Voluntary actions by members of the National Environmental Performance Track are leading to gains for the environment, according to Performance Track’s Fifth Annual Progress Report, which details members’ environmental activities from 2000 – 2005.The cumulative results show members reducing their water use by 3.5 billion gallons, greenhouse gas emissions by 97,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, hazardous waste generation by 130,000 tons, and non-hazardous waste generation by 600,000 tons. Members have also restored or protected more than 14,000 acres of wildlife habitat.
In April, an evaluation from the Office of Inspector General, “Performance Track Could Improve Program Design and Management to Ensure Value,” found that the program does not have clear plans that connect activities with its goals, and does not have performance measures that show if it achieves anticipated results.
According to the evaluation, only 2 of 30 sampled Performance Track members met all of their environmental improvement commitments.
Along with it’s new progress report, Environmental performance awards are being presented to McNeil PPC, Siltronic Corp, DENSO Manufacturing Michigan, and Montenay Bay LLC.
The winners for extraordinary efforts in outreach are the Virginia Performance Track Member Outreach Group (represented by International Paper, Dupont Spruance Plant and Lockheed Martin); Brookhaven Science Associations, Arizona Chemical Co., Coca-Cola North America and Forever Resorts Black Canyon/Willow Beach River Adventures.
Two state agencies – the State of Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Water Quality Division, and the State of West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Water and Waste Management – are receiving special recognition for supporting Performance Track and its members. Colorado worked with a Kodak facility on a watershed monitoring and stakeholder involvement program on the Cache la Poudre River, while West Virginia collaborated with Dow West Virginia to provide incentives that enable the facility to pursue an ambitious set of sustainability goals.