EPA Honors 2023 Green Power Leaders
WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the Green Power Leadership Award Winners for 2023, honoring five leading U.S. organizations in EPA’s Green Power Partnership: Elevance Health, Hormel Foods, Palo Alto Networks, The Home Depot, and Truckee Meadows Community College. These winners span a range of different types of organizations who choose renewable energy and exemplify Partnership’s market leadership and principles of driving product innovation, enabling green power access, and accelerating the transition to a pollution-free electricity sector.
“I applaud the 2023 Green Power Leadership Award winners for pushing the envelope on new strategies to expand the use of renewable energy,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Use of clean, renewable energy is essential to meet America’s climate goals, and this year’s winners are innovating – across their core businesses, their supply chains and their communities – to deliver compelling new strategies that will accelerate our transition to a clean energy economy.”
For more than 20 years, the Green Power Leadership Awards have recognized hundreds of organizations for their exceptional achievements and leadership in the green power marketplace. This year's Green Power Leadership Award recipients are using more than 1.5 billion kilowatt-hours of green power annually, enough to power approximately 145,000 average American homes for a year. The 2023 Award winners also go above and beyond simply choosing green power and demonstrate leadership through strategies such as incentivizing employees to access green power at home, engaging with community solar, and encouraging supply chain partners to reduce emissions.
EPA’s Green Power Partners drive demand for investment in renewable energy in the U.S. green power market and influence suppliers to switch to green power, accelerating development of these resources and leading the way to a clean energy future. Green power is electricity generated from renewable resources, such as wind, solar, geothermal, biogas, eligible biomass, and low-impact hydro. These high-quality renewable sources produce green power with little to zero air emissions, or impact on the environment or human health.
The EPA Green Power Leadership Award winners for 2023 are:
Elevance Health
Elevance Health, Inc. (Indianapolis, IN), an American health insurance company, is being recognized for its green power use and sector leadership. Elevance Health has used 100% green power since 2021 with approximately equal parts sourced through a 15-year solar financial power purchase agreement (PPA) of nearly 80 million kWh as well as 90 million kWh from retail renewable energy sources. The company prioritizes engaging with strategic value chain partners on setting scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets and is actively engaged in community partnerships focused on advancing health equity, including through affordable solar engagement.
Hormel Foods
Hormel Foods Corporation (Austin, MN), a global food company, is being recognized for its green power usage, community solar development, and employee renewable energy engagement. Over the past year, Hormel Foods has increased its U.S. domestic green power use from less than 10% to 100% through a financial PPA that generates over 936 million kilowatt hours of green power annually. Additionally, Hormel Foods supports community solar in rural areas, sponsoring a community solar garden in Wichita, Kansas and serving as an anchor-tenant in a community solar project in Montevideo, Minnesota which Hormel employees can subscribe to. Hormel also engages employees with its “Sustainability Best of The Best” internal competition, inspiring global teams to integrate green power into their processes.
Palo Alto Networks
Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (Santa Clara, CA), a multinational cybersecurity company, is being recognized in part for its innovation in green power usage. Palo Alto Networks recently adopted their science-based greenhouse reduction targets as internal key performance indicators (KPIs). Establishment of these targets as KPIs ties renewable energy use and progress toward emissions reduction targets to the company’s line of credit from investors and their access to capital. This year, Palo Alto Networks supported a pilot green tariff program by purchased over 15 million kWh as one of the first companies to participate in Silicon Valley Power’s Large Company Renewable Energy Program. The company also engages employees through its FLEXBenefits incentive program to support and increase access to renewable electricity purchasing and clean technologies for all employees.
The Home Depot
The Home Depot, Inc. (Atlanta, GA), a multinational home improvement retailer, is being recognized for the company’s green power usage, enabling renewable energy project development, and installation of electricity storage technologies and projects at retail locations. The Home Depot purchases more than 400 million kWh of wind and solar power annually. Since 2022, the company has purchased green power directly from several new projects including a 50MW wind project in Nebraska and two solar projects in Texas totaling 115MW. The Home Depot also demonstrated dedication to grid improvements by installing 55 standalone battery storage projects in five different states with a total capacity of over 12 MW to bolster grid and facility resiliency and drive down peak demand costs. In 2022, the company provided retail access to solar panels for more than 7,000 homes and recorded sales of over 4,000 EV chargers.
