Constantine Sidamon-Eristoff, an attorney from New York City and Highland Falls, New York, is Counsel at Lacher & Lovell-Taylor. He is the Chairman of the Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ New York Board and also serves as a member of the Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ Board. He was Regional Administrator for Region II of the U.S. EPA during the first Bush Administration. For 15 years, he was a Commissioner of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New York (MTA). Before that he was New York City Highway Commissioner and Transportation Administrator under Mayor Lindsay.
Currently, he is also Secretary and a Director of the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, Inc., a Commissioner of the Orange County, New York Planning Board, and a Director of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign. He is a member of the New York State Bar Association's Environmental Law Section and serves on its Executive Committee and as Co-Chairman of its Standing Committee on International Environmental Law.
"This award could not be given to a more ardent and steadfast conservationist," said Albert E. Caccese, Executive Director of Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ New York, the state program of the Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ. "Connie has dedicated so much of his life to protecting birds, other wildlife and their habitats, and we are proud to honor such a deserving, visionary leader for his legacy of conservation with the 2009 Thomas W. Keesee Conservation Award."
Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ New York established the Keesee Award in 2001 to honor individuals whose contributions, talent and commitment to the environment have advanced conservation and environmental education. Previous recipients include Donal C. O'Brien (2001), John C. Bierwirth (2002), Samuel F. Pryor III (2003), Marian S. Heiskell (2004), Wendy J. Paulson (2006), New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Carol Ash & New York City Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe (2007), and former Governor George E. Pataki and Peter Berle- in memoriam (2008)
The Awards luncheon will benefit Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ New York's statewide program to conserve birds other wildlife and their habitats through sound science, education and advocacy.
Benefit Chairs include Margot Paul Ernst, Virginia Stowe, and Alexander Zagoreos.
To attend the Awards luncheon RSVP to 212 979-3039 or lganguzza@audubon.org
Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ New York is dedicated to the protection of birds, other wildlife and their habitats through advocacy, science and education, serving as the state program of the Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ.