by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
The Civic Round Table recently hosted its December annual environmental award luncheon at the Wyndham and longtime environmental attorney Warren Anderson walked away with the 2007 Carol Grimes Environmental Activist Award.
“There are several reasons, but primarily it’s for his foundation — the Public Trust — and his work in environmental law,” said Grimes of this year’s recipient.
Grimes pointed to Anderson’s legal work on environmentally sensitive projects such as Black Hammock Island, the Mercury Project and the Clean Water Act.
“This is our seventh award,” said Grimes.
Past winners include Ron Littlepage, Bill Bellville. Billy Brooks and Donna Baer-Hull, Richard Darby, Gary Ulrich and Patrick Leary.
“To get recognized about things like this is really nice,” said Anderson, who has practiced civil litigation at his Jacksonville Beach law firm of Anderson, Howell & Ravis since 1987. Anderson is also president of the Public Trust Environmental Law Institute of Florida, Inc. and a former chairman and board member of the Sierra Club of Northeast Florida. “I focus my efforts now on trying to protect and enhance the Preservation Project and Timuquan Preserve.
“I try to urge government entities to do the right things at those sacred places.”
In addition to recognizing Anderson, the Grimes Foundation also awarded two scholarships to local students who are focusing on either environmental sciences or arts. This year’s recipients were Kathleen Lambert, a environmental artist, and Kelly Nywening, who is studying environmental science at Florida Community College at Jacksonville.