Truckee Meadows Community College
Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC), a community college in Reno, Nevada, is being recognized for their green power usage and educational programs. Since 2019, TMCC has matched 100% of its electricity load service with more than 7.8 million kWh of solar power purchased through its utility’s Nevada GreenEnergy Rider Tariff. TMCC also installed four on-site solar arrays and two wind turbines, which are used as an educational tool to provide hands-on training in the college’s Applied Technologies architecture and renewable energy programs. In 2022-23, TMCC declared a college-wide theme: “Year of Sustainability,” encouraging sustainable concepts to be used in wider areas of in-classroom education and hosted a series of events educating students about their commitment to green power.
Background
The Green Power Partnership is a voluntary program that helps increase green power use among U.S. organizations. The goal of the Partnership is to advance the American market for green power development as a way to reduce air pollution and other environmental impacts associated with electricity use. In 2021, the Partnership had more than 700 Partners voluntarily using more than 85 billion kilowatt-hours of green power annually. Partners include a wide variety of leading organizations such as Fortune 500® companies; small and medium sized businesses; local, state, and federal governments; and colleges and universities. For additional information, please visit EPA's Green Power Partnership webpage.
The Green Power Leadership Awards are announced at the Renewable Energy Markets Conference, to which EPA is an Organizing Sponsor. Learn more about EPA 2023 Green Power Leadership Award winners.
“I applaud the 2023 Green Power Leadership Award winners for pushing the envelope on new strategies to expand the use of renewable energy,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Use of clean, renewable energy is essential to meet America’s climate goals, and this year’s winners are innovating – across their core businesses, their supply chains and their communities – to deliver compelling new strategies that will accelerate our transition to a clean energy economy.”
For more than 20 years, the Green Power Leadership Awards have recognized hundreds of organizations for their exceptional achievements and leadership in the green power marketplace. This year's Green Power Leadership Award recipients are using more than 1.5 billion kilowatt-hours of green power annually, enough to power approximately 145,000 average American homes for a year. The 2023 Award winners also go above and beyond simply choosing green power and demonstrate leadership through strategies such as incentivizing employees to access green power at home, engaging with community solar, and encouraging supply chain partners to reduce emissions.
EPA’s Green Power Partners drive demand for investment in renewable energy in the U.S. green power market and influence suppliers to switch to green power, accelerating development of these resources and leading the way to a clean energy future. Green power is electricity generated from renewable resources, such as wind, solar, geothermal, biogas, eligible biomass, and low-impact hydro. These high-quality renewable sources produce green power with little to zero air emissions, or impact on the environment or human health.
The EPA Green Power Leadership Award winners for 2023 are:
Elevance Health
Elevance Health, Inc. (Indianapolis, IN), an American health insurance company, is being recognized for its green power use and sector leadership. Elevance Health has used 100% green power since 2021 with approximately equal parts sourced through a 15-year solar financial power purchase agreement (PPA) of nearly 80 million kWh as well as 90 million kWh from retail renewable energy sources. The company prioritizes engaging with strategic value chain partners on setting scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets and is actively engaged in community partnerships focused on advancing health equity, including through affordable solar engagement.
Hormel Foods
Hormel Foods Corporation (Austin, MN), a global food company, is being recognized for its green power usage, community solar development, and employee renewable energy engagement. Over the past year, Hormel Foods has increased its U.S. domestic green power use from less than 10% to 100% through a financial PPA that generates over 936 million kilowatt hours of green power annually. Additionally, Hormel Foods supports community solar in rural areas, sponsoring a community solar garden in Wichita, Kansas and serving as an anchor-tenant in a community solar project in Montevideo, Minnesota which Hormel employees can subscribe to. Hormel also engages employees with its “Sustainability Best of The Best” internal competition, inspiring global teams to integrate green power into their processes.
Palo Alto Networks
Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (Santa Clara, CA), a multinational cybersecurity company, is being recognized in part for its innovation in green power usage. Palo Alto Networks recently adopted their science-based greenhouse reduction targets as internal key performance indicators (KPIs). Establishment of these targets as KPIs ties renewable energy use and progress toward emissions reduction targets to the company’s line of credit from investors and their access to capital. This year, Palo Alto Networks supported a pilot green tariff program by purchased over 15 million kWh as one of the first companies to participate in Silicon Valley Power’s Large Company Renewable Energy Program. The company also engages employees through its FLEXBenefits incentive program to support and increase access to renewable electricity purchasing and clean technologies for all employees.
