2008 R. Emmet Doherty recipient Ron Mordosky accepting the award from Chairman Keith Williams at the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce Business and Energy Summit in Bethlehem, PA on June 23, 2009.
Shown at the R. Emmet Doherty Award Presentation ceremony are, from the left: Mike Bedrin, DEP Northeast Regional Director; Tom DiLazaro, 2007 R. Emmet Doherty Award recipient; Shirley Lentz of the Women’s Club of Allentown; and Keith Williams, chairman of the Air Quality Partnership of Lehigh Valley - Berks.
The R. Emmet Doherty Award has been presented to air quality advocates in
the Lehigh Valley region since 1970. We are now accepting nominations from Partner organizations for the 2010 Award. We’re looking for those people in
your organization who have contributed to promoting clean air in our region
in professional or volunteer capacities. Nominations will be accepted
throughout 2011.
Congratulations to 2009 Award Recipient Steve Schmitt!
The Lehigh Valley/Berks County Air Quality Partnership, the American Lung Association of Pennsylvania, the Women’s Club of Allentown and the Department of Environmental Protection presented the 39th R. Emmet Doherty Clean Air Award to Steve Schmitt, director of the Coalition for Appropriate Transportation during a ceremony November 5, 2010.
Kevin Stewart of the American Lung Association speaks during the presentation of the R. Emmet Doherty Clean Air Award. Recipient Steve Schmitt, center, and Shirley Lentz of the Woman's Club of Allentown, a co-sponsor of the award, left, listen as Kevin praises Steve's body of work.
R. Emmet Doherty was a pioneering crusader for clean air issues in the Lehigh Valley area of Lehigh and Northampton counties in the 1960s and the mid 1970s. He served as director of the Lehigh Valley Air Pollution Control District for 19 years, retiring in 1975. Doherty monitored air pollution levels in the Lehigh Valley and assisted area industries (especially cement companies) install pollution controls to alleviate the cement dust problems prevalent in the area. Doherty was also a tireless promoter of clean air concepts to students, families and industries throughout the Lehigh Valley.