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Colorado businesses jump on EPA Performance Track

Release Date: 10/21/2008
Contact Information: Mary Byrne, 303-312-6491; Rich Mylott, 303-312-6654

Facilities go beyond regulations to protect the environment

(Denver, Colo. - October 21, 2008) Four Colorado facilities have signed up to go above and beyond environmental requirements as partners in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Environmental Performance Track Program. The new Performance Track members include: Firestone Building Products in Aurora; LifeSpan Technology Recycling in Denver; Intel's TEC1 facility in Fort Collins; and Xanterra at Rocky Mountain National Park.

“Colorado's Performance Track partners are taking a systematic approach to environmental results,” said Mary Byrne, EPA's Performance Track coordinator in Denver. "These are facilities that are finding ways to reduce resource use and improve operating efficiencies for the benefit Colorado's natural environment, and its business environment."

The four facilities announced today are among 14 Colorado Performance Track members that are looking for ways to continuously improve environmental performance in areas such as energy use, pollution emissions, and waste reduction and recycling.

For example, Intel's TEC1 Fort Collins design center is looking to reduce total energy use by nearly 50 percent by upgrading the ventilation system in their 20,000 square-foot facility. LifeSpan Technology is improving its recycling program and is implementing a green purchasing policy that will ensure that office supplies contain recycled-content materials. Firestone Building has committed to reducing energy use and waste generation and is looking at alternative uses for its dust brick waste. Xanterra assumed operation of a 22,000 square-foot gift shop and cafe along Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park in 2007. The company plans to reduce the amount of propane used in heating the facility and has committed to a rigorous recycling program that will include composting food waste.

Both public and private individual facilities may apply for Performance Track membership, with some companies having multiple facilities in the program. EPA also provides a Corporate Leader designation for companies and public agencies that exhibit policies and behavior at a corporate level that are associated with environmental excellence and are substantially committed to Performance Track. Performance Track members represent a wide range of sectors, including the public sector, electronics, chemical products, pharmaceuticals, and rubber and plastics.

To earn membership, Performance Track applicants must demonstrate and commit to maintaining a strong record of environmental compliance, set three-year goals for continuous improvements in environmental performance beyond legal requirements, have internal systems in place to manage environmental impacts, engage in community outreach, and consistently report results.

Performance Track facilities typically set four specific goals for environmental improvement. Since the 2000 launch of the program, membership has grown to 548 members in 49 states and Puerto Rico, and members have set more than 4,000 goals to benefit the environment. As a result, Performance Track members have reported greenhouse gas reductions of 310,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, reductions in nitrogen oxides of 13,000 tons, and reductions of hazardous waste of 52,000 tons.

More about Performance Track members: https://www.epa.gov/performancetrack/round16PTFacilities.htm

More about Performance Track members: https://www.epa.gov/performancetrack/


For additional information on environmental programs for new Colorado Performance Track members, contact the following:

Mr. Alan Kerner/ Ms. Britt Daiss
General Manager
Xanterra at Rocky Mountain National Park
(605) 574-2515 x 127

Mr. Rich VanTuinen
Firestone Building Products
(303) 576-9845

Mr. William Westmoreland
Intel Corporate Environmental
(505) 794-4008

Ms. Sammie D. Baratta
LifeSpan Recycling
(970) 256-0182