The Home Depot
The Home Depot, Inc. (Atlanta, GA), a multinational home improvement retailer, is being recognized for the company’s green power usage, enabling renewable energy project development, and installation of electricity storage technologies and projects at retail locations. The Home Depot purchases more than 400 million kWh of wind and solar power annually. Since 2022, the company has purchased green power directly from several new projects including a 50MW wind project in Nebraska and two solar projects in Texas totaling 115MW. The Home Depot also demonstrated dedication to grid improvements by installing 55 standalone battery storage projects in five different states with a total capacity of over 12 MW to bolster grid and facility resiliency and drive down peak demand costs. In 2022, the company provided retail access to solar panels for more than 7,000 homes and recorded sales of over 4,000 EV chargers.
Truckee Meadows Community College
Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC), a community college in Reno, Nevada, is being recognized for their green power usage and educational programs. Since 2019, TMCC has matched 100% of its electricity load service with more than 7.8 million kWh of solar power purchased through its utility’s Nevada GreenEnergy Rider Tariff. TMCC also installed four on-site solar arrays and two wind turbines, which are used as an educational tool to provide hands-on training in the college’s Applied Technologies architecture and renewable energy programs. In 2022-23, TMCC declared a college-wide theme: “Year of Sustainability,” encouraging sustainable concepts to be used in wider areas of in-classroom education and hosted a series of events educating students about their commitment to green power.
Background
The Green Power Partnership is a voluntary program that helps increase green power use among U.S. organizations. The goal of the Partnership is to advance the American market for green power development as a way to reduce air pollution and other environmental impacts associated with electricity use. In 2021, the Partnership had more than 700 Partners voluntarily using more than 85 billion kilowatt-hours of green power annually. Partners include a wide variety of leading organizations such as Fortune 500® companies; small and medium sized businesses; local, state, and federal governments; and colleges and universities. For additional information, please visit EPA's Green Power Partnership webpage.
The Green Power Leadership Awards are announced at the Renewable Energy Markets Conference, to which EPA is an Organizing Sponsor. Learn more about EPA 2023 Green Power Leadership Award winners.
EPA Announces Winners of the 2023 Regional Pollution Prevention Recognition Awards
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the five winners of the 2023 Regional Pollution Prevention Recognition Awards. EPA Regions 4, 8, and 10 are recognizing five businesses that have demonstrated leadership in innovative pollution prevention (P2) practices which reduce, eliminate, or prevent pollution at its source prior to recycling, treatment, or disposal.
The United States produces billions of pounds of pollution each year and spends billions of dollars per year controlling this pollution. Preventing pollution at the source, also known as P2 or source reduction, rather than managing waste after it is produced, is an important part of advancing a sustainable economic and environmental infrastructure. P2 practices can reduce exposure to toxic chemicals, conserve natural resources, and reduce cleanup and financial costs for businesses, particularly for waste management and environmental liability.
“This year’s winners have shown that preventing pollution can improve performance and save money while also delivering benefits to our communities,” said EPA Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Deputy Assistant Administrator for Pollution Prevention Jennie Romer. “Pollution prevention is an important strategy for fighting climate change, advancing environmental justice and increasing the competitiveness of American businesses.”
This year’s winners are:
Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC., Y-12 National Security Complex, Oak Ridge, TN for replacing the use of mineral oil in their electrical transformers with a bio-based product that reduced costs, ensured regulatory compliance, and produces 56 times less carbon dioxide emissions than the mineral oil it replaced.
Breckenridge Grand Vacations, Breckenridge, Colorado for improving the efficiency of its snowmelt system, which prevents the build-up of snow and ice on walkways, patios, and roadways. The system was improved to turns on before snow and ice builds up which decreased the natural gas usage at the resort by 14 percent in the first quarter of 2023.
Exotic Metals Forming Division of Parker Aerospace, Kent, Washington for eliminating chemical processes that contain n-Propylbromide (nPB), a hazardous compound that will soon be noncompliant in Washington State. By switching to a non-hazardous alternative instead of the anti-spatter product it was using as well as entirely removing a vapor degreasing process, the company estimates that it is preventing thousands of pounds of nPB waste from being released into the environment and saving thousands of dollars in disposal costs.
Production Plating, Incorporated, Mukilteo, Washington for successfully reducing sodium hydroxide waste, a corrosive inorganic compound, by 50 percent in its operations. The change has decreased its waste disposal weight by 75 percent in most waste streams and is saving approximately $500,000 per year.
Pacific Seafood, Clackamas, Oregon for switching to safer cleaning options at its seafood processing facility, implementing actions to decrease the amount of chemicals wasted, and focusing on water and energy conservation. The company estimates that the use of more efficient cleaning equipment alone has saved more than 330,000 gallons of water over the course of a year. Pacific Seafood is now implementing these changes at all of its facilities.
