News Releases from Headquarters

EPA Staff Winners of 2017 Samuel J. Heyman Service Awards

WASHINGTON (September 28, 2017) — Two sets of EPA employees have won the 2017 Samuel J. Heyman Service to American medals, better known as “Sammies,” for their dedicated work on the Volkswagen settlement case and revitalizing urban waters. 

“On behalf of EPA, I want to congratulate Phillip, Byron, Surabhi, and the EPA Urban Waters Team on their awards. They are stellar examples of the hard work and dedication of EPA employees. I thank them for their exemplary service,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. 

Phillip A. Brooks of the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance and Byron Bunker of the Office of Air and Radiation were awarded Federal Employee of the Year along with the Justice Department’s Joshua H. van Eaton for their rigorous work on the Volkswagen settlement that helped compensate car owners affected by the lawsuit and also funded projects to reduce pollution across the country. 

Surabhi Shah and and the Urban Waters Team from the Office of Water won Sammies for their work on creating public-private partnerships to clean up and revitalize urban waterways and surrounding lands, spurring economic development and reversing decades of neglect.