MMSD Leader Wins Environmental Policy Award For Decade Of Leadership

MMSD Executive Director Kevin Shafer wins a well-deserved, major award for career innovation. I knew Kevin before he was appointed to the position, and I can tell you that he's one of the good guys.

From the award release (and I'm proud to have reported three years ago on the Greenseams program cited):

Innovations in Milwaukee’s sewerage district, a project to divert thousands of tons of street sweeping from landfills, and a novel adaptation of trucks to save labor and equipment in leaf collection have won Lloyd D. Gladfelter Awards for government innovation.

The competition, administered by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs, annually recognizes problem-solving and resourceful ideas generated by government employees.

"These are the kinds of creative ideas and money-saving efficiencies that people expect from government at all levels," says Tom DeLeire, director of the La Follette School and member of the awards committee. "The Gladfelter Awards honor that inventive spirit."

A $5,000 award went to Kevin Shafer, executive director of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, for a career of innovations aimed at implementing “green infrastructure” to minimize pollution of the Milwaukee regional waterways.

The award committee was struck by Shafer’s career of work at MMSD, especially since taking over as executive director in 2002. Perhaps the most significant MMSD green infrastructure project initiated through his leadership is the Greenseams® Program under which land located adjacent to area waterways is preserved under permanent conservation easements.

This preservation achieves the purpose of making the land available to store storm water (preventing downstream flooding) while also preventing much of the pollutant load in that stormwater from entering the waterways and allowing natural processes to take place. Because these lands will remain undeveloped, they are available for wildlife habitat and recreation. In addition, air quality benefits result from the natural state of the properties.