These 2023 award winners demonstrate that practicing P2 is helpful to businesses while also being essential to protecting public health and the environment. EPA will open nominations for the 2024 Regional Pollution Prevention Recognition Awards next spring.
Read more about the Regional Pollution Prevention Recognition Awards on EPA’s website.
Read more about EPA’s P2 Program.
The United States produces billions of pounds of pollution each year and spends billions of dollars per year controlling this pollution. Preventing pollution at the source, also known as P2 or source reduction, rather than managing waste after it is produced, is an important part of advancing a sustainable economic and environmental infrastructure. P2 practices can reduce exposure to toxic chemicals, conserve natural resources, and reduce cleanup and financial costs for businesses, particularly for waste management and environmental liability.
“This year’s winners have shown that preventing pollution can improve performance and save money while also delivering benefits to our communities,” said EPA Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Deputy Assistant Administrator for Pollution Prevention Jennie Romer. “Pollution prevention is an important strategy for fighting climate change, advancing environmental justice and increasing the competitiveness of American businesses.”
This year’s winners are:
Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC., Y-12 National Security Complex, Oak Ridge, TN for replacing the use of mineral oil in their electrical transformers with a bio-based product that reduced costs, ensured regulatory compliance, and produces 56 times less carbon dioxide emissions than the mineral oil it replaced.
Breckenridge Grand Vacations, Breckenridge, Colorado for improving the efficiency of its snowmelt system, which prevents the build-up of snow and ice on walkways, patios, and roadways. The system was improved to turns on before snow and ice builds up which decreased the natural gas usage at the resort by 14 percent in the first quarter of 2023.
Exotic Metals Forming Division of Parker Aerospace, Kent, Washington for eliminating chemical processes that contain n-Propylbromide (nPB), a hazardous compound that will soon be noncompliant in Washington State. By switching to a non-hazardous alternative instead of the anti-spatter product it was using as well as entirely removing a vapor degreasing process, the company estimates that it is preventing thousands of pounds of nPB waste from being released into the environment and saving thousands of dollars in disposal costs.
Production Plating, Incorporated, Mukilteo, Washington for successfully reducing sodium hydroxide waste, a corrosive inorganic compound, by 50 percent in its operations. The change has decreased its waste disposal weight by 75 percent in most waste streams and is saving approximately $500,000 per year.
Pacific Seafood, Clackamas, Oregon for switching to safer cleaning options at its seafood processing facility, implementing actions to decrease the amount of chemicals wasted, and focusing on water and energy conservation. The company estimates that the use of more efficient cleaning equipment alone has saved more than 330,000 gallons of water over the course of a year. Pacific Seafood is now implementing these changes at all of its facilities.
These 2023 award winners demonstrate that practicing P2 is helpful to businesses while also being essential to protecting public health and the environment. EPA will open nominations for the 2024 Regional Pollution Prevention Recognition Awards next spring.
Read more about the Regional Pollution Prevention Recognition Awards on EPA’s website.
Read more about EPA’s P2 Program.
EPA Reaches Agreement with California Department of Corrections over Claims of Clean Water Act Violations
SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has entered into an Administrative Order on Consent with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for claims of Clean Water Act violations at the California Men’s Colony wastewater treatment plant located in San Luis Obispo, California. The treatment plant failed to properly operate and maintain all wastewater facilities and systems of control as required by a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit issued under the authority of the Clean Water Act.
“This order ensures that the California Men’s Colony treatment plant will take action to prevent further discharges of dangerous levels of pollution into Chorro Creek, which flows into the ocean,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “Compliance with the Clean Water Act permit – and all the pollutant limits enshrined in that permit – is essential to protecting public health and the environment, and with our state partners EPA will continue to provide vigilant oversight.”
The California Men’s Colony treatment plant is authorized to discharge wastewater via a Clean Water Act permit issued by the State of California’s Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB). The treatment plant conveys and treats domestic wastewater from the California Men’s Colony East and West Facilities, Camp San Luis Obispo (a National Guard training site), Cuesta College, and San Luis Obispo County facilities including El Chorro Regional Park, Dairy Creek Golf Course, Education Center, and County Operational Facility. The service area for the treatment plant includes approximately 13,000 acres with an estimated population served of 16,000. Treated wastewater is discharged into Chorro Creek, which flows to the Morro Bay Estuary and the Pacific Ocean
EPA and the Water Boards conducted a series of inspections and investigations at the California Men’s Colony between May 2021 and April 2022. Inspectors found that critical infrastructure had not been maintained or operated properly, resulting in (1) violations of permit effluent limits for total nitrogen, pH, copper, total coliform, and multiple toxic pollutants; (2) plastics passing through the treatment system into Chorro Creek; (3) over 6,000 gallons of sanitary sewer overflows reaching Chorro Creek; and (4) unauthorized discharges from the on-site drinking water treatment and distribution system to Chorro Creek.
