ESI Description



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Program Description Summary Application Process Members Time Line Summary DENR's Environmental Stewardship Initiative is designed to promote and encourage superior environmental performance by North Carolina’s regulated community. This voluntary program provides benefits and technical assistance to stimulate the development and implementation of programs that use pollution prevention and innovative approaches to meet and go beyond regulatory requirements. This program seeks to reduce the impact on the environment beyond measures required by any permit or rule, producing a better environment, conserving natural resources and resulting in long-term economic benefits. DENR uses a transparent process, which includes a wide range of stakeholders in the development and administration of this program. The ESI program has three levels of membership: Environmental Partner, Rising Environmental Steward and Environmental Steward. Each level has specific criteria and benefits which are described under What Level is Right for You?. Membership applications for the program are accepted year round for Partners and from March 1 to April 30 for Rising Stewards and Stewards. Members are accepted into ESI for a five-year period at which time they reapply for membership. Once accepted into the program, Partners are reviewed annually and Rising Stewards and Stewards are reviewed after three years to assess if facilities continue to meet overall program goals. All members are required to make a commitment to compliance; set environmental performance goals; develop, implement and maintain a certified ISO 14001 environmental management system based on ISO 14001 or an ESI Stewardship Plan; and report annually on progress toward the organization’s environmental performance goals. If a member facility does not comply with program requirements, the ESI has a termination policy, revoking all benefits granted under the program. Back to top Application Process Applications are reviewed and recommended for acceptance in ESI to DENR's Secretary. Figure 1 shows how applications are reviewed depending on the participation level. Figure 1 ESI Application Process The DENR Internal Workgroup coordinates compliance reviews of all applications. The Internal Workgroup recommends Partner applicants for membership directly to DENR's Secretary. Rising Steward and Steward applications are reviewed annually in the fall by the Advisory Board . All Steward applicants receive an onsite verification visit by an ESI team to verify application information. Following review, the Advisory Workgroup then makes recommendations for membership to DENR's Secretary. Back to top Members 2007 ESI Participants Map 2006 ESI Participants Map 2005 ESI Participants Map 2004 ESI Participants Map Environmental Stewards ASMO North Carolina Inc., Statesville City of Gastonia Long Creek Resource Recovery Facility • Case Study Corning Cable Systems, LLC Hickory Cable Facility Corning Inc. - Wilmington Optical Fiber Facility Fleet Readiness Center East GKN Driveline - Sanford Precision Forming Facility Michelin Aircraft Tire Co. LLC Novozymes North America Inc., Franklinton • Case Study Smithfield Packing Co., Wilson Back to top Rising Environmental Stewards ASMO Greenville North Carolina Inc., Greenville Bridgestone Firestone NA Tire LLC, Wilson City of Gastonia Crowders Creek Resource Recovery Facility City of Gastonia Wastewater Treatment Division Biosolids Program Eaton - Roxboro, Roxboro EMC Corporation – Apex Firestone Fibers & Textiles, Gastonia Firestone Fibers & Textiles, Kings Mountain GKN Driveline - Roxboro Facility NACCO Materials Handling Group, Greenville N.C. Zoological Park - Horticulture Section, Asheboro Progress Energy - Roxboro Steam Electric Plant RF Micro Devices, Inc., Greensboro Smithfield Tar Heel Division Smithfield Transportation Co. Back to top Environmental Partners Alliance One International Inc. - - Baldree Road Facility, Wilson - CRES Tobacco Co., King - Cut Rag Facility, Wilson - Farmville Facility, Farmville - Statonsburg Road Facility, Wilson American & Efird Inc. – Nelson 02 Plant, Lenoir