2009 Founders Awards

At the 2009 Fall Meeting in Whitefish, Montana, ECOS recognized Arleen O’Donnell with a Founders Award for her work to make the organization an effective voice for the states. Arleen was one of the representatives from Massachusetts from 2004-2007, and became the main member in 2005. In 2006-2007 she was the Chair of the Cross Media Committee. During her tenure, the committee created the ECOS/Interstate Oil & Gas Compact Commission Forum and began work on emerging contaminants, which is still an issue of concern today. Much of Arleen’s work at ECOS centered on mercury and state-EPA relations. She took over the Quicksilver Caucus Leadership in late 2004 in time for the Spring Meeting and left at the end of December 2007. In addition, she led the State Review Framework Element 13 Flexibility Effort for the states either in the Planning or Compliance Committees or both and on TRI and performance measurement in Cross-Media from about 2004 on. She took leadership or was very vocal on these issues for the states. Arleen was one of the key proponents on the Element 13 in the State Review Framework discussion. She also contributed numerous articles for ECOStates on topics including the Massachusetts Environmental Results Program and TMDLs and mercury.