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October 9 Event Showcased Sustainability Initiatives Including “Flipping the Switch” on Solar Panel Field and Planting the First Tree in New Forest Management Program
Veolia’s New Gum Springs Facility is Setting the Industry Standard for Decarbonization and Protecting Natural Resources
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BOSTON (October 9, 2024) –Demonstrating a deeply held commitment to environmental sustainability, Veolia North America today hosted a celebration at its hazardous waste treatment center in Gum Springs, Arkansas, highlighting a series of unprecedented initiatives to make the plant the most sustainable operation of its kind in the U.S.
The October 9 ceremony put a spotlight on VNA’s commitment and investment in sustainability and workforce development at the Gum Springs operation, where a new state-of-the-art facility for the high-temperature thermal treatment of hazardous waste is set to open in 2025. To prepare for the new facility’s opening, VNA is protecting surrounding natural resources and supporting decarbonization strategies in carbon-intensive industries.
The sustainability features showcased at the ceremony include:
- A 5-megawatt solar panel installation, recently completed to provide a clean source of electricity at the plant. A ceremonial “Flip the Switch” activation will include leaders from VNA and Today’s Power Inc., which led construction of the installation.
- A forest management program, covering over 1,000 acres surrounding the facility, which includes over 600 acres of active reforestation and the planting of 100,000 trees in 2025. The ceremony will include the planting of the first tree sapling.
- A first-of-its-kind innovation for capturing heat to generate electricity. This feature will make use of a 7-megawatt steam turbine to generate power.
Advanced technologies for monitoring wildlife and biodiversity near the facility. In partnership with the National Museum of Natural History (MNHN) in Paris, France, a cutting-edge LEKO (Light Emission and Kinetic Observation) biodiversity monitoring tool is installed on the property, using sensors to listen, identify, and count species in the surrounding habitat.
Together, these initiatives demonstrate Veolia's vision for creating a brighter future for the hundreds of communities in the U.S. and Canada where we provide essential environmental services in waste, water and energy,” said Veolia North America President and CEO Fred Van Heems. “Veolia’s global GreenUp strategy for growth hinges on our commitment to providing innovative solutions for environmental challenges, and we are backing that commitment up through the work and vision we are carrying out at Gum Springs.”
Bob Cappadona, President and CEO of VNA’s Environmental Solutions and Services business, which oversees the Gum Springs operation, said: “The work we do at Gum Springs is consistent with the aspirations that we all have for a cleaner world and cleaner future for our children, because we provide the most scientifically proven method for managing complex waste materials in a way that protects our natural resources,” Cappadona said. “That’s why we are celebrating these pioneering initiatives with our colleagues and neighbors in Arkansas.”
Today’s Power Interim CEO John Elkins said the work done by the Today’s Power team to complete the solar field will contribute to a cleaner electricity delivery system in Central Arkansas. “Today’s Power Inc. is pleased to work with Veolia and the South Central Electric Cooperative to provide the 5MW solar facility to support their renewable energy needs. TPI is proud to have built this facility, and we look forward to a continued strong relationship with Veolia and South Central Electric Cooperative as the ongoing operator of the project.”
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ABOUT VEOLIA NORTH AMERICA
A subsidiary of Veolia Group, Veolia North America (VNA) offers a full spectrum of water, waste and energy management services, including water and wastewater treatment, commercial and hazardous waste collection and disposal, energy consulting and resource recovery. VNA helps commercial, industrial, healthcare, higher education and municipality customers throughout North America. Headquartered in Boston, Mass., Veolia North America has more than 10,000 employees working at more than 350 locations across the continent.
www.veolianorthamerica.com
ABOUT VEOLIA GROUP
Veolia's ambition is to become the benchmark company for ecological transformation. With nearly 218,000 employees on five continents, the Group designs and deploys useful, practical solutions for managing water, waste and energy that help to radically change the world. Through its three complementary activities, Veolia contributes to developing access to resources, preserving available resources and renewing them. In 2023, the Veolia group served 113 million people with drinking water and 103 million with wastewater services, produced 42 terawatt-hours of energy and recovered 63 million metric tons of waste. Veolia Environnement (Paris Euronext: VIE) generated consolidated sales of €45.3 billion in 2023.
www.veolia.com
ABOUT TODAY’S POWER INC.
Based in North Little Rock, Arkansas, Today's Power, Inc. was founded in 2014 by Arkansas Electric Cooperatives Inc. (AECI) to support the 17 electric cooperatives across Arkansas in their renewable needs. Today TPI is an integral part of helping the electric cooperative and public power market as well as commercial customers of all sizes, with the company’s footprint expanding to cover a 7-state area, totaling over 75 solar sites to date.
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CONTACTS
VEOLIA NORTH AMERICA
Matt Burgard
Communications Manager
(203) 859-4168
[email protected]
TODAY'S POWER INC.
Taylor Baker
(501) 590-5959
[email protected]