American & Efird Inc. – Rush Plant 03, Mount Holly American & Efird Inc. – Filament Plant 05, Mount Holly American & Efird Inc. – Rush Plant 09, Mount Holly American & Efird Inc. – Nelson 12 Plant, Lenoir American & Efird Inc. – Dyeing & Finishing Plant 15, Mount Holly American & Efird Inc. – Gastonia Plant 20, Gastonia American & Efird Inc. – Gastonia Plant 51, Gastonia American & Efird Inc. – Gastonia Plant 56, Gastonia American & Efird Inc. – Gastonia Plant 01, Gastonia Baker Furniture – High Point Facility, High Point Baker Furniture – Hildebran Facility, Hildebran Baxter Healthcare, Marion Borg Warner Emissions/Thermal Systems, Fletcher Burt's Bees, Morrisville Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune Candle Corporation of America, Elkin Cape Fear Public Utility Authority - Administration - Northside Wastewater Treatment Plant - Operations/Utility Services/Division Drive - Operations/Utility Services/River Road - Southside Wastewater Treatment Plant - Sweeney/Environmental Services - Sweeney Water Treatment Plant - Walnut Hills Subdivision Wastewater Treatment Plant Caterpillar Precision Seals, Franklin Charlotte -Mecklenberg Schools - Building Services City of Gastonia – Public Works and Utilities Department - - Water Treatment Plant - Field Operations and Customer Service Center City of Shelby First Broad River WWTP City of Shelby Water Plant City of Hendersonville Water Plant Duke University, Durham Engineered Sintered Components Company, Troutman Fort Bragg – 18th Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg Freudenberg Nonwovens - Tufts Division, Durham - Interlining Division, Durham General Dynamics – AIS, Greensboro General Electric Co. Consumer and Industrial, Mebane Hexion Speciality Chemicals Inc., Morganton Hunter Farms Dairy, High Point International Paper - Riegelwood Mill Kao Specialties Americas LLC, High Point Kapstone Paper and Packaging Corp National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences - Research Triangle Park N.C. Asahi, Inc. - Greenville N.C. DOT - Ferry Division - - Cape Hatteras - Cedar Island - Cherry Branch/Minnesott Beach - Currituck/Corolla/Knotts Island - Ocracoke - Pamlico River/Aurora - Southport/Fort Fisher - State Shipyard, Manns Harbour - Swan Quarter Premium Standard Farms - Clinton Plant PSNC Energy - Apex Operations Center - Asheville Operations Center - Cary LNG Energy Center - Chapel Hill Operations Center - Forest City Operations Center - Gastonia Corporate Office and Operations Center & Compressor stations (Mill Spring, Roxboro, Ruffin, Stem) - Henderson Operations Center - Horse Shoe Operations Center - Kannapolis Operations Center - Mebane Operations Center - North Durham Operations Center - North Raleigh Operations Center - Sanford Operations Center - South Durham Operations Center - South Raleigh Operations Center - Sylva Operations Center - Troutman Operations Center Smithfield Clayton Division Smithfield Kinston Division Smithfield Packing Co. Inc. - Stadler's Country Ham Division Talecris Biotherapeutics Tredegar Film Products U.S. Coast Guard - Support Center, Elizabeth City Water and Sewer Authority of Cabarrus County – Interceptor System, Concord Water and Sewer Authority of Cabarrus County – Mount Pleasant Water Treatment Plant Water and Sewer Authority of Cabarrus County – Rocky River Wastewater Regional Treatment Plant, Concord Wyeth Biotech, Sanford Back to top Time Line
January – March	Steward ceremonies on site; Partner applications accepted year round
March	Annual participants meeting
March – April	Steward and Rising Steward application period
April – May	Annual report cycle
May	Compliance reviews
June – August	Site visits for Steward applications and functionally equivalency checks; Steward forum
July	EMS development training module
August	EMS development training module
September	Steward report(s) due to Advisory Board; EMS development training module
October	EMS development training module
November	Annual Advisory Board meeting;
December	Acceptance letters sent to new Rising Steward/Steward members; DENR Internal Workgroup meeting; EMS development training module
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