Richard J. Sullivan Award

The Richard J. Sullivan Award honors an individual who demonstrates exceptional leadership and outstanding accomplishment in safeguarding public health, protecting and enhancing New Jersey’s diverse natural resources and creating vibrant, sustainable communities that provide economic opportunity for all.

 

About Richard J. Sullivan:
(February 27, 1927 – December 10, 2013)

On Earth Day April 22, 1970, New Jersey Governor William T. Cahill created the Department of Environmental Protection, a new agency within state government, and appointed Richard J. Sullivan as its first Commissioner.

He spearheaded environmental protections that established New Jersey as a national leader in coastal protection, land preservation and pollution control. As Commissioner, Mr. Sullivan helped establish Liberty State Park, which features a 36-acre salt marsh named the Richard J. Sullivan Natural Area.

The Pineland Commission’s Richard J. Sullivan Center for Environmental Policy and Education also honors his significant contributions. He is one of New Jersey’s most respected conservationists and public leaders, dedicating his life to protecting our natural resources.