In 1997, NPPD’s Environmental Department implemented an environmental award program to recognize employees, individually or as a team, for being environmental leaders.  The Peregrine Falcon Award program was created to promote environmental awareness throughout the District and instill certain environmental principles into our daily work.  The environmental award is named after the Peregrine Falcon, a formerly endangered North American raptor, whose numbers have been successfully increased through conservation programs. 

The environmental principles that serve as criteria for recognition of employees are those corporate and individual environmental principles that have been adopted by NPPD.  NPPD employees have time and again demonstrated a willingness to work in an environmentally responsible manner, saving natural resource and also in many instances saving money.  During the first year of the environmental award program, 25 employees were recognized for their efforts that demonstrated application of one or more of the environmental principles.  As of 2005, nearly 75 employees in all have been recognized for their efforts.

The following types of activities and actions for which employees have been recognized include development of the NOx lance to reduce NOx emissions, implementation of various recycling programs at various facilities, fish salvage operations during canal maintenance, energy savings associated with re-lamping, properly handling and disposing of unused pesticides, use of state-of-the-art SF6 leak detection equipment, incorporation of environmental checks in work procedures, increasing use of recycled paper and products, collection of used oil, re-use of office materials such as binders, etc.