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EPA to Honor 14 Southern California Environmental Heros

Release Date: 4/21/2003
Contact Information: Mark Merchant, (415) 947-4297; or Wendy Chavez, (415) 947-4248

SAN FRANCISCO -- During the agency's fifth annual Environmental Awards Ceremony in
San Francisco tomorrow, U.S. EPA Regional Administrator Wayne Nastri will present plaques to
14 Southern California organizations and individuals in recognition of their efforts to protect and
preserve the environment in 2002.

"These individuals and organizations have applied creativity, teamwork and leadership in
addressing many of Southern California's most pressing and complex environmental problems,"
Nastri said. "Thanks to their efforts, our air, water and land will be cleaner and safer for
generations to come. The winners set an example for all of us to follow."

The EPA Region 9 Environmental Awards program acknowledges commitment and
significant contributions to the environment in California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, Guam and
tribal lands. Forty four groups and individuals were selected from more than 200 nominees
received this year from businesses, media, local, state and federal government officials, tribes,
environmental organizations and citizen activists.

The Southern California winners and basis for recognition are:

City of Los Angeles Environmental Affairs Department
The City of Los Angeles Environmental Affairs Department serves as the city's environmental
leader. The department is involved in improving air quality, managing materials and waste
resources, helping improve water and other natural resources, and in providing environmental
information. Since 1996, the city has exceeded its target of increasing its alternative-fuel vehicles
fleet by 15 percent annually, now operating over 800 vehicles. The department provides
leadership on city-wide development of brownfields sites, budgeting over $4 million for more
than 60 projects in L.A. The department has obtained numerous grants to plant nearly 20,000
shade trees at schools, parks, and along city streets and initiated a "Gardens for Kids LA"
program that provides materials and labor to create gardens at nearly 100 schools over three
years.

The Chumash People, Southern California Foundation & Ventura Coastkeeper
The Chumash Nation is being recognized for its timely and historic achievement in creating the first
Tribal Marine Protected Area Network and other environmental accomplishments. Noting rampant
coastal development and overfishing of the waters around the Channel Islands, they worked to create
the first Tribal Marine Protected Area that included six islands and 100 miles of coast. This effort
was led by Mati Waiya, Wishtoyo Foundation Founder, Turtle Clan Head. Under Mati Waiya's
leadership individuals prepared maps and literature about the area in native language; drafted a
management plan integrated with land-based conservation; and requested a fleet of federal surplus
vessels for use in research and habitat enhancement. The Chumash also founded a community based
organization charged with monitoring Clean Water Act compliance, water testing and youth
education; performed sea-based marine patrols of Ventura Harbor and adjacent coastal waters; and
preserved their attachment to the sea through story telling, songs and dances.

SunLine Transit Agency
Thousand Palms
In 1994, SunLine Transit Agency was the first public transit agency to park a fleet of diesel buses
and convert overnight to a fleet powered entirely by alternate fuels. This dramatic fleet conversion
was just the first phase of what became a cutting edge clean fuels agenda. The year 2002 not only
marked the 25th anniversary of SunLine Transit Agency, but also the completion of its 60-vehicle
fleets first 25 million miles using advanced clean fuel technologies. SunLine Transit Agency is
committed to advancing zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell technology. SunLine is now in its third
year of producing hydrogen (including on site generation from renewable solar power and natural
gas reforming) and using it in prototype vehicles. SunLine is also a driving force behind the
Coachella Valley's award- winning Clean Cities program.

Juan Garcia
Concerned Citizens of South Central Los Angeles
Juan Garcia is a 22-year-old college student at California State University-Los Angeles. He is also
Youth Coordinator for Concerned Citizens of South Central Los Angeles (CCSCLA). Juan has
worked long hours to improve the South Central community by establishing several Community
Clean Ups to educate South Central residents about city services and focus the efforts of local
residents of all ages on keeping their block clean and taking pride in their community. Juan works
with a group called POWER youth, providing training and coaching on environmental justice,
workers rights and other leadership development skills. The POWER youth, with Juan's
supervision, go to local schools in the South Central area to educate students on environmental
justice and worker rights. Juan, the youth and the residents work also maintain and improve a South
Central community garden. He is also working with a local artist to create a mural in front of
Thomas Jefferson High School that will bring the diverse community together. He is truly one of
South Central LA's most promising leaders.

