Is there someone in your town who has helped boaters be more environmentally responsible and made their local waterways cleaner?

With Earth Day's arrival April 22, the BoatU.S. Foundation plans to honor those who have made a significant contribution towards improving waterway ecology and educating boaters on how to minimize their environmental impact. Any group, organization, company, marina or individual who has worked hard to make a difference is eligible for the BoatU.S. Foundation Environmental Leadership Award. A $1,000 prize is provided to help the winner continue their environmental efforts. The deadline to apply is June 30, 2008.

"We are looking for nominees who have had a real impact," said Susan Shingledecker, assistant vice president and director environmental programs for the BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water. "For example, the award could go to a group that has cleaned up miles of beaches, a hometown marina that has led the way in helping keep our waterways clean, or a boat club member who has spearheaded a local environmental education campaign," she added.

The award was created to complement the efforts of the BoatU.S. Foundation, which has had a long history of working with Clean Marina programs and local organizations throughout the country to help bring environmental messages directly to boaters.

Applications and more information about the award are available at http://www.BoatUS.com/Foundation