"Obviously we were thrilled. I was also a little bit surprised and obviously very grateful and happy to hear about it." ?Magnolia Springs Mayor Charles Houser - al.com

"Obviously we were thrilled. I was also a little bit surprised and obviously very grateful and happy to hear about it." ?Magnolia Springs Mayor Charles Houser - al.com: "MAGNOLIA SPRINGS — Efforts to restore the stream that helped give the community its name more than 100 years ago have resulted in a first-place federal environmental award for Baldwin County.

The Springs restoration project won a first place 2009 Gulf Guardian award in the government category. The awards are presented each year as part of the Environmental Protection Agency Gulf of Mexico Program, according to the organization's Web site. The awards will be presented Oct. 29 in Biloxi.

The awards have not been announced to the public, but Baldwin County and Magnolia Springs town officials were notified that the park project won the honor."