EPA and the California Men’s Colony have agreed that the Colony will take action necessary to resolve these violations of the Clean Water Act. Requirements of the consent agreement being announced today include analysis of the wastewater treatment plant to determine the causes of treatment inefficiencies and pollutant pass-through, work to address these deficiencies, and repair of water infrastructure – including a leaking drinking water tank – in order to stop unauthorized discharges from the facility to Chorro Creek.
An Administrative Order on Consent is a legal agreement signed by EPA and an individual, business, or other entity through which the entity agrees to take an action, refrain from an activity, or pay certain costs. It describes the actions to be taken, applies to civil actions, and can be enforced in court. In limited instances it may be subject to a public comment period.
Read more about the EPA’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, the Clean Water Act, and Enforcement.
Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook and on X.
“This order ensures that the California Men’s Colony treatment plant will take action to prevent further discharges of dangerous levels of pollution into Chorro Creek, which flows into the ocean,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “Compliance with the Clean Water Act permit – and all the pollutant limits enshrined in that permit – is essential to protecting public health and the environment, and with our state partners EPA will continue to provide vigilant oversight.”
The California Men’s Colony treatment plant is authorized to discharge wastewater via a Clean Water Act permit issued by the State of California’s Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB). The treatment plant conveys and treats domestic wastewater from the California Men’s Colony East and West Facilities, Camp San Luis Obispo (a National Guard training site), Cuesta College, and San Luis Obispo County facilities including El Chorro Regional Park, Dairy Creek Golf Course, Education Center, and County Operational Facility. The service area for the treatment plant includes approximately 13,000 acres with an estimated population served of 16,000. Treated wastewater is discharged into Chorro Creek, which flows to the Morro Bay Estuary and the Pacific Ocean
EPA and the Water Boards conducted a series of inspections and investigations at the California Men’s Colony between May 2021 and April 2022. Inspectors found that critical infrastructure had not been maintained or operated properly, resulting in (1) violations of permit effluent limits for total nitrogen, pH, copper, total coliform, and multiple toxic pollutants; (2) plastics passing through the treatment system into Chorro Creek; (3) over 6,000 gallons of sanitary sewer overflows reaching Chorro Creek; and (4) unauthorized discharges from the on-site drinking water treatment and distribution system to Chorro Creek.
EPA and the California Men’s Colony have agreed that the Colony will take action necessary to resolve these violations of the Clean Water Act. Requirements of the consent agreement being announced today include analysis of the wastewater treatment plant to determine the causes of treatment inefficiencies and pollutant pass-through, work to address these deficiencies, and repair of water infrastructure – including a leaking drinking water tank – in order to stop unauthorized discharges from the facility to Chorro Creek.
An Administrative Order on Consent is a legal agreement signed by EPA and an individual, business, or other entity through which the entity agrees to take an action, refrain from an activity, or pay certain costs. It describes the actions to be taken, applies to civil actions, and can be enforced in court. In limited instances it may be subject to a public comment period.
Read more about the EPA’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, the Clean Water Act, and Enforcement.
Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook and on X.
Colorado's Breckenridge Grand Vacations among winners of EPA’s 2023 Regional Pollution Prevention Recognition Awards
Breckenridge, Colo. (September 19, 2023) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that Breckenridge Grand Vacations of Breckenridge, Colorado, is among five winners of the agency’s 2023 Regional Pollution Prevention Recognition Awards. These businesses have demonstrated leadership in innovative pollution prevention (P2) practices which reduce, eliminate or prevent pollution at its source prior to recycling, treatment or disposal.
Breckenridge Grand Vacations is being recognized for improving the efficiency of its snowmelt system, which prevents the build-up of snow and ice on walkways, patios and roadways. The system was improved to activate before snow and ice builds up decreasing natural gas usage from the resort by 14 percent in the first quarter of 2023.
“This year’s winners have shown that preventing pollution can improve performance and save money while also delivering benefits to our communities,” said EPA Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Deputy Assistant Administrator for Pollution Prevention Jennie Romer. “Pollution prevention is an important strategy for fighting climate change, advancing environmental justice and increasing the competitiveness of American businesses.”
