Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) was inducted into the Elizabeth River Project 2017 Inside Business River Star Hall of Fame during a recognition luncheon Jan. 26.

With this award, the Elizabeth River Project recognizes one business that has done the most to exemplify the spirit of the River Stars program, an initiative to salute businesses and government facilities for voluntarily preventing pollution, enhancing wildlife habitat, and leading community efforts to protect the environment.

In a letter to NNSY, the Elizabeth River Project commended the shipyard's exemplary leadership during its involvement with the program to "do right by the river" through responsible environmental stewardship practices that save money, improve employee morale and reduce safety risks at the facility while safeguarding the health of the Elizabeth River.

NNSY entered the River Stars program in 1999. Since then, NNSY has been recognized for sustained distinguished performance and several significant achievements, including reducing waste, reducing storm water runoff, transforming a heavily-polluted site into three acres of wetland, reducing emissions, and creating a new compositing pilot project. The shipyard also replaced lights in two parking lots with LED bulbs in 2012, and in 2015 an employee devised a modified can for storing brushes to reduce volatile organic compounds and solid waste. The shipyard also grows oysters each year for the Elizabeth River Project's oyster reef in Paradise Creek.

NNSY in Portsmouth, Virginia, is one of the largest shipyards in the world specializing in repairing, overhauling and modernizing ships and submarines. It's the oldest and largest industrial facility that belongs to the U.S. Navy, and will celebrate its 250th anniversary Nov. 1 this year.



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For more news from Norfolk Naval Shipyard, visit www.navy.mil/.