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News Releases from Region 05

Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System Wins EPA Federal Green Challenge Award

08/20/2015
Contact Information: 
Joshua Singer (singer.joshua@epa.gov)
312-353-5069

For Immediate Release No. 15-OPA147

CHICAGO (August 20, 2015) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced that the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System has won a Federal Green Challenge award for transportation. The Challenge encourages federal agencies throughout the nation to lead by example by conserving energy and resources, cutting waste, reducing pollution and saving money.

The Minneapolis VA, a hospital providing a range of patient services, won the award for the greatest percentage increase in electric vehicles. The VA acquired four discarded or abandoned vehicles and repaired and repurposed them for landscaping and grounds maintenance, saving as much as 1,000 gallons of fuel a year.

In 2014, Federal Green Challenge participants nationwide saved taxpayers over $24 million by diverting over 390,000 tons of solid waste from landfills, saving nearly 80 million gallons of water, sending 450 tons old electronics to third-party certified recyclers and cutting the use of office paper by 15,000 pounds.

More information on the Federal Green Challenge: http://www.epa.gov/fgc/awards/2015.html