The Idaho Association of Commerce & Industry (IACI) presented Micron Technology with its 2008 Environmental Excellence Award during IACI’s 34th Annual Conference.
First presented in 1997, the IACI Environmental Excellence Award provides recognition to businesses which, through innovative environmental leadership and accomplishment, have achieved outstanding results in environmental protection and enhancement. All businesses operating in Idaho are eligible for the award including non-IACI members.
This year Micron is recognized for its remarkable innovation using cold river water from an existing aquifer recharge system to cool their deionized process water through a heat exchanger. Annually, the project provides energy savings of 6.6 million kilowatt hours, saves water consumption by 11.9 million gallons and CO2 greenhouse gas emissions by 1,664 tons.
Presenting the award in front of Idaho’s business leaders, elected officials and over 40 legislators attending the IACI conference, IACI Chairman Jim Schmit commended Micron for being “focused on environmentally responsible business practices.”
The project has had a significant effect on the Micron Boise site’s energy consumption, water use rates and carbon dioxide emissions. Micron Environmental Manager Beth Elroy said the IACI award reinforces the commitment of team members and the company to promote environmental stewardship in the communities where team members live and work.
“Micron is committed to being at the forefront for environmental protection, and this recognition demonstrates our ongoing dedication,” Elroy said. “The innovation and teamwork from Production to Facilities and the engineers and technicians who made this idea work show how the company’s commitment to the environment is personally carried forward by our team members. It’s rewarding to see the benefits from these efforts, both for the company and the community, and we thank IACI for this prestigious honor.”
Nominated for the award by Idaho Power, Micron was selected by an independent committee chaired by Jack Lyman, Executive Director of the Idaho Mining Association. Other selection committee members were Robbin Finch, Water Quality Manager for the City of Boise; Orville Green, Administrator of the Waste Remediation Program in Idaho’s Department of Environmental Quality; State Representative Bill Killen (D-Boise), member of the House Business Committee; Paul Kjellander, Administrator of the Idaho Office of Energy Resources; and State Senator John McGee (R-Caldwell), member of the Senate Agricultural Affairs Committee and Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee.
Also nominated for the 2008 award were: Idaho Sand & Gravel/Idaho Concrete, Idahoan Foods, Monsanto, and St. Luke’s Health System. Noted Schmit, “This year, our selection committee had the daunting task of selecting the best of the best. We had five excellent companies nominated, and all their accomplishments in the environmental area are commendable.”
The criteria for the IACI Environmental Excellence Award include environmental practices, investment in pollution control, recovery from waste streams, conservation, sustainability and other environmental achievements. Jayson Ronk, Vice President of IACI, said the purpose of the award is to “provide recognition of businesses who, through innovative environmental leadership and accomplishment, have achieved outstanding results in environmental protections and enhancement.”
Past recipients of the IACI Environmental Excellence Award include: Agri Beef Co; Twin Falls Canal Company; Micron Technology; Zilog; Rycair, Inc; Albertson’s; Basic American Foods (Shelley Plant), Melaleuca, Monsanto, Hewlett-Packard, and the Flying M Ranch of Ashton.