Rutland, VT – Vermont Electric Power Company (VELCO) was recently designated as a Business Environmental Partner by the Vermont Business Environmental Partnership. As an Environmental Partner, VELCO joins a select group of Vermont businesses who stand out for their commitment to protecting Vermont’s environment.

VELCO earned Environmental Partner designation by establishing an employee environmental team to focus on energy conservation, environmental stewardship and continuous improvement in their business practices. This team of VELCO associates worked to meet the criteria of eight required standards, including writing and posting an environmental policy, adopting recycling practices, using recycled goods where possible, and implementing measures to increase energy efficiency.

VELCO president and CEO John Donleavy reflected on the accomplishment saying it belonged to everyone at the company. “I am proud of the way our entire team of associates stepped up to ensure we at VELCO continue to conduct business in an environmental friendly way. It has become a part of the VELCO work culture. This is an ongoing effort and all VELCO associates signed a Company Environmental Statement, pledging continued commitment and effort to improve our environmental practices”.

VELCO has begun work to achieve status as a Vermont Environmental Leader in 2008. To gain this recognition, Environmental Partners must satisfy additional, more rigorous standards of pollution prevention, regulatory compliance, and exemplary environmental management practices.