EPA Selects 32 New Members For Participation In Nat'l Environmental Performance Track, Recognizes Top Environmental Performers

2/11/2002

From: Luke Hester of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 202-564-7818; e-mail: hester.luke@epa.gov

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christie Whitman today announced the acceptance of 32 new members into the National Environmental Performance Track program. Launched just 18 months ago, Performance Track now has 280 members who are recognized for their achievements, as well as for a commitment to top environmental management and to continuously improving their environmental performance.

"Through Performance Track, EPA recognizes and rewards businesses and public facilities that demonstrate strong environmental performance beyond current requirements," Whitman said. "While building a collaborative relationship with EPA, Performance Track participants realize environmental results beyond what could be achieved through regulation and enforcement alone. Their efforts will be of significant help as we look towards our ultimate goal: cleaner air, purer water and better protected land."

The National Environmental Performance Track was designed by the EPA to recognize and encourage top environmental performers -- those companies and communities that voluntarily go beyond compliance with regulatory requirements to attain levels of environmental performance that benefit the environment, people and communities.

Building on previous innovation programs with states, businesses, and community and environmental groups, Performance Track emphasizes continuous environmental improvement, effective state/EPA relationships, and the need to inform and involve citizens and communities.

The newest Performance Track members have made environmental commitments to reduce water consumption, reduce emissions of particulate matter, increase recycling and reduce total solid waste. Members agree to meet these commitments within the next three years.

The new members add their efforts to the already substantial commitments made by existing members. So far, over their initial three years of participation, for example, Performance Track facilities are committed to reducing solid waste by 225 million pounds; lowering emissions of greenhouse gases by 26 million pounds; recycling or reusing more than five million pounds of materials; and reducing emissions of volatile organic compounds by 98,000 pounds.

Performance Track's member facilities represent both small businesses and large companies from the chemical, electronic, automotive, dry cleaning and pharmaceutical industries, among others. The new members include additional facilities from companies already participating (such as Dupont, International Paper, IBM, 3M, and Rohm and Haas) as well as from companies new to the program (such as PPG Industries, Yamaha Music Manufacturing, and Marathon Ashland). They also include a public facility -- NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center.

New Performance Track Members

Arkansas International Paper -- Pine Bluff Mill Pine Bluff, Ark.

California Rohm and Haas -- La Mirada Plant La Mirada, Calif.

Thermal Media Group and Reprographics Supply Group Santa Ana, Calif.

Georgia Yamaha Music Manufacturing, Inc. Thomaston, Ga.

Illinois Borg Warner Air/Fluid Systems Dixon, Ill.

Indiana Digital Audio Disc Corporation Terre Haute, Ind.

Nishikawa Standard Company -- New Haven Facility Ft. Wayne, Ind.

Tetra Pak Materials, LP -- Ft. Wayne Ft. Wayne, Ind.

Tetra Pak Processing Systems Americas, Inc. Greenwood, Ind.

Iowa E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Co., Inc. Fort Madison, Iowa

Kentucky Hitachi Automotive Products Harrodsburg, Ky.

Louisiana Louisiana Refining Division -- Garyville Refinery Garyville, La.

Mississippi John C. Stennis Space Center Stennis Space Center, Miss.

New Jersey Ideal Jacobs Corporation Maplewood, N.J.

New York CPS Corporation Dunkirk, N.Y.

Dresser-Rand Wellsville Operations Wellsville, N.Y.

IBM -- Thomas J. Watson Research Center Yorktown Heights, N.Y.

Loctite Electronics Olean, N.Y.

Nucor Steel Auburn, Inc. Auburn, N.Y.

North Carolina Asmo North Carolina, Inc. Statesville, N.C.

Ohio LDM Technologies, Inc. -- Byesville Byesville, Ohio

Pennsylvania PPG Industries Inc -- Works 8 Meadville, Pa.

South Carolina Palmetto Landfill and Recycling Center Wellford, S.C.

Richland Landfill Elgin, S.C.

Oakridge Landfill Dorchester, S.C.

Hickory Hill Landfill and Recycling Center Ridgeland, S.C.

Eastover Mill Eastover, S.C.

Tennessee Dura Automotive Systems Gordonsville, Tenn.

Texas 3M Austin Research Boulevard Site Austin, Texas

Chevron Phillips Chemical Co., Cedar Bayou Plant Baytown, Texas

Virginia Waynesboro Plant E. I. DuPont de Nemours and Co., Inc. Waynesboro, Va.

Wisconsin Epic Resins Palmyra, Wis.