Lee, Salyers Announce 2023 Environmental Stewardship Award Winners
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) Commissioner David Salyers today announced the winners of the 2023 Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Awards.
The winners will be formally recognized at an awards ceremony Aug. 21 in Franklin for their achievements and positive impact on the state’s natural resources and communities.
“From Mountain City to Memphis, Tennessee is blessed with unmatched beauty and rich natural resources, and across our state, Tennesseans are responsibly working to preserve our outdoor heritage and protect our environment,” Lee said. “We thank these Tennesseans for their commitment to steward our state’s natural resources and ensure a brighter future for generations to come.”
“This year’s award winners display their care for the environment by taking action,” Salyers said. “It takes commitment from all Tennesseans to protect our natural resources, and these recipients are especially devoted to the task. They go beyond what is required, and we honor their performance.”
The Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Awards program recognizes exceptional voluntary actions that improve or protect the environment and natural resources with projects or initiatives not required by law or regulation.
In its 37th year, the awards program covers the following categories: agriculture and forestry; building green; clean air; energy and renewable resources; environmental education and outreach; materials management; natural resources; sustainable performance; and water quality.
The 2023 Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award recipients are:
| Entity | County | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Asurion Gulch Hub | Davidson | Building Green |
| Bailey | Davidson | Sustainable Performance |
| City of Chattanooga | Hamilton | Energy and Renewable Resources |
| Lick Skillet Farm | Jefferson | Agriculture and Forestry |
| Memphis Tire Recyclers, LLC | Shelby | Materials Management |
| OxyChem | Humphreys | Clean Air |
| T.O. Fuller State Park – Tires to Trails | Shelby | Natural Resources |
| Tyson Foods – Obion County Complex | Obion | Water Quality |
| University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture | Knox | Environmental Education and Outreach |
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture and green|spaces are recognized with the Pursuit of Excellence Award, which recognizes past award winners who continue to demonstrate a high regard for environmental stewardship.
The Robert Sparks Walker Lifetime Achievement Award will be announced at the awards ceremony.
A panel of nine professionals representing agriculture, conservation, forestry, environment, and academic professions judged more than 70 nominations and selected this year’s award recipients based on criteria including on-the-ground environmental achievement, innovation, transferability, partnerships, and public education.
Details about each award winner can be found in the accompanying attachment.