2009 - Devra L. Davis, for outstanding and courageous leadership as an environmental professional protecting public health. For a lifetime of exemplary achievements researching and documenting public health issues and hidden costs associated with pollution.

2009 - Montour Run Watershed Association, a small grassroots organization of dedicated volunteers that has made a real difference in the community by improving water quality through stream bank stabilization and acid mine drainage treatment projects resulting in 10 miles of improved streams and removal from streams of 40 tons of acidity per year and 10 tons of metals per year.

2008 – Terry A. Rightnour, for his innovative work in developing and applying natural designs and ecology based technologies to meet water resource protection, restoration, and management needs. Also for outstanding leadership and generosity mentoring future environmental professionals.

2008 – The Pennsylvania Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils, for the work it and its nine regional councils are doing to enhance the environment and quality of life in communities throughout Pennsylvania.

2007 – CHEMSWEEP, PA Dept. of Agriculture, for the successful program that removes hundreds of thousands of tons of dangerous chemicals from storage places (many causing actual or potential groundwater pollution) and disposes them in an environmentally safe manner. Pennsylvania’s program has received national recognition and has been copied by many States.

2007 – Senator Noah Wenger, Senator Wenger’s commitment to the environment, conservation, and the health of family farms has left a lasting legacy in Pennsylvania. He has long understood that the health of our agricultural economy is crucial to the water quality in our rivers and streams, and has acted to ensure the health of both

2006 – Frank H. Felbaum, for his steadfast commitment and dedication as an environmental professional to protecting, restoring and enhancing Pennsylvania’s wildlife resources through his leadership of the Wild Resource Conservation Fund.

2006 – R. John Dawes, for his steadfast commitment and dedication as an environmental professional to protecting, restoring, and enhancing Pennsylvania’s land and water resources through the effective application of and advocacy of sound agricultural resource conservation, water resource management, and energy conservation practices.

2005 – Gary Alt, for his steadfast commitment and dedication as an environmental professional to protecting, restoring and enhancing Pennsylvania’s ecological resources through the effective application of science to black bear and deer management.

2005 – Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation, for its non-profit, non-partisan, local, state, federal, and industry partnerships to improve water quality through cooperative efforts to reclaim abandoned mine lands in the Commonwealth’s Appalachian coal communities.

2004 – Somerset Conservation District, for the successful Casselman River Watershed Major Nonpoint Pollution Assessment and Restoration Plan which exceeded its intended objectives of assessing major nonpoint pollution sources in the watershed and by producing a Restoration Plan to guide future restoration activities.

2004 – Dan Kunkel, Executive Director of the Wildlife Information Center, recognized for his dedication and involvement in establishing the Wildlife Information Center and negotiating the purchase of what is now the Lehigh Gap Wildlife Refuge.

2003 – Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection in recognition of the Growing Greener Program, which supports local watershed groups, county conservation districts, local governments, business people, farmers, teachers, and students by funding local watershed restoration and protection projects, abandoned mine reclamation projects and oil and gas well plugging projects.

2002 - Dr. Arthur C. Hulse, recognized for his career interest in amphibians and reptiles and gravitation to the structure of snake communities, population ecology of aquatic salamanders, and the distribution and abundance of amphibians and reptiles through Pennsylvania.

2001 – Larry J. Schweiger, President, CEO of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, recognized for his lifetime commitment to the protection of Pennsylvania’s environment.

2000 - Don Hopey, for his role as an environmental journalist and investigative reporter for the Pittsburgh Post Gazette since 1992

2000 - Dr. Ann F. Rhoads, Ph.D., for her lifetime contribution to cataloging and monitoring the health of Pennsylvania’s flora, and her role in co-authoring The Vascular Flora of Pennsylvania, Annotated Checklist and Atlas.

1999 - Wayne W. Kober as Director of PennDOT’s Bureau of Environmental Quality and Charter Member of PAEP.

1999 - Dr. Bernard Sweeny as Director of the Stroud Water Research Center and lifetime service.

1998 - William R. Adams, Jr., PennDOT Geotechnical Engineer, for his pioneering work in hazardous waste management.

1998 - Paul O. Swartz, Executive Director of the Susquehanna River Basin Commission.

1998 - Dave Witwer for his lifetime achievement as an Environmental Professional including nearly 20 years as the Executive Director of the Pennypack Watershed Association and as Executive Director of the Delaware and Lehigh Canals National Heritage Corridor Commission.

1987 - Ralph W. Abele, Executive Director of the PA Fish Commission, for producing an inventory and classification system for the fishery resources of Pennsylvania, and for his support of the State’s Environmental Protection programs.

1981 - Robert W. McCullough for his leadership in preserving the Pine Creek watershed.

1981 - Clifford L. Jones for his work in providing financial assistance to small drinking water systems in Pennsylvania’s establishment of the Water Facilities Loan Program.

1981 - Fred Jones, Conservation Editor of the Pittsburgh Press, whose articles informed many Pennsylvanians about environmental degradation, which helped enhance and strengthen mining legislation.

1980 - Governor Raymond B. Shafer for his efforts in creating the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources.

1980 - Walter A. Lyon for his leadership of Pennsylvania’s Clean Streams (1957 to 1979) and work in dam and drinking water safety.

1980 – Senator Franklin L. Kury for his work on environmental legislation, i.e., amendment to the Pennsylvania Constitution.

1980 - The Water Pollution Control Association of Pennsylvania - recognized in the name of the many municipalities and industries that contributed significantly to the cleanup of 45,000 miles of streams.

1980 - Maurice K. Goddard for his leadership in the field of environmental programs and for serving as the outstanding first Secretary of the Department of Environmental Resources.

1979 - Wesley H. Gilbertson for his accomplishments as Mason’s successor in leading the State’s Environmental programs through a most difficult period of transition and growth.

1977 - Professors Kardos, Sopper, Farrell and Myers for their accomplishments in connection with The Penn State Living Filter Project.

1971 - Thomas J. Foerster for his work with the Allegheny County Conservation Program.