Stock Award Plan

3 Months Ended

Oct. 29, 2011

Stock Award Plan [Abstract]

Stock Award Plan

Ecology and Environment, Inc. has adopted a 1998 Stock Award Plan effective March 16, 1998 (1998 Plan).  To supplement the 1998 Plan, a 2003 Stock Award Plan (2003 Plan) was approved by the shareholders at the Annual Meeting held in January 2004 and a 2007 Stock Award Plan (2007 Plan) was approved by the shareholders at the Annual Meeting held in January of 2008 (the 1998 Plan, 2003 Plan and the 2007 Plan collectively referred to as the Award Plan).  The 2003 Plan was approved retroactive to October 16, 2003 and terminated on October 15, 2008 and the 2007 Plan was approved retroactive to October 18, 2007 and will terminate October 17, 2012.  Under the Award Plan key employees (including officers) of the Company or any of its present or future subsidiaries may be designated to received awards of Class A Common stock of the Company as a bonus for services rendered to the Company or its subsidiaries, without payment therefore, based upon the fair market value of the Company stock at the time of the award. The Award Plan authorizes the Company's board of directors to determine for what period of time and under what circumstances awards can be forfeited.

The Company awarded 62,099 shares valued at approximately $.9 million in October 2011 pursuant to the Award Plan. These awards issued have a three year vesting period. The "pool" of excess tax benefits accumulated in Capital in Excess of Par Value was $330,000 and $225,000 at October 29, 2011 and July 31, 2011, respectively.   Total gross compensation expense is recognized over the vesting period. Unrecognized compensation expense was approximately $1.4 million and $.7 million at October 29, 2011 and July 31, 2011, respectively.