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NOAA FISHERIES EMPLOYEE RECEIVES AWARD
FOR EXCEPTIONAL WORK
A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration employee has received the Administrator's Award for exceptional work contributing to NOAA's mission and its programs. Scott B. Gudes, Acting Under Secretary/Administrator of NOAA presented the award at a special ceremony in Silver Spring, Maryland, on May 10, 2001, to Bradley S. Weinlaeder, research laboratory mechanic at the Little Port Walter research station in southeast Alaska .
"This recognition for Brad's work is well deserved," said Jim Balsiger, Alaska Regional Administrator for NOAA Fisheries. "One of the pleasures of my job is working with the many dedicated and highly skilled people in this agency."
Weinlaeder responded quickly last November when he noticed an oil sheen on the water. He immediately notified the appropriate authorities who handle hazardous spills, and then proceeded to trace the source of the oil to a 70-year old storage tank at an abandoned herring processing plant in nearby Newport Walter. Placing protective oil booms around floating fish pens and across the inner bay opening was just the start of an arduous three weeks of intense coordination, damage assessment, and clean-up activites for Weinlaeder, complicated by severe weather conditions for the first six days. His leadership in handling this environmental emergency prevented serious compromise or total ruin to the multiyear research studies valued in the hundreds of thousands of dollars being conducted at this remote field station.
NOAA Fisheries conducts scientific research and provides services and products to support domestic and international fisheries management, fisheries development, trade and industry assistance, enforcement, and protected species and habitat conservation programs.
Editor's Note: Photos of Weinlaeder's spill clean up work available by contacting Carol Tocco.
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