HARRISBURG – Governor Edward G. Rendell recognized fifteen Pennsylvania businesses and organizations that are adopting environmentally friendly practices and technologies and are working to revitalize communities, reduce pollution, and educate the public on the benefits of being good stewards of the state’s natural resources.
“What these businesses and organizations and one inspiring educator all have common is their ability to view environmental challenges as opportunities to do things differently,” said Rendell in announcing the recipients of the 2009 Governor’s Awards for Environmental Excellence. “Their leadership is inspiring and together we will continue to preserve and protect the commonwealth’s precious natural resources.”
This year, the Department of Environmental Protection received 40 applications from businesses and organizations across the state. The projects were judged on environmental protection, teamwork, public service, environmental education and outreach, pollution prevention, economic impact and innovative technology.
Any Pennsylvania business, government agency, educational institution, non-profit organization, individual, farm or agribusiness engaged in efforts to promote environmental stewardship and economic development in Pennsylvania are eligible to apply.
“When we make the health of our natural resources a priority, whether by investing in new technology, promoting conservation, or educating future generations about environmental issues, Pennsylvania wins,” said Department of Environmental Protection acting Secretary John Hanger. “We applaud their conservation efforts and innovative thinking.”
Winners of the 2009 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence receive a commemorative award to acknowledge their commitment to environmental quality during an awards celebration.
To view a more detailed summary of the 15 winning projects, visit here, and click on “2009 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: Following is the list by county of the 15 winners of the 2009 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence:
ALLEGHENY COUNTY:
Green Building Alliance, Pittsburgh, for launching and leading the Pittsburgh Climate Initiative, an organizational partnership responsible for guiding completion of the Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan. The plan’s goal is to reduce the city’s greenhouse gas emissions 20 percent by 2023, using 2003 as the baseline level.
BEAVER COUNTY:
Nalco Co., Ellwood City, for implementing three initiatives that documented and produced measurable positive environmental impacts: “Reduce Waste Plant-Wide By Team Focused Efforts” cut waste by 3.7 million pounds; the “Reduction of Electric Consumption Requirements” project is on track to reduce peak electricity usage by 375,000 kilowatt hours per year, which will cut greenhouse gas emissions by 228.4 metric tons per year, or 2 percent of the facility’s total greenhouse gas emissions; and the “Recovery of Obsolete, Off Specification and Expired Shelf Life Product” produced recommendations that eliminated nearly 150,000 of waste from off-specification or expired inventory, saving the company approximately $71,000.
BEDFORD COUNTY:
Recreational Equipment Inc. Eastern Region Distribution Center, Bedford, was recognized for its green distribution center, which opened in November 2007. The 525,000 square-foot state-of-the-art building received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification for New Construction from the U.S. Green Building Council in January 2008.
BERKS COUNTY:
Pennsylvania Institute for Children’s Environmental Health was recognized for a number of efforts and partnerships aimed at educating the public on children’s environmental health issues. The organization was created through the Berks County Environmental Advisory Council and established a network of partners including public schools, hospitals, doctor’s offices, government agencies, and not-for-profit organizations.
BUCKS COUNTY:
Lower Makefield Township received an award for its efforts to become more environmentally conscious. Since April 2007, the municipality has adopted the Cool Cities Initiative and contracted for a detailed energy audit of all major township-owned facilities which included an alternative energy solar proposal. The township has also joined the Smart Power Program, which committed it to using 20 percent alternative energy to meet its demands by 2010.
CENTRE COUNTY:
ClearWater Conservancy in State College was recognized for its Watershed Cleanup Day. The annual event educates the public about the dangers of littering and illegal dumping by involving members of the local communities in the cleanup efforts. Since 1997, Watershed Cleanup Day volunteers have collected and properly disposed of 1,872 tons of trash, including 467 tons last year alone.
