Although specific dates are not known, records of the Environmental & Energy Law Section indicate
that the Section presented awards in the early 1980’s to the following individuals:
Hon. Madeleine Kunin; Hon. Herbert Posner; Hon. William Hoyt and Robert Witmer, Esq.
Following the untimely death of Robert C. Stover in 1984, the Section established in 1985
an environmental advocate award in his honor. In October 1985, The Robert Stover
Memorial Award was given to James Tripp, Esq.
On May 5, 1992, the Section gave an award to Dr. David Axelrod, former New York State
Commissioner of Health, “in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the
environmental health” of New York State.
At a fall meeting in the mid-1990’s (year and date unknown), the Section gave an award to
Kevin Reilly in recognition of his work on the Section Journal.
In 2004, in recognition of the passage of landmark state brownfields legislation,
Legislation of the Decade Awards were given to Hon. Thomas P. DiNapoli,
Hon. Carl L. Marcellino, Carl Patka, Esq. and Dale Desnoyers, Esq.
At the Section’s cocktail reception the night prior to the annual meeting in 2008, the Section
gave a special award to Gail Port, Esq. for her commitment and dedication to the
Environmental Law Section. In May 2008, at the Section’s Legislative Forum, the Section
gave an award to Alison H. Crocker, Esq., in appreciation for her work in the field of
environmental law.
At the Section’s business meeting on January 27, 2011, four members of t he Section were
honored as part of the Section’s celebration of its 30th anniversary in 2010. The honorees
included: Rosemary Nichols, Esq.; Gail S. Port, Esq.; Walter Mugdan, Esq.; and Louis A.
Alexander, Esq.
At the Section’s business meeting on January 29, 2015, the Section honored Laurie Silberfeld for her many years of service and commitment to the Section.
The Environmental Law Section of the New York State Bar Association, at its annual meeting on January 26, 2017, awarded certificates of recognition to three employees of the Department of Environmental Conservation for their environmental achievement. Receiving certificates were Jack Nasca (Environmental Permits), Robert Phaneuf (Materials Management) and Robert Cozzy (Remediation). Jack Nasca was recognized for his thirty-six years of service at DEC, including his work in implementing the State Environmental Quality Review Act to ensure that environmental concerns are addressed in State and local projects, his active outreach providing guidance to the regulated community, local governments, and members of the public on the requirements of environmental review, and his leadership in developing standards that are practical, achievable and fully protective of the State’s environment. Robert Phaneuf was recognized for his four decades of service at DEC, including his work in the formulation and implementation of statewide solid and hazardous waste management policy and regulation, his leadership in modernizing the state’s solid waste regulations, his commitment to advancing sound science, and his active outreach to the regulated community on solid waste management matters. Robert Cozzy was recognized for his three decades of service at DEC, including his work in the development and implementation of the State’s Superfund and brownfield cleanup programs, and his involvement with the regulated community in restoring contaminated properties to productive use.