The deadline is rapidly approaching to honor an environmental leader in the boating community. BoatUS Foundation’s new Environmental Leadership Award recognizes a group, organization, company, marina or individual who has made a significant contribution towards advancing clean boating and educating boaters on minimizing their environmental impact. The deadline for nominations is February 15, 2007 and the award includes $500 for the continued support of the winner’s environmental efforts.

“We are looking for creative, unique, and innovative nominees who have succeeded at building momentum for clean boating,” said Susan Shingledecker, Director of Environmental Programs with the BoatUS Foundation. “This award, for example, could go to a group that has cleaned up miles of beaches, a marina that has led the way in helping keep our waterways clean, or to honor a boater who has spearheaded a local environmental education campaign,” she added.

Applications and information about the award can be found online at http://www.BoatUS.com/Foundation/EnviroAward or contact Ms. Shingledecker at SShingledecker@BoatUS.com, or telephone 703-461-2878, ext. 8358.

The BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit education and research organization primarily funded by the voluntary contributions of the 670,000 members of BoatUS. The Foundation operates more than a dozen programs including the only accredited, free, online general boating safety course, a low-cost EPIRB rental program, the “Help Stop the Drops” national clean fueling campaign, a free kid’s Life Jacket Loaner Program, and has awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants for nonprofit groups for boating safety and environmental projects.