Ciaravino
NEW YORK – Newburgh City Manager Michael Ciaravino was presented with the Environmental Champion Award by the US EPA on Friday for his “exceptional work to protect the environment.”
One year ago, Ciaravino took swift action to shut down Washington Lake, Newburgh’s reservoir, when the carcinogenic chemical PFOS was discovered in the water.
The EPA citation noted that he raised the Washington Lake PFOS water contamination “from a local drinking water issue to a regional watershed contamination issue.”
The citation said when the chemical was found in the lake, he “followed his instinct and declared a state of emergency. Since then, he has worked tirelessly to ensure safe and clean drinking water and access to blood monitoring for the residents of Newburgh.”
US Senator Charles Schumer congratulated the city manager for the award. “Your dedication to serving the public and the City of Newburgh community has not gone unnoticed, and your unwavering prioritization of protecting public health in light of the Newburgh water crisis has demonstrated true civic leadership\,” the senator wrote in a letter to Ciaravino.