The United States produces billions of pounds of pollution each year and spends billions of dollars per year controlling this pollution. Preventing pollution at the source, also known as P2 or source reduction, rather than managing waste after it is produced, is an important part of advancing a sustainable economic and environmental infrastructure. P2 practices can reduce exposure to toxic chemicals, conserve natural resources, and reduce cleanup and financial costs for businesses, particularly for waste management and environmental liability.
“Breckenridge Grand Vacations is thrilled to receive the 2023 EPA Region 8 Pollution Prevention Recognition Award for our work reducing GHGs at the Grand Lodge on Peak 7,” said Jeff Edwards, Sustainability and Energy Program Coordinator at Breckenridge Grand Vacations. “Through creative partnerships that focused on simple but achievable solutions, we effectively prevented pollution while saving on energy costs. The EPA's recognition of our efforts serves as a catalyst to further our commitment to sustainability and reach our target to reduce GHGs by 50% in 2030.”
In addition to Breckenridge Grand Vacations, this year’s Pollution Prevention Recognition Award winners include:
Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC., Y-12 National Security Complex, Oak Ridge, Tennessee for replacing the use of mineral oil in their electrical transformers with a bio-based product that reduced costs, ensured regulatory compliance, and produces 56 times less carbon dioxide emissions than the mineral oil it replaced.
Exotic Metals Forming Division of Parker Aerospace, Kent, Washington for eliminating chemical processes that contain n-Propylbromide (nPB), a hazardous compound that will soon be noncompliant in Washington State. By switching to a non-hazardous alternative instead of the anti-spatter product it was using as well as entirely removing a vapor degreasing process, the company estimates that it is preventing thousands of pounds of nPB waste from being released into the environment and saving thousands of dollars in disposal costs.
Production Plating, Incorporated, Mukilteo, Washington for successfully reducing sodium hydroxide waste, a corrosive inorganic compound, by 50 percent in its operations. The change has decreased its waste disposal weight by 75 percent in most waste streams and is saving approximately $500,000 per year.
Pacific Seafood, Clackamas, Oregon for switching to safer cleaning options at its seafood processing facility, implementing actions to decrease the amount of chemicals wasted, and focusing on water and energy conservation. The company estimates that the use of more efficient cleaning equipment alone has saved more than 330,000 gallons of water over the course of a year. Pacific Seafood is now implementing these changes at all of its facilities.
These 2023 award winners demonstrate that practicing P2 is helpful to businesses while also being essential to protecting public health and the environment. EPA will open nominations for the 2024 Regional Pollution Prevention Recognition Awards next spring.
Read more about the Regional Pollution Prevention Recognition Awards on EPA’s website.
Read more about EPA’s P2 Program.
Breckenridge Grand Vacations is being recognized for improving the efficiency of its snowmelt system, which prevents the build-up of snow and ice on walkways, patios and roadways. The system was improved to activate before snow and ice builds up decreasing natural gas usage from the resort by 14 percent in the first quarter of 2023.
“This year’s winners have shown that preventing pollution can improve performance and save money while also delivering benefits to our communities,” said EPA Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Deputy Assistant Administrator for Pollution Prevention Jennie Romer. “Pollution prevention is an important strategy for fighting climate change, advancing environmental justice and increasing the competitiveness of American businesses.”
The United States produces billions of pounds of pollution each year and spends billions of dollars per year controlling this pollution. Preventing pollution at the source, also known as P2 or source reduction, rather than managing waste after it is produced, is an important part of advancing a sustainable economic and environmental infrastructure. P2 practices can reduce exposure to toxic chemicals, conserve natural resources, and reduce cleanup and financial costs for businesses, particularly for waste management and environmental liability.
“Breckenridge Grand Vacations is thrilled to receive the 2023 EPA Region 8 Pollution Prevention Recognition Award for our work reducing GHGs at the Grand Lodge on Peak 7,” said Jeff Edwards, Sustainability and Energy Program Coordinator at Breckenridge Grand Vacations. “Through creative partnerships that focused on simple but achievable solutions, we effectively prevented pollution while saving on energy costs. The EPA's recognition of our efforts serves as a catalyst to further our commitment to sustainability and reach our target to reduce GHGs by 50% in 2030.”
In addition to Breckenridge Grand Vacations, this year’s Pollution Prevention Recognition Award winners include:
Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC., Y-12 National Security Complex, Oak Ridge, Tennessee for replacing the use of mineral oil in their electrical transformers with a bio-based product that reduced costs, ensured regulatory compliance, and produces 56 times less carbon dioxide emissions than the mineral oil it replaced.
