For distinguished editorial writing, the test of excellence being clearness of style, moral purpose, sound reasoning, and power to influence public opinion in what the writer conceives to be the right direction, in print or in print and online, Ten thousand dollars ($10,000).

Awarded to Arthur Browne, Beverly Weintraub and Heidi Evans of New York Daily News for their compassionate and compelling editorials on behalf of Ground Zero workers whose health problems were neglected by the city and the nation.

Columbia University President Lee C. Bollinger (left) presents Heidi Evans, Beverly Weintraub and Arthur Browne with the 2007 Pulitzer Prize in Editorial Writing.

Finalists

Also nominated as finalists in this category were: Jane Healy of The Orlando Sentinel for her persuasive heavily reported editorials on development projects that imperiled Florida's wetlands and wildlife, and Sebastian Mallaby of The Washington Post for his eloquent, rigorously researched editorials on rising inequality in America.