March 2007 | Earl Industries, LLC Earns Environmental Award

At the ninth annual Elizabeth River Project?s ?River Star? Luncheon held on January 25, 2007, Earl Industries, LLC was recognized for the company?s efforts to preserve and protect the Elizabeth River and its tributaries.

The Elizabeth River Project is an independent, non-profit organization that is dedicated to restore the Elizabeth River to the highest practical level of environmental quality through government, business, and community partnerships. The Project?s ?River Star? Program is voluntary and recognizes environmentally responsible businesses that reduce toxic wastes, conserve wildlife habitat, or develop and implement other such projects. Earl Industries was recognized for achieving Model Level in the ?River Star? Program, the highest of the Program?s three levels.

Earl Industries is an engineering and ship repair firm headquartered at the company?s shipyard located at the confluence of the Elizabeth River and Scotts Creek in Portsmouth, Virginia. The company understands its responsibilities to be a conscientious and active participant in restoring and preserving the environmental integrity of this historic and vital maritime waterway and its tributaries. In this regard, some of the initiatives that Earl Industries has accomplished that led to the company?s Model Level ?River Star? designation are:

• In coordination with the Elizabeth River Project and neighboring Civic Leagues, formed the Scotts Creek Steering Committee to advise the company on environmental initiatives.
• Hundreds of native trees have been planted in the buffer along the north shore of Scotts Creek to minimize erosion and storm water runoff.
• The use of pesticides and defoliants are prohibited from use on company property.
• A total of approximately 200,000 pounds of scrap metal are recycled per year.
• Ground water runoff has been stabilized in the shipyard?s Controlled Industrial Area.
• All external sandblasting operations have been eliminated.
• A waterless urinal has been installed in the shipyard?s headquarters building saving an estimated 40,000 gallons of water per year.
• The company has a full time Environmental Coordinator on staff.
• In coordination with the Elizabeth River Project and the Williamsburg Environmental Group, the company installed a comprehensive Low Impact Development (LID) Project around the headquarters building that prevents runoff pollution from reaching the Elizabeth River. This effort included the installation of biofilters, vegetated filter strips, and a rain barrel.
• The company has designed and is poised to begin construction on a five story ?green? office building on the north shore of Scotts Creek. This building will feature such environmentally-friendly innovations as a 9,100 square foot vegetated green roof, glazed double pane glass windows with integrated roller shades, the use of zero-/low-VOC paints, waterless urinals, bio-retention islands in parking lots, and wetlands plantings for storm water.

In conclusion, Earl Industries is proud to have earned the Model Level ?River Star? designation from the Elizabeth River Project and will continue to implement results-oriented projects at the company?s shipyard location to fulfill its responsibilities to contribute to the preservation of the Elizabeth River and its tributaries.