To be considered for the Governor's Environmental Excellence Awards, applicants must have a record of sustained compliance, meaning the applicant:

• Has no judgment or conviction entered against it or against any key personnel of the facility or any person with an ownership interest in the facility for a criminal violation of environmental protection laws of the United States, the Commonwealth, or any other state in the previous five years;
• Has been neither the cause of, nor liable for, more than two significant environmental violations in the previous three years;
• Has no unresolved notices of violation or potential violations of environmental requirements from DEQ or one of the Boards;
• Is in compliance with the terms of any order or decree, executive compliance agreement, or related enforcement measure issued by DEQ, one of the Boards, or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and
• Has not demonstrated in any other way an unwillingness or inability to comply with environmental protection requirements.