[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 15 (Tuesday, January 28, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E81-E82]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




TRIBUTE TO RICHARD (DICK) NUGENT UPON HIS RETIREMENT AS REFUGE MANAGER 
       FOR THE JOHN HEINZ NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE AT TINICUM, PA

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. CURT WELDON

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 28, 2003

  Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to take 
this opportunity to pay tribute to Richard (Dick) Nugent, upon his 
retirement as Refuge Manager for the John Heinz National Wildlife 
Refuge at Tinicum, Pennsylvania. Dick has served the United States 
Government for more than 35 years, including the last 25 years at 
Tinicum. I was pleased to work with Dick Nugent to make the dreams of 
this unique National Wildlife Refuge a reality, promoting conservation 
and a cleaner, healthier environment for both wildlife and the citizens 
of the greater Philadelphia region.
  The history of Tinicum Marsh, the largest remaining freshwater tidal 
wetland in Pennsylvania, goes back to the first settlements in the 
region in 1634. Swedes, Dutch, and English diked and drained parts of 
the marsh for grazing. At that time, the tidal marshes measured over 
5,700 acres. The rapid urbanization since World War I reduced tidal 
marshes to approximately 200 acres. The remnant of this once vast tidal 
marsh is protected by the Refuge. Throughout his government career, 
Dick Nugent has been an environmental champion and a respected public 
servant. His selfless contributions are most deserving of our 
recognition and I am honored to bring forth his particular 
accomplishments at the Tinicum Refuge before this body and our nation 
today. The following list represents just some of what Dick has done:
  Involved with the Refuge's master planning process and land 
acquisition efforts during the 1970s and 1980s.
  Assisted in the planning, designing, and construction of the Refuge's 
maintenance complex and Cusano Environmental Education Center.
  Instrumental in the increasing of the Refuge staff from 4 personnel 
to 14 full-time positions, several internships, a Refuge Friends' Group 
consisting of over 200 members, and a large cadre of volunteers.
  Worked with the Environmental Protection Agency and other service 
staffers for the past two decades in assessing the contamination status 
of the Folcroft landfill, prior to it becoming a component of the lower 
Darby Creek Area Superfund Site.
  Involved with the cleanup and natural resource damage assessment of 
Sunoco's 192,000-gallon oil spill on the Eastern portion of the Refuge 
that occurred on February 5, 2000.

[[Page E82]]

  Involved in the management and monitoring of various wildlife-related 
diseases and threats including: Lyme disease, West Nile Virus, rabies, 
tularemia, and botulism.
  Responded to many Refuge-based fires and law enforcement incidents.
  Served as the Fish and Wildlife Service's Field Response Coordinator 
for oil spills in the Delaware River/Bay Tri-State area.
  Responded to dozens of spills to assess the impact to natural 
resources and to retrieve impacted waterfowl for rehabilitation at the 
Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research Center in Newark, Delaware.
  During his long tenure in public service, Dick Nugent has 
demonstrated unfailing dedication, a high degree of loyalty, and a 
large measure of hard work. Dick will carry his strong spirit of public 
service, his respect for the natural world, and his concept of our duty 
to the environment into his retirement.
  On the occasion of his retirement from government service, I commend 
Dick Nugent for his outstanding service. He is among Pennsylvania's 
finest, and I wish him well in the years ahead. Thank you Dick, you'll 
be missed.

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