WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, a member of the Senate Energy & Natural Resources and Armed Services Committees, today congratulated the Maine Army National Guard for receiving the Secretary of the Army’s Environmental Award for Natural Resources Conservation in the Small Installation category. This award is the Army’s highest honor for outstanding environmental stewardship and leadership, and is presented to one small Army installation every year on the forefront of the Army’s effort to protect both America’s national security and the health of our environment.

“Maine has a long history of both environmental conservation and contributing to America’s national defense, so it’s no surprise that the Maine Army National Guard excels in both respects,” said Senators Collins and King. “The Maine Army National Guard’s selection for the Secretary of the Army’s Environmental Award for Natural Resources Conservation shows their exemplary conservation efforts, and is a true testament to the hard work and commitment of all Maine’s Guardsmen and women. We congratulate everyone who helped earn this award, and look forward to the continued work of the Maine Army National Guard to keep our country safe and our land and air healthy.”

The Secretary of the Army’s Environmental Award for Natural Resources Conservation program was established in 1979 to recognize installations, small groups, and individuals who make significant achievements in energy conservation and water management. The program encourages stewardship of energy and water resources, promotes innovative and effective program management, and reinforces the importance of sound investments in energy infrastructure to strengthen both national defense and environmental conservation. The Maine Army National Guard will now compete as the Army’s nominee for the 2022 Secretary of Defense Environmental Awards, the winner of which will be announced on April 22, 2022.

Senators Collins and King have long worked to strengthen America’s national defense and protect the environment. As a member of the Senate’s Armed Services Committee, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Senator King has stressed the importance of viewing climate change as a national security concern, and asked top intelligence officials to view the issue as a “threat multiplier.”