June Burton
El Monte
June Burton, a third grade teacher at Twin Lakes Schools, is an environmental cheerleader who leads
by example and teaches her students that one person can make a difference. With a special interest
in recycling, June formed "Recycling Kids". Students bring discards from home, make creative and
useful items, sell the products, and with the profits adopt habitats for endangered species. On a
broader level, working with the private sector June initiated efforts to recycle school lunch trays and
plastic milk sacks. The chair or her school's Recycling Committee, June wrote a manual for
replicating school-based recycling programs and speaks on the topic at conferences. She's currently
working on ways to sustain her programs after a well-earned retirement.

Lori Montgomery
Foxborough Elementary School
Aliso Viejo
As part of the Watershed Community Outreach and Education program, Montgomery's students are
learning about how local communities - fourth graders included - can take care of and preserve their
local watersheds. The students begin by doing internet research, speaking with experts and using
local library resources to educate themselves as to what a watershed is, where local watershed
organizations exist in the community and what can be done to educate others. They then develop
a community outreach bulletin board informing people how they can help with their watershed,
listing where cleanup crews can meet and work together, and other useful information. The final
phase of Montgomery's curriculum has students developing a community Web site that includes
drawings that depict the students' ideas of clean water, along with other information that allows
community members to get involved in local restoration efforts. The Watershed Community
Outreach and Education program teaches students invaluable research skills, educates them on their
natural surroundings and instills the values of community activism all in one fell swoop.

LA Times / San Bernardino Sun / Huhtamaki / Nelson Nameplate
Lithographic Printing Cleanup Solvent Group
Over the last two years, a group of four companies Huhtamaki, Nelson Nameplate, Los Angeles
Times Chatsworth Facility and the San Bernardino Sun have worked with the Institute for Research
and Technical Assistance on a project sponsored by California EPA=s Department of Toxic
Substance Control, to test and/or implement alternative cleanup solvents for their lithographic
printing operations. The alternatives used by these companies result in much lower toxicity than the
cleaning agents used by other lithographic printers. All four of the companies use water-based, soy-
based or acetone-based cleaners for cleaning. The four companies serve as an example of what
54,000 lithographic printing companies in the country can accomplish to better protect human health
and the environment. They demonstrated that alternative cleanup solvents can be used effectively
on a daily basis and that their use reduces emissions of toxics and volatile organic compounds,
worker exposure, hazardous waste generation and wastewater discharges.

Warner Bros.
Los Angeles
The Warner Bros. studio facility is like a small city, encompassing 145 acres, housing up to 10,000
workers a day--and has successfully integrated environmental values into its operational decisions.
Last year=s efforts included an aggressive campaign to reduce energy consumption through a
combination of technology, education and planning. The studio implemented innovative energy
efficiency and renewable energy technologies that saved an annual 4.3 million kilowatts and more
than a half-million dollars; diverted nearly 60 percent of waste otherwise headed to landfills;
required trash haulers to use only clean-fuel vehicles when collecting from the studio and
surrounding facilities; and actively engaged studio employees in developing and implementing
creative and long-lasting strategies for helping the company protect the environment in the course
of doing business. Warner Bros. has taken advantage of its influence and market power to become
a true leader in a "greening of Hollywood" and all that it touches.

Michael Haro, Manager of Environmental Resources
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
Palmdale
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter A Design-for-the-Environment Product reduces hazardous materials
use in production, operations and maintenance throughout the product life of the aircraft. Banned
and restricted hazardous materials were designed out of the fighter and its air support system, and
the remaining materials are controlled through a product data management system. Only 53
hazardous materials are used to support the aircraft system, down from the 214 materials for the YF-
22 and 300 to 400 materials for other Air Force prototypes. The traditional solvent coating system
was replaced with a removable applique, reducing emissions of volatile organic solvents and
hazardous air pollutants. Chrome-free primer coatings and sealants were used, eliminating airborne
hexavalent chrome emissions and disposal of hazardous paint filters and wastes. The product also
used many other innovative practices to reduce the risks of cadmium and solvent exposure to
workers. An internet-based data management system tracks, identifies, locates and replaces
hazardous materials before and after market to control the use, storage and disposal of hazardous
materials.

