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EPA, industry, city, county, state officials kick-off Industry Challenge/Good Neighbor Partnership

Release Date: 3/10/2005
Contact Information: Wendy L. Chavez, (415) 947-4248, chavez.wendy@epa.gov

SAN FRANCISCO-- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator Wayne Nastri along with industry, city, county and state officials today launched a voluntary partnership aimed at reducing air emissions and preventing chemical releases in the South Phoenix area.

Goodrich-Aircraft Interior Products hosted the event at their South Phoenix facility where the EPA, the city of Phoenix, Maricopa County Air Quality Department, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, State Representative Leah Landrum Taylor, Maricopa County Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox and industry partners together launched the Industry Challenge/Good Neighbor partnership that seeks to reduce an overall 20 percent of over 35 priority hazardous air pollutants and to enhance safety procedures to avoid accidental releases in South Phoenix by 2007.

"This partnership shows that, working together, we can keep jobs in the community and have a healthy environment," said Nastri. "When industry is willing to explore ways to further reduce their emissions and enhance their safety practices, we all win."

Over 20 industries have joined the alliance of businesses and regulatory professionals responsible for environmental health and safety performance in the South Phoenix area. Companies joining the voluntary program range from locally-owned businesses to larger corporations, including pool companies, chemical manufacturers, fine parts and machinery manufacturers and aircraft product manufacturers.

In addition, industries that store ammonia, chlorine and nitric acid will increase safe handling of these chemicals to avoid accidental releases. The Arizona State Emergency Response Commission, the Maricopa County Emergency Planning Commission and the city of Phoenix are also members of the partnership.
The Industry Challenge/Good Neighbor partnership represents one near-term strategy to reduce hazardous air pollutants as part of the South Phoenix Multi-Media Toxics Reduction project initiated by ADEQ in 2003 and funded by an EPA grant. The EPA also provides technical assistance to industry to support their emission reduction and accident prevention goals. ADEQ has worked with the community and other stakeholders to identify a range of strategic activities to reduce emissions of hazardous air pollutants in the South Phoenix area.

For more information on the Industry Challenge/Good Neighbor partnership and for a full listing of South Phoenix companies participating, visit: http://www.phoenixindustrychallenge.com