The Office of the Federal Environmental Executive presented the Closing the Circle Award to West Point and four other Army teams as part of 30 awards to federal agencies in 17 categories. The U.S. Military Academy’s environmental program received the award along with Army programs from Warren, Mich.; Kaiserslautern, Germany; Fort Hood, Texas; and Fort Campbell, Ky. Two Army civilians received individual awards for their work.

West Point received a team award for the "Stewards of the Castle" program, which includes a video, an annual Earth Day celebration and one of the first pollution-prevention plans in the U.S. Army. The military academy conducts research and development activities, such as the Green Lights partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency. While West Point is the nation’s oldest continuously occupied garrison, officials said it meets the most stringent environmental standards.

West Point’s environmental workers were praised along with their fellow awardees.

"These commendable successes and accomplishments demonstrate the dedication and determination by our federal employees to make a profound contribution in recycling and environmental leadership for the benefit of the American people and future generations to come," said Fran Poland, Federal Environmental Executive chair of the White House Task Force on Recycling.