November 17, 2005

The Department of Environmental Quality has awarded nine Michigan businesses with longevity awards for maintaining their status as a Clean Corporate Citizen (C3) for five years or more and living up to the highest ideals of the program.  The awards were presented at the annual C3 conference in Lansing on November 3rd.

“These companies are to be commended for their ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship,” said DEQ Director Steven E. Chester.  “They are proof positive that sustained and responsible environmental business practices can and do go hand-in-hand with economic growth and prosperity."

The C3 program is a voluntary incentive program recognizing Michigan’s top environmental performers.  To qualify for a C3 designation, candidates must adopt an environment management system, implement pollution prevention initiatives, and have a consistent record of compliance with applicable environmental requirements.  Designations are valid for one year and must be renewed annually.

Clean Corporate Citizens winning longevity awards in 2005 are:

• Demmer Corporation was awarded for its Delta Plant in Lansing.  On November 17, 2000, this facility became the first C3 in the Lansing area, and it continues to reduce environmental impacts by using recycled shipping and packaging materials.
• Detroit Edison’s Fermi 2 Power Plant in Newport originally joined the C3 program on August 1, 2000.  The facility has received recognition from the Wildlife Habitat Council for wildflower meadows, bird counts, and the creation of shelter and food plots for pheasants on their 1,120 acre site.
• DeWitt Barrels in Marne was the first small business in Kent County to be designated a C3 on October 13, 1999.  The company was one of the country’s first re-use specialists when it started as a barrel recycling business in 1893, and continues that tradition today.
• General Motors' Warren Transmission Plant in Macomb County achieved C3 designation on August 18, 2000.  The facility was recently recognized by the United States Environmental Protection Agency Energy Star program for reducing electrical consumption by approximately 17 billion kilowatt hours over a 3-year period.
• Great Lakes Gas Transmission Company had eleven facilities across Michigan designated as C3s in October of 2000.  The company participated in the U.S. EPA Natural Gas STAR program to reduce methane emissions, and has implemented programs to reduce solid, liquid, and hazardous waste; avoid or mitigate impacts to plants and wildlife; reduce the risk of accidental spills/leaks; and educate the public on environmental issues.
• March Coatings, Inc. Plants #1 and #2 in Brighton became C3s on March 1, 2000.  The company set goals for both plants to eliminate heavy metals, send zero hazardous waste to landfills, and reduce air emissions by more than 50 percent.
• Mark IV Automotive’s Big Rapids Plant was designated as a C3 on August 18, 2000.  The company belongs to the Michigan Business Pollution Prevention Partnership, and has achieved notable pollution prevention results including a 40 percent scrap reduction, 25 percent VOC reduction, 10 percent corrugated waste reduction, and 20 percent wastewater reduction.
• Multi-Color Corporation, Inc. in Norway joined the C3 program on January 24, 2000, when it was known as NorthStar Print Group.  During their five years as a C3, they have made several improvements in their part washing areas to reduce air emissions, reclaim solvents, and reformulate waste ink.  The company has also partnered with Kingsford Schools to educate and mentor students in sound environmental practices.
• Automotive Component Holdings in Chesterfield, formerly Visteon Corporation’s Chesterfield Plant, received C3 designation on March 27, 2000.  Over the past five years, they have demonstrated a proactive attitude toward environmental responsibility including reducing energy use, eliminating old fuel oil heaters, and installing motion lighting to reduce consumption of natural resources.

Editor’s note: DEQ news releases are available on the department’s Internet home page at www.michigan.gov/deq.

“Protecting Michigan’s Environment, Ensuring Michigan’s Future”

Revised November 17, 2005, by Shirley Smith for Pat Watson