Performance Track Awardees, 2007

Performance Track's 2007 Environmental Performance Awards recognize members that have demonstrated exemplary environmental performance during their participation in the program, particularly during the 2005 calendar year. The principal evaluation criteria for this award were progress made toward performance goals and the breadth and challenge level of the member's performance goals. This evaluation was supplemented with consideration of the member's annual performance report quality, compliance history, and community outreach efforts. This year, there are four recipients of the Performance Track Environmental Performance Award.

Large Facility Category

McNeil PPC
Lititz, Pennsylvania
As a leading manufacturer of consumer healthcare products, McNeil PPC's mission is to discover and develop breakthrough medicines to help people live longer, healthier lives. Also on McNeil's to-do list is becoming a global leader in corporate responsibility. As a charter member of Performance Track, McNeil's facility in Lititz, Pennsylvania (formerly owned by Pfizer), is doing just that. By 2006, the facility had replaced all equipment containing ozone-depleting CFC refrigerants with less harmful models using HFC refrigerants.

Between 2003 and 2005, despite a 5 percent increase in production, the plant managed to reduce its annual energy use by 7,000 million BTU-a 6-percent decrease. At the same time, the facility reduced its water use by 24 percent, thanks to a hot-loop system that uses high temperature water to kill bacteria, thereby eliminating the need for purging spent process water. McNeil PPC also improved its condensate recovery system with the installation of new flash tanks, pumps, traps, and high-pressure de-aeration equipment. Modifications in the distribution system and controls for purified water increased the life of filters, thus reducing the volume of water discharged to drains. And by adopting longer production cycles, the plant reduced the number of changeovers and cleanings required for tanks, piping, and vessels.

Since 2003, the plant has reduced sediment runoff to the Chesapeake Bay by 178 tons per year and reduced annual discharges of nitrogen and phosphorous by 1.9 tons. McNeil PPC also was a key partner in a restoration project in the Lititz Run Watershed, which involved restoring a 900- foot stream corridor and floodplain adjacent to the McNeil site. Specifically, the project entailed cutting a new stream channel, removing more than 7,000 tons of soil from the area, and stabilizing the stream banks using native plants and grasses. For its continued environmental efforts and community outreach, Performance Track is pleased to recognize McNeil PPC with its second Performance Award.

Siltronic Corporation
Portland, Oregon
From computers and mobile phones to airbags and aircraft control systems, hundreds of 21st century products rely on microchips to function. Portland, Oregon-based Siltronic Corporation is a leading manufacturer of ultra-pure silicon wafers, which form the heart of micro- and nanoelectronics. A charter member of Performance Track, Siltronic continues to make calculated investments in research, development, and testing aimed at improving its environmental performance and its bottom line.

For example, in 2004 the company implemented a program to reuse nitric acid and also reduced the volume of nitric acid required for its manufacturing processes. As a result, between 2003 and 2005, the facility reduced its annual discharges of nitric acid by 172 tons, showing a 53 percent improvement. Siltronic committed to improving its water use efficiency by 8 percent between 2003 and 2006. But by 2005, the facility far exceeded that goal, achieving a 33 percent improvement in water use efficiency. How? The trick was to reuse process water in scrubbers and to keep drain lines clear. Similarly, Siltronic's investments in developing and testing a system to reclaim wire saw slurry resulted in a 15 percent efficiency improvement in the use of slurry. Finally, despite a 32 percent increase in production between 2003 and 2005, Siltronic reduced its total annual energy use by more than 38 billion BTU by implementing several measures to conserve electricity and natural gas.

DENSO Manufacturing Michigan, Inc.
Battle Creek, Michigan
DENSO Manufacturing Michigan, Inc., (DMMI) designs and produces automotive heating and cooling components and systems. Located on an 85-acre site in Battle Creek, MI, the facility houses more than 1 million square feet of manufacturing and administrative floor space. A charter member of Performance Track, DMMI clocked environmental improvements across the board in 2005.

DMMI generated nearly 1,780 fewer tons of solid waste in 2005 than it did in 2003, an achievement tied to minimizing aluminum scraps and increasing the use of returnable containers, rather than one-time-use packaging. Process enhancements virtually eliminated DMMI's use of hexavalent chromium, a known carcinogen. With regard to greenhouse gas emissions, DMMI implemented improved process controls to recover heat from exhausts and to reduce utility consumption during lulls in production. As a result, the facility reduced its per-unit emissions by 6 percent compared to its 2003 baseline.

