SAN FRANCISCO - APRIL 25 - Today Craig Williams, Director of the U.S. Chemical Weapons Working Group (CWWG), was awarded the prestigious 2006 Goldman Environmental Prize. The $125,000 Prize, created by philanthropist Richard N. Goldman in 1990, is awarded annually to six grassroots "environmental heroes"- one from each of six continental regions. It is the largest award of its kind in the world.

Mr. Williams, who organized the CWWG and has guided the national citizens' coalition for 15 years, was chosen to receive the award for North America. He was honored for his unprecedented success in effecting environmentally protective changes in Pentagon decisions concerning destruction of the US stockpile of chemical weapons.

Specifically, Mr. Williams and the CWWG successfully prevented plans by the world's biggest bureaucracy - the Pentagon - to burn chemical weapons at four of eight chemical weapon stockpile sites in the U.S. This was accomplished through grassroots activism that resulted in a national law which required the Pentagon to:

• identify, test and deploy destruction technologies that are safe for the environment and residents of affected communities, rather than the Army's preferred and dangerous option of burning the weapons; and
  
  
• include citizens as participants in making decisions throughout the entire destruction process.

As one of six Prize recipients, Mr. Williams is among "the most important people you have never heard of," according to Mr. Goldman. "All of them have fought, often alone and at great personal risk, to protect the environment in their home countries. Their incredible achievements are an inspiration to all of us." Mr. Williams joins other anti-incineration activists from around the globe who have been recognized with the Goldman prize over the years. In 2003, Von Hernandez, then Co-Coordinator of GAIA (Global Anti-Incinerator Alliance) received the award. The Chemical Weapons Working Group is a member of GAIA. For a full list of previous winners, please see www.goldmanprize.org.

The CWWG´s Elizabeth Crowe, an active member of GAIA since its founding meeting in South Africa in December 2000, said: "Neither the U.S. nor any other government can continue to claim that incineration is the only way to get rid of stockpiled chemical wastes. We have demonstrated that viable alternatives exist and many of these technologies could be applicable for PCBs, obsolete pesticides and other stockpiled hazardous waste around the world."

In accepting the Prize Mr. Williams also spoke of being inspired by his fellow winners throughout the years. He said, in part, "I am honored to be in the presence of my fellow recipients and I am humbled by their accomplishments. I know that all the work represented by these dedicated citizens of the world has made it easier for each of us to work for healthy environments in our own communities. Tonight by awarding a few we also honor the important work of hundreds of thousands of people world wide."

Mr. Williams was presented with the award in the San Francisco Opera House. From California, the Prize recipients will travel to Washington, D.C. for a second Prize Ceremony, a press conference and additional activities in the nation´s capitol.

Biographical information and photographs of this year's winners are available at www.goldmanprize.org/2006media.

Additional information about the Goldman Prize

For more information on the dangers of incineration and non-incineration approaches to hazardous waste, please see: www.cwwg.org and www.no- burn.org.

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