Environmental Protection Agency Presents The New England Mountain Bike Association With Environmental Merit Award Mountain Bike Organization Recognized for their Role in Preserving the Environment and Natural Resources

Boston MA. April 22, 2003: The New England Office of the US Environmental Protection Agency presented the New England Mountain Bike Association (NEMBA) with their 2003 Environmental Merit Award at a ceremony held in Fanueil Hall in Boston, Massachusetts. The EPA's Environmental Merit Award "recognizes commitment, teamwork, perseverance -along with a sense of urgency- to bring about meaningful and lasting environmental protection and improvements."

Left to right: Ira Leighton (EPA Deputy Regional Administrator), Philip Keyes (NEMBA's director), Tom Grimble (NEMBA's Vice-president) and Bob Varney (EPA Regional Administrator)

NEMBA was nominated and received the award because of its 15-year history of trail maintenance and stewardship on public lands in New England. According to EPA's Robert Lim, who nominated the organization, "this nomination recognizes a mountain biking organization that has worked hard to maintain trails, and educate state and local officials that mountain biking can co-exist with other non-motorized trail uses. NEMBA has grown into one of the region's leading environmental organizations, winning thousands of dollars in national trail grants and meeting the environmental need to maintain trails in state and local parks." NEMBA's executive director, Philip Keyes, commented, "It's an honor to be recognized for something that mountain bikers care deeply about--the environment. The preservation of open space and trails is critical to the health of wildlife, water quality and our own public health. Beneath the surface, open space and trails are a public health issue, and the opportunities for exercise and recreation are key to our personal and community well-being." Over the last 15 years, NEMBA has become expert in trail design, construction and maintenance. Every year, the non-profit organization performs thousands of hours of volunteerism on public lands throughout New England, and is currently working with the Appalachian Mountain Club, the International Mountain Bike Association and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management (DEM) to train DEM staff in the art of trail maintenance and design. Attendees to the school will come from all around New England. NEMBA has three title-sponsored Trail Care Series. The oldest, the Merlin / NEMBA Trail Care Series, has been re-christened the Tomac / NEMBA Trail Care Series for 2003 and operates in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Maine; the Cannondale / NEMBA Trail Care Series which holds volunteer trail events in Connecticut; and the Rocky Mountain Bicycles / NEMBA Trail Care Series which functions in New Hampshire. Each year, the sponsored series promote 1000s of hours of volunteerism on the trails in New England. A Note From US Senator John Kerry: