August 15, 2008—Several Fortune 100 companies, including Hewlett Packard, Lockheed Martin and Xerox, are among the 96 facilities that have renewed their membership in the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Environmental Performance Track program.
Performance Track supplements EPA’s existing regulatory activities by encouraging facilities with strong environmental records to work toward goals that are beyond legal requirements. The program’s 506 members include facilities from major corporations, small businesses, and the public sector in 49 states and Puerto Rico.
Renewing Performance Track members must set four new environmental goals (such as reduced energy use), have an independent review of their environmental management system, and be screened by EPA for sustained compliance with environmental laws.
To encourage renewing members to address EPA’s regional or national environmental priorities, Performance Track offers challenge goals, which are more demanding than standard environmental goals. Forty renewing members will work toward challenge goals over the next three years.
For example, EPA Region 10 challenged members to reduce total greenhouse gas emissions by 10 percent. Hewlett Packard in Boise, Idaho, which achieved a 35 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions over the last three years, has accepted the regional challenge to reduce its emissions by an additional 10 percent over the next three years.
EPA is challenging all Performance Track members to reduce their total water use by 15 percent. Lockheed Martin in East Camden, Arkansas, aims to meet that challenge by exploring options for reusing water within its facility.
