Texas A&M Forest Service Employee Receives Award at Annual CLEAN GULF Conference

One Texas A&M Forest Service employee is being recognized at this year’s CLEAN GULF Conference and Exhibition in San Antonio for his dedicated efforts in helping the Texas General Land Office acquire new boats to help monitor and protect the Texas shoreline.

TFS Staff Forester Kelly Scott was instrumental in the procurement of five RB-S boats from the U.S. Coast Guard and helping to repurpose them for Texas GLO’s use, saving the state approximately $1 million.

“It all started with a phone call from a guy by the name of Johnny Porter asking about boats,” Scott said.

That phone call would spur a two-year partnership between TFS and Texas GLO.

After the U.S. Coast Guard retired their old RB-S boats, TFS worked swiftly to secure five of the boats using the Federal Excess Personal program, eventually distributing the boats to five of Texas GLO’s coastal locations.

“Kelly’s commitment and dedication to helping the GLO is beyond reproach,” Texas GLO Project Manager Johnny Porter said. “He recognized the need and worked to get and an approval of the project through the General Services Administration. All through this process, we worked many hours with Kelly and he was always eager and willing to help; spending many hours coordinating efforts for us. He represented the state of Texas and TFS in the brightest light possible.”

The award ceremony will take place at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, 200 E. Market St, San Antonio, Texas on Thursday, Dec. 4 from 8 to 9:30 a.m.

“I feel honored to receive the commendation on behalf of the people involved in helping this to happen,” Scott said. “This was a joint effort between many state and federal partners. Hopefully these will be useful tools to the Texas GLO in furthering their mission and by extension ours to better serve and protect our state.”

Scott has worked for TFS for 15 years and worked specifically with the FEPP program for over 13 years. Traditionally through the FEPP program, previously owned DoD property is acquired by USDA Forest Service and then loaned out to a state forester, who may then place it with local departments to improve local fire programs.

“We are tremendously honored to see Kelly Scott receive this prestigious award,” TFS Capacity Building Department Head Jason Keiningham said. “As an agency, we are proud to help build the response capacity of the GLO in protecting our shores. The completed project truly demonstrates excellent interagency cooperation for the greater good of Texas.”

The General Land Office annually recognizes companies and individuals for their efforts to go beyond the required provisions of the Oil Spill Prevention and Response Act, who take proactive steps to enhance the protection and preservation of our coastal resources.

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Contacts:

Debbie Saenz, Texas General Land Office
512-475-1466, [email protected]