Through process improvements in the cooling towers and production wash baths, DMMI also reduced its water consumption by 14.5 million gallons between 2003 and 2005, a 28 percent reduction. And DMMI continues to support Battle Creek's Wellhead Protection Program, a state-funded initiative that helps communities safeguard public water supply systems and protect groundwater from contamination.

Small Facility Category

Montenay Bay LLC
Panama City, Florida
For a small, 37-person facility, Montenay Bay LLC is making a big impact with its environmental performance. At its waste-to-energy facility in Panama City, Florida, Montenay Bay processes 500 tons of solid waste per day, producing about 13 megawatts of electricity per hour-enough to power 10,683 homes for a year. In 2005, the facility reduced its particulate matter emissions by 15 tons, representing a 40 percent reduction, through a new system of controls, including spray dryer absorbers, baghouses, carbon injection systems, and lime slurry injection systems. The facility also improved its water use efficiency by 16 percent by reusing water from the boiler building to supply the water needs of the ash conveyors. In addition, the scrubber for its new air pollution control equipment reuses water from the cooling tower, further reducing the plant's draw from well water.

Montenay Bay's efforts reach beyond the plant into the community, where the Panama City facility actively promotes environmental awareness through efforts such as hosting an environmental fair in Bay County. And in 2005, the facility opened a new onsite drop-off center that includes receptacles where citizens can dispose of used oil, old appliances, and non-burnable materials.

Performance Track Outreach Awards recognize current members of Performance Track who, in addition to being exemplary environmental stewards, make special efforts both internally and externally to inform employees and other organizational groups about the benefits of membership and participation in EPA's most comprehensive partnership program. This year, there are five recipients of the Performance Track Outreach Award.

Virginia Performance Track Member Outreach Group
Manassas, Virginia
This outreach group consists of three member facilities (International Paper, Raulston, VA; Dupont, Spruance, VA; and Lockheed Martin, Manassas, VA) that promote Performance Track both within and outside their respective organizations. The group's members have spoken about Performance Track at company-level environmental conferences and meetings, hosted facility-level recognition and milestone events, celebrated program renewals and held individual conversations with staff to explain how Performance Track works, developed new goals, and shared best practices with environmental staff at sister facilities. Each facility in the group has at least one sister facility in Performance Track that applied for membership on the strength of the group's outreach efforts, and a Dow facility in West Virginia was influenced to join Performance Track by one of the group's members.

Outreach group members also have made presentations at the Environment Virginia conference; the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable and Performance Track annual meeting; and the Annual Performance Track State and Regional Conference. Audiences have included state regulatory staff, other Performance Track facilities, politicians, and facility employees. The group has reached out to wildlife organizations; area schools; and the City of Fairfax, Virginia; and it helped the Fairfax County government develop an Environmental Management System.

The facilities formed the outreach group to initiate a collaborative relationship with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The group gave presentations to all of DEQ's seven regional offices, explaining why the facilities chose to participate in voluntary programs such as Performance Track and the Virginia Environmental Excellence Program (VEEP); the benefits of having an Environmental Management System; the characteristics of good incentives; and the relationship among Performance Track, VEEP, and Environmental Management Systems. The group also stressed to DEQ staff how voluntary programs can help them use resources more efficiently through reduced regulatory maintenance. The group also made presentations to DEQ headquarters staff in Richmond, and to the Joint State Advisory Boards for air, water, and waste. As a result of the outreach group's efforts, several local government agencies have been accepted into VEEP and have begun the process of working toward Performance Track membership.

Workgroup members are actively involved in regional Performance Track member meetings and each has hosted at least two of the meetings. The Performance Track flag is flown regularly at one of the members' facility, and the logo is featured in its promotional brochures. All three have listed Performance Track on their company websites.

Brookhaven Science Associates
Upton, New York
Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) publishes its Performance Track goals and achievements annually through its onsite news bulletin; in Environmental Management Systems reviews with senior management; and in its Site Environmental Report, which is distributed to an audience of more than 300 federal, state, and local regulators, elected officials, and community groups. The facility received a "noteworthy practice" designation from the U.S. Department of Energy for its efforts in the area of environmental stewardship, where its membership in Performance Track was described in the award application.

BNL routinely meets with community members and local regulators, providing updates on progress toward its Performance Track goals as well as regulatory compliance issues. BNL is also actively involved in the development of the New York State Environmental Leaders Program, and has presented at several EPA-sponsored events, such as EPA Region 2's conference on Deconstruction and Beneficial Reuse and a recruitment event.

BNL displays the Performance Track flag prominently during public meetings and open-house events. The Performance Track logo is always included during the facility's presentations. Press releases and bulletins mentioning Performance Track are available on the facility's website.

