EPA commissions a challenge coin for 2017 disaster responders ($8,500)

The Environmental Protection Agency is spending more than $8,500 on challenge coins to congratulate its response to 2017 natural disasters, including the hurricanes that ravaged Texas and Puerto Rico. After three bids, a contract was awarded to The Lapel Pins Plus Network LLC for "response award development - Challenge Coin" with a request to design a two-inch color 3D "coin award" that displays the EPA Emergency Response program logo on the inner circle and "HURRICANES HARVEY, IRMA AND MARIA - THE CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES" on the outer circle. The back of the coin, to be designed by the contractor, should "convey the sentiment that EPA staff from all across the country worked together to respond to the incidents from Puerto Rico to California (and regions in between)," the contract says. It also says the coin should include the phrase "response excellence," the year "2017," and should say "PROTECTING HUMAN HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT ALL ACROSS AMERICA." The contract details, obtained both through public records and by the political action committee American Bridge, show that 1,750 coins, along with boxes, are to be delivered by the end of the month. Challenge coins are historically collectable pieces of recognition that originated in the military, but have recently become more popular with civilian agencies. But celebrating the EPA's work during natural disasters doesn't sit well with several groups who flagged the coins as inappropriate, since many considered the administration's response to be inadequate...MORE

Nothing like patting yourself on the back --- 1700 times --- and at the taxpayers expense