention, presented by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
TEEA is an annual awards program that honors achievements in environmental preservation and protection and is considered the state’s highest environmental honor.
According to TCEQ Chairman Brian Shaw, Port Corpus Christi demonstrated a genuine commitment to environmental stewardship by adopting a progressive environmental policy, and setting targets for improvement each year.
Shaw said the port’s leaders are guided by principles. “They not only set standards for themselves, but also for their partners, setting examples as forward-thinking environmental stewards in the industry and in the community.”
Environmental leadership by Port Corpus Christi commissioners has been integral to winning the 2018 Pollution Prevention award; a recently approved environmental policy identified five key precepts to consider when evaluating new developments and operations: air quality, water quality, soils and sediments, wildlife habitat, and environmental sustainability. The port’s environmental stewardship efforts focus on improvements and proactive measures related to these precepts, and the TEEA awards committee cites the implementation of the port’s strategic plan to ensure operations and activities are environmentally sustainable and resilient.
TEEA also noted several milestones Port Corpus Christi has achieved in finding balance between the environment, community, and the economy, from dredge material reuse to its impressive green energy utilization. Cited among the most impressive, however, is its “strong educational, training, and outreach components.”
“Environmental stewardship is an effort that we must undertake to be successful, and this prestigious recognition is a culmination of the diligent efforts and willingness of our port employees and our stakeholders to continually reduce the environmental footprint of our operations,” said Sarah Garza, Port Corpus Christi director of environmental planning and compliance. “Prioritizing our improvements and each year committing to continually improve has brought us to this point and will sustain our operations in the future.”
Other categories in the prestigious environmental awards are education, civic/community, innovative operations/management, individual, youth, agriculture, and water conservation. These diverse award categories provide citizens, communities, businesses and organizations an opportunity to obtain the state’s highest environmental honor and be recognized for environmental projects.
