Now Accepting Nominations: Clean Air Excellence Awards

The Western North Carolina Regional Air Quality Agency (WNCRAQA) is now accepting nominations (nomination form attached below) for our sixteenth annual air quality awards program. The goal of the Clean Air Excellence Awards is to recognize businesses and organizations that have truly gone above and beyond regulatory requirements to improve air quality for the citizens of our area. Past years award recipients have included Biltmore, Eaton Corporation, and Asheville Housing Authority; each initiated voluntary efforts that improved air quality in Western North Carolina.

In 2012, new guidelines for these awards were established by our Board's Advisory Committee with input from Agency staff. The guidelines explain the criteria for the awards and different categories have been created for different types of permitted facilities, organizations, and individuals that would like to nominate themselves or another entity for consideration.  

To submit a nomination for a Clean Air Excellence Award, please download the application form online and include a brief summary describing what was done to improve air quality for Western North Carolina.  Examples of voluntary pollution prevention measures include: significant energy efficiency upgrades, switching to more environmentally friendly and lower-emitting solvents and cleaners, installing renewable energy systems, and upgrading fleet vehicles to more fuel-efficient or lower-emitting models. We ask that nominations be submitted to our Agency by April 15, 2021. We encourage you to submit any and all efforts your company (or another company) has undertaken to reduce emissions.  Agency staff is available to assist with emissions-related questions.

More information and the application form are available here. Please see the award application attached below.

Please contact Ashley Featherstone at 828-250-6777 or ashley.featherstone@buncombecounty.org with questions.