The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Wednesday that 17 U.S. manufacturing plants are the first-time winners of the EPA's Energy Star award.
The award was given in recognition of the manufacturers' energy-efficient operations which prevented 3 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions.
These efforts not only cut pollution, but also lowered energy consumption and reduced costs.
The plants represent six percent of cement production capacity; seven percent of wet corn milling capacity; and 23 percent of auto assembly capacity.
Energy Star is a voluntary, market-based partnership that offers business and consumers effective energy efficiency solutions for saving energy, money and the environment.
Through the EPA's national energy performance rating system, companies in the wet corn milling, cement and auto assembly industries can evaluate the energy efficiency of their plants and develop energy improvement plans.
Plants eligible for the Energy Star award must have an energy performance score in the top 25 percent nationally, using EPA's plant energy performance indicators.
The first plants being recognized with the Energy Star award include:
Auto Assembly
The Ford Motor Company assembly plants in Chicago, Ill., St. Paul, Minn., Claycomo, Mo., and Norfolk, Va.; the Nissan North America, Inc. assembly plants in Canton, Miss. and Smyrna, Tenn.; the Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. assembly plant (NUMMI passenger) in Fremont, Calif.; and the Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. assembly plants in Princeton, Ind. and Georgetown, Ky.
Cement
The Ash Grove Cement Company plants in Chanute, Kan. and Seattle, Wash.; the California Portland Cement Company plants in Colton, Calif. and Mojave, Calif.; and the Lafarge North America plants in Calera, Ala. and Sugar Creek, Mo.
Wet Corn Milling
The Penford Products Company plant in Cedar Rapids, IA; and the Tate and Lyle Ingredients Americas, Inc. Sagamore plant in Lafayette, Ind.