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EPA Invites Environmentally Responsible Companies to Step Up to the Plate; Agency to Hold Half-Day Workshop for Potential Environmental Performance Track Members

Release Date: 03/22/2002
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(02013) New York, New York – EPA Region 2 is inviting businesses and facilities that have an exemplary environmental record to join EPA’s National Environmental Performance Track Program. EPA is holding a half-day workshop on March 26 for companies interested in joining to speak with current Performance Track members and EPA representatives and to learn how they can help shape the future success of the program. “This program recognizes top environmental performers - companies that voluntarily go beyond compliance with regulatory requirements to attain levels of environmental performance that benefit the environment, people, and communities,” said Jane Kenny, EPA Region 2 Administrator. “The program allows us to reach environmental goals faster than simple compliance while rewarding the participating companies and facilities.” Facilities accepted into Performance Track must have a history of sustained compliance with applicable federal and state environmental requirements; have adopted and implemented an Environmental Management System (EMS) – an organization's systematic effort to meet its environmental requirements and improve its overall performance; demonstrate at least two past environmental achievements and commit to four future improvements; and must have established a public outreach program with a commitment to public performance reporting. Performance Track’s current member facilities – 280 from across the country -- represent small businesses and large companies from the chemical, electronic, automotive, dry cleaning and pharmaceutical industries, among others. Facilities that join Performance Track benefit by getting deemed a low priority for inspection targeting purposes, though they are not exempt from inspections. EPA will also consider, as a discretionary factor in the assessment of penalties, a facility's participation in the program as an indication of its good faith efforts to comply. Members can use the Performance Track logo in communications with outside parties about the facility, although not in endorsing products. Facilities are listed on the Performance Track web site and other EPA sites, in promotional materials related to partnership programs, in feature articles, and in case studies that profile accomplishments. The Workshop is being held on March 26, 2002 from 9:30 am to noon at Johnson& Johnson’s Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical at the Executive Dining Room 1000 Route 202 Raritan, NJ 08869. There are now a total of 39 Region 2 facilities in Performance Track – 14 in New Jersey, 12 in New York, and 10 in Puerto Rico. The current application period is February 1 - April 30, 2002. To find out more or to sign up for the workshop, contact Marcia Seidner at 212-637-3584. Additional program information, including a complete listing of facilities in Performance Track is available online.