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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 4, 2013
Mollie Lemon, U.S. EPA
(202) 343-9859
lemon.mollie@epa.gov
Fran Puleo, Monona Terrace
(608) 261-4011
fpuleo@mononaterrace.com
EPA RECOGNIZES MONONA TERRACE COMMUNITY AND
CONVENTION CENTER AMONG NATION’S LEADING GREEN
POWER PURCHASERS
Madison, WI – Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center announced
today that for the first time it appears on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s
(EPA's) Long Term Contract list for its commitment to using green power. Monona
Terrace Community and Convention Center is using four million kilowatt-hours
(kWh) of green power annually, which is enough green power to meet 100 percent of
the organization's electricity use. Monona Terrace Community and Convention
Center is buying a combination of renewable energy certificates (RECs) and utility
green power products from Renewable Choice Energy and Madison Gas & Electric.
This demonstrates a proactive choice to switch away from traditional sources of
electricity generation and support cleaner renewable energy alternatives.
“Our commitment to reduce our carbon footprint is a priority, and it is rewarding to be
recognized by the EPA,” said Gregg McManners, Monona Terrace Executive
Director. “We are pleased to be a leader in sustainable practices, and help
communicate the importance of supporting clean sources of electricity. This has
proven to be a sound business decision and an important choice in reducing climate
risk.”
This purchase also qualifies Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center for
EPA’s Green Power Leadership Club, a distinction given to organizations that have
significantly exceeded EPA’s minimum purchase requirements. Green Power
Leadership Club members must purchase ten times the partnership’s minimum
requirement organization-wide.
Green power is electricity that is generated from environmentally preferable
renewable resources, such as wind, solar, geothermal, biogas, eligible biomass, and
low-impact hydro. Purchases of green power help accelerate the development of
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new renewable energy capacity nationwide and help reduce greenhouse gas
emissions from the power sector.
“We congratulate Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center for using
renewable energy and taking a leadership position on the environment,” said Blaine
Collison, Director of EPA’s Green Power Partnership. “Monona Terrace Community
and Convention Center's impressive green power commitment helps to reduce
carbon pollution and provides an excellent example for other organizations.”
According to the U.S. EPA, Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center's
green power purchase of four million kWh is equivalent to avoiding the carbon
dioxide (CO2) emissions of nearly 600 passenger vehicles per year, or the CO2
emissions from the electricity use of more than 400 average American homes
annually.
The Green Power Partnership is a voluntary program that encourages organizations
to buy green power as a way to reduce the environmental impacts associated with
electricity use. The Partnership currently has more than 1,500 Partner organizations
voluntarily purchasing billions of kilowatt-hours of green power annually. Partners
include a wide variety of leading organizations such as Fortune 500® companies;
small and medium sized businesses; local, state, and federal governments; and
colleges and universities. For additional information, please visit
http://www.epa.gov/greenpower.
Monona Terrace received the designation of Silver Level LEED-EB (Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design-Existing Building) green certified building in
September of 2007 by the U.S. Green Building Council. Monona Terrace was one of
the first existing silver level certified convention centers in the United States.
Monona Terrace hosts approximately 600 events each year resulting in over $52.5
million in annual economic impact for the community. In addition, the center
produces and sponsors free or low cost community events that serve over 56,000
people each year. The Frank Lloyd Wright designed facility has a mission to be a
high quality, customer focused convention and meeting facility that serves as a
community gathering place, a tourism destination and a catalyst for economic
activity for the City of Madison, Dane County and the State of Wisconsin.
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