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EPA and Destiny USA Announce "Memorandum of Understanding"

Release Date: 09/25/2006
Contact Information: John Senn (212) 637-3667, [email protected]

(NEW YORK, NY) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Destiny USA today signed an agreement committing the company to use environmentally-sound practices in constructing and running its project in Syracuse, N.Y. EPA Regional Administrator Alan J. Steinberg and Destiny USA founder and chairman Robert Congel signed and discussed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which touches on design, construction and operational principles ensuring the planned complex meets the highest environmental standards, at the Environmental Business Association of New York State’s Empire Energy and Environment Expo in Syracuse.

“This landmark agreement incorporates many of EPA’s top conservation and pollution prevention goals into a project that stands to greatly contribute to our economy,” Regional Administrator Steinberg said. “From increasing energy efficiency through the Energy Star program to using ‘green’ construction materials to reducing diesel emissions, this agreement virtually has it all.”

“Destiny USA is pleased to have this opportunity to enhance our relationship with the Environmental Protection Agency,” Congel said. “Executing this Memorandum of Understanding furthers our ability to serve as a demonstration project.”

In the MOU, EPA and Destiny USA agree that Destiny USA commits to:

• Using green building design, construction, and operation principles to obtain the highest levels of certification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program.
• Retrofitting more than 100 construction vehicles with diesel particulate filters and using clean fuel, which will reduce emissions by nearly 85 percent.
• Implementing techniques to reduce idling of vehicles during construction.
• Becoming partners in EPA’s EnergyStar and WaterSense programs, which require the use of energy- and water-efficient appliances.
• Using over 3,000 tons of coal ash in place of using newly-manufactured Portland Cement, which will reduce greenhouse gases by over 3,000 tons.
• Developing a comprehensive set of tools to manage environmental, health and safety matters, also known as an environmental management system or an EMS.
• Taking part in EPA’s Resource Conservation Challenge, a voluntary program that promotes the reduction, reuse and recycling of solid waste, including electronics.
• Increasing the number of hybrid and biodiesel vehicles in its fleet.
• Implementing a commuter benefits program that qualifies for EPA’s National Standard of Excellence.
• Promoting EPA’s SmartWay Transport Partnership to its carriers, shippers and tenants to reduce diesel emissions and conserve energy.

For a copy of the MOU, contact John Senn at (212) 637-3667 or [email protected]. For details about Destiny USA’s project, contact David Aitken at (315) 952-2823.

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