Weyerhaeuser Company
Weyerhaeuser Press Release
Weyerhaeuser Becomes An EPA
"XL" Site Only 3rd Nationwide To Be Approved
Oglethorpe, Ga. - The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) today announced they have reached agreement with Weyerhaeuser
Company and their Flint River Pulp Operations, located in Oglethorpe,
Georgia, regarding a final project agreement (FPA) in the innovative
Project XL program. A program initiated by President Clinton, Project
XL (eXcellence and Leadership) ws created by EPA as part of their initiative
to provide regulatory flexibility in exchange for obtaining superior
environmental results.
Weyerhaeuser is the only forest products company
to be accepted into the EPA's XL program. Flint River is the third facility
in the United States to reach a Final Project Agreement.
Under the signed agreement, the Flint River Operations agrees to continue
to perform beyond regulatory requirements. As an incentive for this level
of superior environmental performance, the EPA and Georgia Environmental
Protection Division (EPD) will provide more flexible and lower cost processes
for regulatory management. The benefits include continued superior environmental
results while improving the ability of the mill to meet customer demands,
and enhancing shareholder value. The FPA agreement boosts re-use and recycling
of process chemicals and reduce wastes, air and water discharges and odors
at the mill.
Kent L. Walker, vice-president and site manager of Weyerhaeuser's Flint
River Operations commented, "We are proud to be a part of this innovative
program and believe this is a common sense approach by EPA and industry
to achieving superior environmental performance for regulatory flexibility.
The project reduces pollution while reducing red tape. It will save time
and money for the company, the government and taxpayers, while protecting
the environment."
The Project XL final project agreement signing took place on Friday, January
17, 1997 at the Flint River Operations plant site. Signatories included:
Stan Melburg, deputy regional administrator for the EPA; David Word, assistant
director, Georgia EPD; Robert Kerr, director, Georgia Pollution Prevention
Assistance Division; and Kent Walker for Weyerhaeuser. Terms of the agreement
will be in effect for 15 years.
Negotiations to reach an FPA have been occurring between Weyerhaeuser
Company, the U.S. EPA, and the State of Georgia EPD since the company's
acceptance into the program in December 1995. Additionally, national and
area stakeholders participated in creating the final agreement. The general
public was also given the opportunity to comment during a 30-day public
comment period. As part of the FPA, Weyerhaeuser Company will continue
to seek public input through annual public meetings during the life of
the project.
The Flint River Operations has been recognized by many organizations as
an environmental leader in the industry, used as a model to set standards
by the EPA, and most recently received the Georgia Chamber of Commerce's
1996 Water Protection Citizen of the Year. The plant produces cellulose
pulp used in the manufacture of disposable diapers.
Weyerhaeuser Company is one of the largest integrated forest products
companies in the world. Its principal business segments are timberlands
and wood products; pulp, paper and packaging; and real estate and financial
services. It is the world's largest private owner of merchantable softwood
timber and producer of softwood lumber and market pulp. It is also one
of North America's largest producers of forest products and recyclers
of office wastepaper, newspaper and corrugated boxes.