CRAWFORD COUNTY:
During the past three years, Jason Drake, a biology and environmental science teacher at Maplewood High School in the Penncrest School District, and his students have removed more than 23,000 illegally disposed tires at three dump sites. Drake partnered with a waste tire recycling company that transported and recycled the waste tires at a greatly reduced price and provided technical guidance and other assistance throughout the project. He has also engaged his students in many other environmental projects, such as planting nearly 3,000 trees along Interstate 79 to form living snow fences, organizing environmental restoration projects to control erosion and sedimentation along stream banks, and conducting environmental field trips.
CUMBERLAND COUNTY:
Dickinson College, Carlisle — In September 2007, the president of Dickinson College signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, which committed the college to developing a comprehensive plan to achieve climate neutrality. Dickinson purchases 50 percent of its energy from wind power and is determined that all new construction and major renovations will be designed to meet LEED silver standards. The college also composts all of its food waste, which it uses to fertilize its soil.
ELK COUNTY:
Elk Regional Health System in St. Marys undertook a biomass project that reduced its energy costs and created business for local architects, contractors and equipment designers and manufacturers. The project cut the system’s fossil fuel use by as much as 90 percent and reduced waste by 5,200 tons per year, saving the company $177,000 in the first year.
ERIE COUNTY:
Lake Erie Biofuels LLC teamed with the Greater Erie Industrial Development Corporation in 2006 to develop Lake Erie Biofuels on a former brownfield. The project injected $54 million into the area’s economy and its product is resulting in a number of environmental benefits. The commercial use of the company’s first six months of production reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 276 pounds by replacing the petroleum-based fuels, or the equivalent of taking 50,550 automobiles off the road.
LANCASTER COUNTY:
Beginning in October 2006, the Lancaster County Career & Technology Center began incorporating sustainable, advanced building processes and products to its building and Construction Program. The program gives senior high school students hands-on experience to apply their lessons. The program, called Apprentice Green, creates a technologically advanced workforce, helps to meet academic standards, and creates new markets and resources in a local economy, mainstreaming energy conservation practices relative to the home building industry. Four green homes have been built to date.
MONROE COUNTY
Sanofi Pasteur Inc. completed construction and began operations last summer on its expanded wastewater treatment and irrigation facility in Swiftwater. The project increased the capacity of the existing on-site wastewater treatment plant and reuses at least 50,000 gallons per day of treated wastewater at the on-site central utilities plant, and makes up to 315,000 gallons available per day from April through October for seasonal land application. The treatment process uses a state-of-the-art technology that reduces energy consumption.
The Tobyhanna Army Depot is considered the largest, most progressive electronics maintenance facility in the Department of Defense. Through its aggressive efforts, the depot recycled enough office paper to save the equivalent of 1,411 pulp trees, 31,540 gallons of oil, 274 cubic yards of landfill space, 340,300 kilowatts of energy, and 581,000 gallons of water. Tobyhanna also recycles nontraditional materials like wastewater, vegetable oil, motor oil, and construction and demolition debris. The facility then used the funds it generated from the recycling program to purchase a compact fluorescent bulb for every employee, including tenants and contractors, to support Energy Star Operation Change Out. Beyond that, employees of the Army depot pledged to replace 23,643 inefficient incandescent bulbs with CFLs, which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 9.7 million pounds
NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY:
Cherokee Pharmaceuticals in Riverside Borough made energy conservation a central focus of their day-to-day operations in 2007 after discovering that their energy costs accounted for up to 14 percent of their operating budget, or $12 million annually. The company set an energy cost savings goal of $1 million for 2008, but by July 31, the 12 projects accounted for an actual annualized energy savings of nearly $2.7 million.
YORK COUNTY:
The Maple Press Co. in York used a new product line and innovative system to lower emissions from its hardcover and paperback book manufacturing processes. The improvements reduced energy costs by 80 percent in the initial press operation—which should translate into a savings of between $30,000-$40,000—and volatile organic compounds emissions by 3 percent. The company’s books also now lack the high petroleum content of typical web press printing, making the books safer for the environment.
