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Utah Department of
Environmental Quality
Jay Olsen, a four-year member of the Water Quality Board who represents the agriculture community, is the recipient of President Bush’s Volunteer Service Award for his work to improve local watersheds in Utah.
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Stephen L. Johnson presented Olsen with the award at Gov. Jon Huntsman’s Energy Summit on April 17.
“Today we honor Jay Olsen for answering President Bush’s call to serve a cause greater than himself,” Johnson said. “Dedicated volunteers like Jay are inspiring others to join them in delivering America a brighter, healthier future.”
Olsen, who lives in Ephraim with his wife, Tawny and their nine children, is a leader in watershed protection in Utah. As chairman of the San Pitch River Watershed Stewardship Group, a water quality steering committee started by the Farm Bureau, Olsen has helped secure more than $1 million in water quality grants. Under his guidance, the watershed group developed the Water Quality Management Plan for the San Pitch River Watershed. Also while he was chairman, some of the group’s projects included a fourth grade watershed education day program, now in its third year, which reaches 400 students in Sanpete County.
The watershed group also offers free soil testing to Sanpete County farmers while educating them about applying fertilizer properly. As a result, fertilizer application rates have declined, benefiting water quality and saving farmers thousands of dollars in fertilizer costs. Olsen also initiated the first Farm Works training class in Utah, teaching about farm management programs which track fertilizer application rates and soil testing data. He has been helping local water users cope with landslides of Twelve Mile Canyon near Mayfield, which have resulted in millions of dollars in crop loss due to excess sediment.
In April 2003, he was appointed by Gov. Olene Walker to serve on the Water Quality Board as a representative of agriculture and livestock interests.
Walt Baker, director of Division of Water Quality, praised Olsen for his outstanding contributions. “Jay Olsen is a leader in this state and is a valuable member of the Water Quality Board. He is most deserving of this prestigious award,” Baker said.
President Bush, in his January 2002 State of Union Address, called on all Americans to make a difference in their communities through volunteer service. He created USA Freedom Corps, an Office of the White House, to strengthen and expand volunteer service. For more information visit www.volunteer.gov or call 1-877-USA-CORPS to find an existing volunteer service opportunity in your area.