2004 Outstanding Alumnus Environmental Accomplishment

Rita Kottke is the 2004 winner of this award. During Dr. Rita Kottke's career with the Land Protection Division of the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, she has compiled an impressive array of noteworthy accomplishments. Among these are her efforts to build stakeholder partnerships to assist in getting Brownfield sites cleaned up and redeveloped. Additionally, she worked with the legislature on amending a new Brownfield Law, writing a $ 1 Million grant proposal that created a Brownfield Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund. She also assists local governments, industrial authorities, state agencies, and tribes to apply for and implement EPA Brownfield grants. Dr. Kottke has been the state contact for Superfund Emergency Response Actions, and has been instrumental in getting Oklahoma locations added to the National Priorities List of Superfund Sites.