Executive Summary

The Environmental Cooperation Pilot Program (ECPP) is about results, specifically recognizing and enabling environmental outcomes as well as economic gains. Looking at comprehensive data, participating companies have consistently demonstrated superior environmental performance. For example:

• Nitrogen Oxide emissions for participants are now less than 30% of baseline while statewide numbers have shown only half that level of reduction.
• Sulfur Dioxide emissions are now less than 40% of baseline while statewide numbers have actually increased above the baseline.
• Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions are now below 60% of baseline while statewide numbers are still above 70%
• Hazardous Wastes are on a downward trend along with other businesses in the state with program participants performing nominally better than the remainder of the state.

The companies, through the goals imbedded in their environmental management systems, continue to produce the superior environmental performance envisioned by the program. The pilot program companies stepped forward and are sharing both their goals and results publicly while working with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to find ways that will improve both environmental and economic performance.

Results are also quite evident at the facility level:

• We Energies eliminated the need for 2400 cars of coal through the use of recovered ash fuels and realized reductions of nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxides by 90% or more.
• Saved over a million dollars by using biogas generated on-site at Packaging Corporation of America (PCA).
• Reduced volatile organic compound emissions and hazardous air pollutant emissions by over 28% while also saving hundreds of hours of reduced reporting at Northern Engraving Corporation.
• Reduced energy use by 80-90% through a new thermal oxidizer at Cook Composites and Polymers.
• Beneficially reused bottom ash at Madison Gas and Electric (MGE).
• Diverted one million pounds of coated film from burning or landfills by recycling at 3M.

The work at these companies is summarized in this report and we encourage readers to visit our web site to look at the full reports which show charts, graphs and provide more detailed information about environmental and economic performance. The participants have also made a concerted effort to provide historical trend information for the work that they are doing under the cooperative agreements.

The Department of Natural Resources is pleased with the environmental gains and results of the participants and with their activities to extend those gains to others. It is particularly gratifying that the participants have found sufficient value to remain in the program.

Interested in reading the rest of the 2008 Annual Progress Report?