September 9, 2002—The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the acceptance of 23 new members into its National Environmental Performance Track Program. Launched in June 2000, Performance Track now has nearly 300 members who are recognized for their creative, voluntary commitment to sound environmental management and continuous environmental improvement.
Public and private facilities in this program consistently meet their legal requirements, have implemented environmental management systems to monitor and improve performance, have voluntarily achieved environmental improvements beyond compliance, and publicly commit to specific environmental improvements and report on progress.
With their membership in Performance Track, members receive a range of incentives such as public recognition and low inspection priority to motivate further improvements. In addition, the EPA recently proposed a rule that would reduce regulatory paperwork for Performance Track facilities in recognition of the high levels of performance these facilities have achieved.
Current Performance Track facilities have committed to lowering emissions of greenhouse gases by 26 million pounds; reducing emissions of volatile organic compounds by 98,000 pounds; reducing solid waste by 225 million pounds; and recycling or reusing more than five million pounds of materials. The new members have committed to reducing water use, solid waste, hazardous waste, and energy use. They include facilities from companies that are already participating in Performance Track, such as International Paper, Dow, Ricoh Electronics, and 3M. Companies new to the program include Eaton Corp., Ryder Integrated Logistics, and Madison Precision Products. They also include a hospital, the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
The new Performance Track members are: International Paper, Courtland Mill, Alabama; Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control-Camden; Arkansas; Ricoh Electronics, Inc., Office Machine Group, California; REI Ricoh Electronics, Inc., Georgia Plant, Georgia; Eaton Corporation, Illinois; Madison Precision Products, Inc., Indiana; Arizona Chemical Company, Mississippi; 3M Company—Nevada, Nevada; Carneys Point Generating Plant, PG&E National Energy Group, New Jersey; Logan Generating Company, LP, PG&E National Energy Group, New Jersey; Hempstead Resource Recovery Facility, American Ref-Fuel Company, New York; Grob Systems, Inc., Machine Tool Division, Ohio; Covercraft Industries, Inc., Oklahoma; International Paper, Georgetown Mill, South Carolina; Ultra Additives, Incorporated, South Carolina; International Paper, Texarkana Mill, Texas; Rockwell Collins, Inc., Texas; Ryder System, Inc., El Paso, Texas; Ryder System, Inc., Laredo, Texas; The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Texas; SEH America, Inc., Washington; Dow West Virginia Operations, South Charleston Site, The Dow Chemical Company, West Virginia; and 3M Company—Menomonie, Wisconsin.
