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• electric company stories • electric customer stories

• voluntary efforts resources electric company members only • EEI committees and other resources

Voluntary Efforts

Environmental excellence is a continuous process for the electric power industry.  Electric companies spend billions of dollars each year on environmental measures and operational controls to protect human health and the environment.  We must—and do—comply with hundreds of state and federal laws and regulations.  These efforts are paying off for the environment.

For example, while demand for electricity tripled the industry's coal use between 1970 and 2005, its emissions declined significantly-and will continue to decline-due to current emissions reduction programs.

The U.S. electric utility industry has also become a world leader in implementing voluntary, flexible, and cost-effective initiatives to protect the environment.  This is especially true in response to concerns about global climate change. In fact, according to the Department of Energy, electric utilities account for almost three-fourths of all voluntary actions taken to mitigate greenhouse gases.

The electric utility industry also incorporates responsible land management practices into all of its programs, including tree planting, vegetation control, timber management, fisheries and wildlife protection, transmission and facility line siting, recreation, and education.

But beyond these efforts, EEI member electric companies are also voluntarily taking action to protect the land, air, and water of the communities they serve.  EEI members are addressing the climate issue as well, and through advice and programs, electric companies are even helping their customers to protect the environment.  To learn more, please click on the electric companies listed below.  You can also find out more about how electric companies are helping to protect the enviroment by clicking on the Learn More topics listed on the right.

Featured Companies

AEP - customer| Alabama Power | Allegheny Energy | Alliant Energy - air, customer, land | Ameren | APS | Avista - land | Black Hills | CenterPoint Energy | Cleco | CMS Energy | ComEd | Consumers Energy - air, customer | Con Edison | Conectiv | Constellation Energy - climate, customer | CVPS | Dominion | DTE Energy | Duke Energy - land, water, climate, customer | El Paso Electric | Entergy | FirstEnergy - customer, land | FPL | Green Mountain Power | Gulf Power | KCP&L | Keyspan | Minnesota Power | National Grid | Nevada Power | Niagara Mohawk | PECO Energy | PNM | PPL | Progress Energy | Southern California Edison - customer, land | Southern Company - air, land | Tampa Electric | TXU Corp | Vectren | Xcel Energy - air, climate, land, customers | We Energies - customer, land |

© 2008 Edison Electric Institute