EPA Administrator Recognizes Top Environmental Performers, including 33 from New England

Release date: 04/24/2002

Contact Information: Peyton Fleming, EPA Press Ofice (617-918-1008)

WASHINGTON - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christie Whitman today recognized 280 facilities across the country, including 33 in New England, for their participation in the agency's National Environmental Performance Track program.

The program recognizes and rewards companies that have demonstrated a commitment to superior environmental performance. In order to participate, facilities must have an Environmental Management System in place, demonstrate continued environmental improvements, conduct public outreach, report performance annually to the EPA and have a record of sustained compliance with environmental regulations.

Whitman honored the facilities at the 2002 National Environmental Performance Track Annual Members Meeting. "As Performance Track members, you represent a superb example of what we can achieve through partnerships among people and organizations with a passion for protecting the environment and serving their communities," Whitman told attendees.

Among the facilities recognized were New England's three most recent Performance Track members – Valley Oil in Willimantic, CT, Oil Express in East Falmouth, MA and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division in Newport, RI.

Whitman announced that EPA will propose a rule to benefit Performance Track members. The proposed rule making will simplify reporting requirements under the Clean Air Act's Maximum Available Control Technology program and for Publicly Owned Treatment Works regulated by the Clean Water Act. In addition, Performance Track members will be allowed to store waste on site for an additional 90 days if they have the added protection of secondary containment. Designed only for Performance Track members, the proposed rule will provide incentives for other businesses and organizations to achieve the strong environmental performance required for Performance Track membership.

New England's 33 member facilities have committed to132 environmental improvements in the areas of energy use, waste, air emissions, material use and water use that are above and beyond what is required by law. Among the highlights: 11 facilities have made commitments that will result in a reduction of total solid waste generation by nearly 8.3 million pounds, a 9.9 percent reduction, and 12 commitments will result in a reduction of total energy use by 5.6 million BTUs, the average energy use of 54,000 households.

"If we want to make progress on our environmental problems, we need to encourage facilities to go beyond what regulations require," said Robert W. Varney, regional administrator of EPA's New England Office. "These facilities have been great environmental leaders and they deserve our thanks for stepping up and making a real difference in New England's environment."

Additional information on each Performance Track facility including a facility profile, facility contact, and complete information on each facility's environmental commitments can be found on the National Environmental Performance Track website at http://www.epa.gov/performancetrack. The remaining 30 New England members of Performance Track are:

Connecticut

• Clairol Worldwide
  Stamford, CT
  
• Heating Oil Partners/DDLC Fuels
  Danielson, CT
  New London, CT
  
• J&J Medical
  Southington, CT
  
• The Torrington Company
  Watertown, CT
  
• Unilever Home and Personal Care USA
  Clinton, CT
  
• United States Postal Service
  Hartford Processing and Distribution Center
  Hartford Vehicle Maintenance Facility
  Hartford, CT

• Guilford of Maine
  Guilford, ME
  
• International Paper - Androscoggin Mill
  Jay, ME
  
• United States Postal Service, Portland Processing and Distribution Center
  Portland, ME

• Acushnet Rubber
  Plants B, D and Building "A" Warehouse
  New Bedford, MA
  
• Beacon Skanska
  Boston, MA
  
• DePuy Orthopaedics
  New Bedford, MA
  Raynham, MA
  
• Mitek East/Ethicon
  Norwood, MA
  
• PerkinElmer Optoelectronics
  Salem, MA
  
• Shipley Company
  Marlborough, MA
  
• Snap-On Tools
  Natick, MA
  
• Spalding Sports
  Chicopee, MA
  
• Teradyne
  North Reading, MA
  
• Texas Instruments-Sensors & Controls
  Attleboro, MA
  
• USGen New England(hydrogeneration facilities in MA)
  Rowe, MA
  Florida, MA
  Buckland, MA
  Conway, MA
  Monroe Bridge, MA
  
• U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod
  ASCC, MA

• BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration, Inc.
  Nashua, NH
  Hudson, NH
  Litchfield, NH
  Nashua, NH
  Merrimack, NH
  Milford, NH
  Londonderry, NH
  
• DM Electronics Recycling Corporation
  Newfields, NH
  
• Heidelberg Web Systems
  Dover, NH
  
• Loctite Corporation
  Seabrook, NH
  
  
• New Hampshire Ball Bearings, Inc.
  Peterborough, NH
  
• USGen New England (hydrogeneration facilities in NH)
  Littleton, NH
  Monroe, NH
  Pittsburgh, NH
  North Walpole, NH
  West Lebanon, NH
  Concord, NH
  Lebanon, NH
  Monroe, NH

• IBM Corporation
  Essex Junction, VT
  
• USGen New England (hydrogeneration facilities in VT)
  Wilder, VT
  Bellows Falls, VT
  Vernon, VT
  Readsboro, VT
  Searsburg, VT
  Somerset, VT