Western Carwash Association
Downey
The Western Carwash Association has helped save millions of gallons of water from flowing into
storm drains every year by encouraging community groups and non-profit organizations to hold their
charity carwashes at a professional carwash instead of parking lots or school driveways. Most
charity groups do not realize that when they hold a fundraising car wash, they are actually harming
the environment. As many as 140 gallons of water can be used in a 10 minute parking lot carwash.
Engine and brake residue may consist of antifreeze, grease, oil, copper and asbestos. Paint and
vehicle exhaust contain heavy metals such as lead, zinc, and rust. Soap contains phosphates,
chlorine, and other non-biodegradable ingredients that are toxic to fish and other marine life. San
Diego water officials estimate that the discharge from a single fundraising carwash introduces the
same amount of solids in the San Diego storm drain system as a sewage spill of more than 6,000
gallons. Professional full and self-serve carwashes reclaim and filter the water, enough so that 85
percent of the water used at a full-service carwash is reclaimed.

3M Company
Petaluma & Irvine
For 100 years, 3M's success has come from developing innovative technologies and products to meet
customers' needs. 3M is committed to sustainable development through environmental protection,
social responsibility and economic progress. From 1990-2001, the company reduced its volatile
organic air emissions by 91 percent, its manufacturing releases to water by 84 percent, reduced its
rate of waste generation by 35 percent and reduced by 88 percent chemical releases reported annually
to the EPA's Toxic Release Inventory. In addition, 3M has been an active member in the EPA's
National Environmental Performance Track program. Over the last year, 3M has assisted Region
9 recruit new performance track members and set the bar for environmental excellence in Region
9.

Performance Track
Facilities seeking entry into the Performance Track Program must have adopted and implemented
an environmental management system, commit to improving their environmental performance,
commit to public outreach and performance reporting, and have a record of sustained compliance
with environmental requirements.

Baxter Healthcare
Irvine
Baxter Healthcare=s Irvine facility manufactures medical devices to aid in the infusion of specialty
drugs. Using a strong environmental management system that emphasizes resource conservation,
the facility reduced their electricity use by 1,987,329 kilowatt hours in just two years. The facility
has further committed to reduce its solid waste disposal, energy use and paper use by December of
2005.

Ricoh Electronics
Tustin
Ricoh Electronics, Inc=s Tustin facility, manufactures photocopiers, printers, printed circuit boards,
metal and plastic components and e-cabinets. Using a strong environmental management system that
emphasizes resource reduction and recycling, the facility has succeeded in sending absolutely no
waste to landfills. Between April 1999 and March 2000 the facility shipped more than 4 million
pounds of solid waste to a landfill compared to none between April 2001 and March 2002. The
facility has further committed to reduce its incineration of non-recycable waste for generating
electricity by more than 20,000 pounds, and cut their use of lead solder in half.

Energy Star
Energy Star is a dynamic government/industry partnership that offers businesses and consumers
energy-efficient solutions, making it easy to save money while protecting the environment for future
generations by reducing energy use as well as greenhouse gas emissions.

Southern California Edison Business Solutions - "Community Survey" Program
Southern California Edison Business Solutions has been working with five regional/community
groups to achieve small business energy efficiency surveys and upgrades. Edison's community
survey program provides energy surveyor training, and supplies survey forms, materials, and tip
sheets, as well as rebate application support. Edison's business solutions program has also hosted
Energy Star Expos in six cities to promote its rebate programs, and maintains a small business center
online and within its customer technology center, where small businesses can find training, exhibits,
displays, demonstrations, and referrals in cooperation with the state Small Business Development
Center.