Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi was honored with the 2009 Legacy of Conservation Award by the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center. Established in 1923, the Center has been at the forefront of environmental education, wildlife research, and conservation advocacy. Environmental protection has always been one of Suozzi’s highest priorities.

With the goal of making Nassau the healthiest county in the nation, Suozzi’s “Healthy Nassau” campaign, launched in 2007, focuses on creating healthy communities where the air, land, and water are protected.

To ensure the land is healthy, Suozzi has preserved over 200 acres of land in the Nassau County’s Special Groundwater Protection Area (SGPA) through the $150 Million Nassau County Environmental Bond Act Program. An additional 30 acres have been preserved in areas outside of the SGPA. In addition, the County has funded 57 park improvement projects as part of the Environmental Bond Act Program. Farms, trees

To ensure the air is healthy, Suozzi’s “Green Levittown” campaign aims to turn Levittown into America’s first Green suburb, by going door to door to Levittown’s 17,000 homes, educating and encouraging residents to upgrade their homes to be environmentally friendly and energy efficient. Suozzi instituted a renewable energy program which purchases 25% of electricity used by Nassau County government from clean and renewable energy sources. Additionally, the County Executive has established one of the largest fleets of alternative fuel vehicles in NY State, comprised of 100 compressed natural gas, electric hybrid, ethanol flex fuel and electric light duty vehicles.

To ensure the water is healthy, through the County’s $150 Million Environmental Bond Act Program, 42 storm water quality improvement projects have been funded throughout the County which include over 2000 catch basin inserts, sedimentation basins, in-line treatment devices, wetland plantings, and floatable debris removal structures. In addition, Suozzi was able to restock Hempstead Harbor with 2 million baby clams and is working to re-open the harbor to shell fishing for the first time in 70 years.

In addition to the 2009 Legacy of Conservation Award, Suozzi has received numerous accolades for his environmental accomplishments, including the 2008 Environmentalist of the Year by the New York League of Conservation Voters, Equinox Award from Citizens Campaign for the Environment in 2008, 2009 EPA Region 2 Environmental Quality Award, and the Environmental Leadership Award from the Greater LI Clean Cities Coalition in 2005.