Coca-Cola North America's Ontario Syrup Plant
Ontario, California
Three new Coca-Cola facilities and a Lockheed Martin facility were accepted into Performance Track in 2006 as a direct result of marketing efforts made to 22 company environmental managers by Coca-Cola's regional Environmental Health and Safety manager. The Coca-Cola facility also made a presentation on Performance Track to the International Society of Beverage Technologists. The facility hosted a meeting of the Los Angeles County Sanitation District's Industry Advisory Board, where it commented on the value of Performance Track membership and provided EPA with an opportunity to speak to the group about Performance Track. Coca-Cola has also twice offered to host regional Performance Track events. The Performance Track flag flies outside the facility, and is mentioned in a speech posted in the Press Center on Coca-Cola's website. While receiving an award as the California Water Environmental Association's Treatment Plant of the Year, Coca-Cola mentioned Performance Track in its acceptance speech. Coca-Cola also sponsored a reception for attendees at the 2006 annual Performance Track members' meeting.

Forever Resorts Black Canyon/Willow Beach River Adventures
Boulder City, Nevada
Performance Track is always prominent on the agenda when Black Canyon/Willow Beach River Adventures (BCWB) networks with others in the industry. The facility also promotes Performance Track at every internal management meeting. When new employees arrive, they receive an orientation to Performance Track. Each employee learns the importance of the facility's commitments to Performance Track and the value of community involvement. Information about Performance Track and BCWB's membership is included in the facility's advertising brochures. BCWB also introduces Performance Track to its business customers that visit the marina for rafting adventures and other purposes. The Performance Track logo is highly visible on all company vehicles, and often leads to discussions about the program.

BCWB was instrumental in assisting Lake of the Ozarks Marina with its successful Performance Track application, including help with determining commitments and goal setting. BCWB also participated at the Ozarks' Performance Track Award ceremony, held at the marina. The facility proudly flew the Performance Track flag during an annual ecology dive event. The BCWB website includes a link to Performance Track and the facility's annual performance reports.

Arizona Chemical Company
Port St. Joe, Florida
This Arizona Chemical facility communicates the status of its Performance Track goals to all employees through quarterly and annual updates. The facility has given presentations on the environmental achievements of all Performance Track members in the state of Florida, and has extolled the benefits of membership at several industry conferences, including meetings of the Florida Minerals and Chemistry Council, the Air and Waste Management Association, and the Florida Association of Environmental Professionals.

A facility staff person co-chairs a state outreach group that is encouraging Florida to adopt a performance-based program similar to Performance Track. Arizona Chemical works closely with state and regional officials to build partnerships and share information about Performance Track during regional roundtables, special meetings, and at a Florida Department of Environmental Protection industry workshop. The Performance Track flag is prominently displayed at the facility, and all employees receive hardhat stickers with the Performance Track logo. The facility's website includes a link to Performance Track.

The 2007 Performance Track State Appreciation Awards recognize state media programs that have been outstanding in their support of Performance Track, particularly in applying flexible, innovative approaches to enhance the understanding of watersheds and/or implement water incentives.

State of Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Water Quality Division
The State of Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's Water Quality Division (WQD) is receiving this award for being innovative in taking a watershed approach toward protecting its water resources.

WQD supported a Performance Track member, Kodak Colorado, in its efforts to coordinate effluent and ambient monitoring with Publicly Owned Treatment Works along three segments of the Cache la Poudre River. WQD encouraged Kodak to form a stakeholder group to develop its proposal, as well as to form a watershed committee. The state proposed a policy that provides a framework for allowing reductions in effluent monitoring frequencies and the coordination of effluent and ambient monitoring, and encouraging these innovative approaches to protect Colorado watersheds. Once the agreement is complete, Kodak and the other dischargers will work with WQD to include ambient monitoring in their permits and revise discharge monitoring requirements accordingly. Kodak Colorado looks forward to sharing the ambient monitoring data with the public.

State of West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Water and Waste Management
The State of West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Water & Waste Management (DWWM) is receiving this award for being innovative in implementing its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program and protecting its water resources.

DWWM collaborated with a Performance Track member, Dow West Virginia, and EPA Region 3 to implement water incentives and reduce resource intensity traditionally associated with the facility's three NPDES permit renewals. The incentives included expedited review of Dow's three NPDES permits, reduced effluent monitoring frequencies, reduced reporting frequency, and single points of contact with the state and Region 3 offices. All of these incentives are within the state's existing NPDES flexibilities. Dow West Virginia plans to channel the resource savings into supporting the site's Sustainability Goals for 2015.