Caterpillar, Frito-Lay, Xerox, Staples, and the Gap, all doing business in Pennsylvania, were among 10 corporations pledging to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as part of EPA's Climate Leaders – a voluntary program that works with companies to measure greenhouse gas emissions and set aggressive, long-term emissions reduction goals.

Mack Trucks, Inc. of Allentown was one of ten new companies to join the Climate Leaders program this week.

Another Pennsylvania company-- York International Company -- was among 25 individuals and organizations from around the world recognized by EPA for outstanding efforts to protect the Earth’s climate. Other winners included such companies as McDonald’s, Coca-Cola and 3M.

EPA estimates that the 37 Climate Leaders' greenhouse gas reductions will prevent more than 8 million metric tons of carbon emissions equivalent per year. These reductions are equal to the annual greenhouse gas emissions of five million cars.

Since its inception in 2002, Climate Leaders has grown to include 68 corporations whose U.S. emissions represent eight percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. The following 10 corporations committed to new greenhouse gas reduction goals:

· Caterpillar Inc. – reduce global GHG emissions by 20 percent per dollar revenue from 2002 to 2010.

· Frito-Lay – reduce U.S. GHG emissions by 14 percent per pound of production from 2002 to 2010.

· Green Mountain Energy – achieve net zero U.S. GHG emissions by 2005 and maintain that level through 2009.

· Xerox – reduce its total global GHG emissions by 10 percent from 2002 to 2012.

· Staples – reduce its U.S. GHG emissions by 7 percent from 2001 to 2010.

· Gap, Inc. – reduce its U.S. GHG emissions by 11 percent per square foot from 2003 to 2008.

· Exelon – reduce its total U.S. GHG emissions by 8 percent from 2001 to 2008.

York International was honored in the Corporate/Government category of the Climate Protection Awards. York International was the first manufacturer to introduce and actively promote the application of variable speed drive technology to centrifugal chillers. This effort began in 1979 and continues today with the latest generation of products. The technology has evolved from large, expensive floor-mounted drives to compact, unit-mounted and factory installed drives.

As a result of York's leadership, 70 percent of York centrifugal chillers have variable speed drive and all chiller manufacturers now offer centrifugal chillers using this technology. The application of variable speed drive will typically reduce annual energy consumption of centrifugal chillers by enhancing off-design performance. York is also the first company to apply variable speed drive technology to the air-cooled screw chiller platform, offering the same significant kWh savings in an air-cooled package.

For more information, visit EPA's Climate Leaders webpage and the 2005 Climate Protection Awards webpage.

5/6/2005