Exotic Metals Forming Division of Parker Aerospace, Kent, Washington for eliminating chemical processes that contain n-Propylbromide (nPB), a hazardous compound that will soon be noncompliant in Washington State. By switching to a non-hazardous alternative instead of the anti-spatter product it was using as well as entirely removing a vapor degreasing process, the company estimates that it is preventing thousands of pounds of nPB waste from being released into the environment and saving thousands of dollars in disposal costs.
Production Plating, Incorporated, Mukilteo, Washington for successfully reducing sodium hydroxide waste, a corrosive inorganic compound, by 50 percent in its operations. The change has decreased its waste disposal weight by 75 percent in most waste streams and is saving approximately $500,000 per year.
Pacific Seafood, Clackamas, Oregon for switching to safer cleaning options at its seafood processing facility, implementing actions to decrease the amount of chemicals wasted, and focusing on water and energy conservation. The company estimates that the use of more efficient cleaning equipment alone has saved more than 330,000 gallons of water over the course of a year. Pacific Seafood is now implementing these changes at all of its facilities.
These 2023 award winners demonstrate that practicing P2 is helpful to businesses while also being essential to protecting public health and the environment. EPA will open nominations for the 2024 Regional Pollution Prevention Recognition Awards next spring.
Read more about the Regional Pollution Prevention Recognition Awards on EPA’s website.
Read more about EPA’s P2 Program.
EPA recognizes excellence in VA Superfund cleanup
PHILADELPHIA (Sept. 19, 2023) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) presented its Excellence in Site Reuse Award to Brookwood Capital Partners (BCP) and Hana Engineers and Consultants, LLC for their outstanding commitment and efforts in revitalizing part of the Former Nansemond Ordnance Depot Superfund site in Suffolk, Virginia.
This award, in support of the Superfund Redevelopment Program, recognizes the accomplishments of industry partners in returning portions of the contaminated Superfund site into a long-term sustainable and productive reuse property for the Suffolk and Hampton Roads community.
“EPA is dedicated to redeveloping Superfund sites to make positive impacts for communities and help them thrive,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “We’re pleased to recognize BCP and Hana Engineers for their initiative to clean up contamination and their vision in bringing back much needed value at this property for nearby communities and the local economy.
EPA partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Virginia Department of Environmental Quality to assist BCP and Hana Engineers in redeveloping 45 acres into a 338,000 square foot warehouse with 81 loading docks, 12 acres of trailer parking and 3,500 square feet of office space.
BCP and Hana Engineers removed more than 2,000 tons of contaminated soil, built a new stormwater system, and created 300 jobs for warehouse construction and operation. EPA also recognized their efforts in preventing potential future ecological risks at the site.
“This site is a classic example of how Superfund facilitated a collaborative cleanup approach leading to a streamlined remediation, saving both time and taxpayer dollars,” said Cliff Villa, EPA Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Land and Emergency Management. “This collaborative approach resulted in efficient reuse of this formerly contaminated land, ensuring the property can safely support commercial and industrial uses.”
This partnership embodies the commitment of EPA and project partners to build a promising future for the community.
“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency have spent many years investigating and remediating this area of the Former Nansemond Ordnance Depot with the goal of making it safe for future use,” said Jeff Zoeckler, vice president of Hana Engineers and Consultants, LLC. “The final push to expedite redevelopment into a state-of-the-art warehouse complex is an example of successful collaboration between many stakeholders, including federal, state, and city governments, landowners, developers, and contractors. Hana is proud to play a small part in that process.”
The FNOD site consists of 975 acres that were used by the Department of Defense from 1917-1960 and was added to the EPA Superfund National Priority List in 1999. More than 6,200 munitions items and 200,000 pounds of munitions debris have been removed to safely support residential, commercial, industrial, and public use for 100 different landowners.
Visit the EPA website for more information on the FNOD site.
Visit the EPA website for more information on Superfund Redevelopment.
This award, in support of the Superfund Redevelopment Program, recognizes the accomplishments of industry partners in returning portions of the contaminated Superfund site into a long-term sustainable and productive reuse property for the Suffolk and Hampton Roads community.
“EPA is dedicated to redeveloping Superfund sites to make positive impacts for communities and help them thrive,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “We’re pleased to recognize BCP and Hana Engineers for their initiative to clean up contamination and their vision in bringing back much needed value at this property for nearby communities and the local economy.
