Public Health Program is one of 39 Nationwide to Receive Model Practice Award

Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi announced today that one of the Nassau County Department of Health’s environmental programs has received the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) prestigious Model Practices Award for excellence in public health. The Model Practices Award acknowledges a program, resource or tool demonstrating exemplary and replicable qualities in response to a local public health need.

The Health Department award is for the “Small Tank Abandonment Program,” which allows Nassau residents to voluntarily abandon non-leaking heating oil tanks with a capacity of less than 1,100 gallons.  The program provides residents with specific guidance and requirements for the proper closure of old heating oil tanks.

The goal of the program is to upgrade underground tanks in the county and eliminate the threat of small tank discharges into the ground and possible contamination of our groundwater. Since July, 1990, the Health Department has maintained a registry of heating oil tanks with a capacity of less than 1,100 gallons which have been removed or properly abandoned in place.  As of December, 2004, approximately 36,300 of the 63,000 small tanks have been closed. This represents 57% of the small tanks initially identified.

“I congratulate the Health Department,” said Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi, “for its leadership, innovation and responsiveness in addressing community health issues. The award is evidence of our commitment to develop responsive and innovative public health programs which improve the health of Nassau County’s citizens.”

NACCHO President Michael Caldwell, MD, MPH, said “The Nassau County Department of Health joins a special group of public health agencies that exemplify the forward thinking, pro-active attitude of our nation’s public health systems.  We congratulate Nassau County on this important recognition.”

The Nassau County program will be included in NACCHO’s new model practices database – an online, searchable collection of successful practices covering a broad range of public health areas.  For more information about the NACCHO Model Practice Awards, go to www.naccho.org.

For information about small tank abandonment, call the Nassau County Department of Health weekdays from 9:00 A.M. – 4:45 P.M. at (516) 571 – 2406.