Foss garners Coast Guard, EPA top green awards

Foss garners Coast Guard, EPA top green awards For the second time in a month, Seattle-based Foss Maritime Co. has been named the recipient of a major environmental award by a federal agency.
   On June 23, U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Thad Allen presented Foss President Gary Faber with one of the agency's top environmental honors: the William M. Benkert 'gold' award for marine environmental protection. The presentation took place at the American Petroleum Institute's Tanker Conference in Rancho Bernardo, Calif.
   The Benkert Award recognizes 'outstanding achievements in marine environmental protection that go beyond mere compliance with industrial and regulatory standards,' according to the USCG. The award is named in memory of Rear Adm. Benkert, regarded as the 'father' of the Coast Guard's Marine Environmental Protection Program.
   In naming Foss as the 2008 Benkert 'gold' award winner, Allen cited several Foss environmental programs, including construction of the world's first low emission hybrid tugboat, voluntary switching of the firm's entire fleet to ultra-low sulfur diesel, development of an efficient petroleum waste removal system for the firm's tug boats, and completion of an energy audit and the development of an energy management plan to manage the firm's fleet.
   In early June, Foss's development of the low emission Green Dolphin hybrid tug also earned the firm a Clean Air Excellence Award from the Environmental Protection Agency. It was the first time Foss had received the annual EPA award.