EPA partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Virginia Department of Environmental Quality to assist BCP and Hana Engineers in redeveloping 45 acres into a 338,000 square foot warehouse with 81 loading docks, 12 acres of trailer parking and 3,500 square feet of office space.
BCP and Hana Engineers removed more than 2,000 tons of contaminated soil, built a new stormwater system, and created 300 jobs for warehouse construction and operation. EPA also recognized their efforts in preventing potential future ecological risks at the site.
“This site is a classic example of how Superfund facilitated a collaborative cleanup approach leading to a streamlined remediation, saving both time and taxpayer dollars,” said Cliff Villa, EPA Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Land and Emergency Management. “This collaborative approach resulted in efficient reuse of this formerly contaminated land, ensuring the property can safely support commercial and industrial uses.”
This partnership embodies the commitment of EPA and project partners to build a promising future for the community.
“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency have spent many years investigating and remediating this area of the Former Nansemond Ordnance Depot with the goal of making it safe for future use,” said Jeff Zoeckler, vice president of Hana Engineers and Consultants, LLC. “The final push to expedite redevelopment into a state-of-the-art warehouse complex is an example of successful collaboration between many stakeholders, including federal, state, and city governments, landowners, developers, and contractors. Hana is proud to play a small part in that process.”
The FNOD site consists of 975 acres that were used by the Department of Defense from 1917-1960 and was added to the EPA Superfund National Priority List in 1999. More than 6,200 munitions items and 200,000 pounds of munitions debris have been removed to safely support residential, commercial, industrial, and public use for 100 different landowners.
Visit the EPA website for more information on the FNOD site.
Visit the EPA website for more information on Superfund Redevelopment.
EPA Seeks Participants for Environmental Justice Academy in East St. Louis, Illinois
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is accepting applications for the Environmental Justice Academy, a training program to help emerging community, non-profit and environmental leaders cultivate skills to identify and address environmental challenges in their communities. The academy will take place in East St. Louis, Illinois, and is co-sponsored with the Kapal Foundation (Kappa House) and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
“The EJ Academy is an important part of EPA’s commitment to support community-led environmental justice initiatives,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore. “It will give participants a chance to develop the skills to identify environmental challenges and to solve problems collaboratively.”
The EJ Academy is expected to start in January and consists of a ten-month program of courses, assignments, and projects. Course material is shaped around specific community requests. It will include information on tools such as EJSCREEN, as well as laws and regulations relating to environmental justice and collaborative problem-solving approaches. The academy will be held in a hybrid form, with Wednesday sessions hosted virtually and Saturday sessions on-site in East St. Louis at Kappa House.
Any Metro East resident over 16 years old is eligible to apply. The application is posted on the Metro East Environmental Justice Academy website. Applications are open through November 3.
EPA will host an information session about the EJ Academy on Wednesday, September 20, at the Cahokia Public Library District from 6-7 p.m. Information will be shared on the application process, scheduling logistics, and the purpose of the academy.
For more information about the Environmental Justice Academy, click here.
“The EJ Academy is an important part of EPA’s commitment to support community-led environmental justice initiatives,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore. “It will give participants a chance to develop the skills to identify environmental challenges and to solve problems collaboratively.”
The EJ Academy is expected to start in January and consists of a ten-month program of courses, assignments, and projects. Course material is shaped around specific community requests. It will include information on tools such as EJSCREEN, as well as laws and regulations relating to environmental justice and collaborative problem-solving approaches. The academy will be held in a hybrid form, with Wednesday sessions hosted virtually and Saturday sessions on-site in East St. Louis at Kappa House.
Any Metro East resident over 16 years old is eligible to apply. The application is posted on the Metro East Environmental Justice Academy website. Applications are open through November 3.
EPA will host an information session about the EJ Academy on Wednesday, September 20, at the Cahokia Public Library District from 6-7 p.m. Information will be shared on the application process, scheduling logistics, and the purpose of the academy.
For more information about the Environmental Justice Academy, click here.
Largest US ports record 20%-plus declines in trans-Pacific imports
The top four US ports, which accounted for 68.2% of US imports from Asia through August, experienced greater than 20% declines in Asian imports in the first eight months of 2023 whereas imports through Houston, the dominant port on the Gulf Coast, declined only 3.7%.
Largest US ports record 20%-plus declines in trans-Pacific imports
The top four US ports, which accounted for 68.2% of US imports from Asia through August, experienced greater than 20% declines in Asian imports in the first eight months of 2023 whereas imports through Houston, the dominant port on the Gulf Coast, declined only 3.7%.