Press Release

Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers Recognized by US EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson

Pennsylvania SBDC Environmental Management Assistance Program One of Three Nationwide Winners of a 2007 ENERGY STAR Small Business Network Special Award

PHILADELPHIA (September 13) – US Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Stephen L. Johnson named the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) a 2007 ENERGY STAR Small Business Network Special Award winner. “I applaud [the Pennsylvania SBDC] for demonstrating the environmental and financial rewards of going green,” said Johnson when announcing the awards yesterday.

Christopher Lynch, Director of the SBDC's Environmental Management Assistance Program

The award recognizes the Pennsylvania SBDC’s Environmental Management Assistance Program (EMAP) for its success in helping small businesses across Pennsylvania to improve their energy efficiency and highlights the program’s commitment to energy savings.

“When looking for energy solutions and preparing for the electricity price cap expirations coming soon in most of Pennsylvania, improving efficiency needs to be at the top of everyone’s list,” said Christopher Lynch, Director of the SBDC’s Environmental Management Assistance Program. “Small business energy efficiency offers the greatest potential for immediately reducing consumption and related climate change emissions. The technologies already exist, can be implemented quickly and can add to a firm’s bottom line—in fact, cost savings of 20-30 percent are realistic.”

Joining the Pennsylvania SBDC Environmental Management Assistance Program in receiving an award this year was Central PA Settlement, LLC, a client of the program located in Bedford, Pa. Central PA Settlement was recognized as one of eight nationwide 2007 winners in the small business award category. The award follows a record of success over the past two years for EMAP in which seven clients received ENERGY STAR Small Business Awards and two received the Pennsylvania Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence.

Earlier this year, US Senator John Kerry praised the Pennsylvania SBDC Environmental Management Assistance Program as a national model when he introduced legislation to assist small businesses in becoming more energy efficient in his role as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. “This program should be replicated so that small businesses across the country have the same opportunity to cut energy costs through the efficiency measures,” said Kerry.

“With a little bit of help from our statewide network of environmental consultants, small businesses in Pennsylvania are demonstrating that smart environmental strategies work,” said Pennsylvania SBDC State Director Gregory L. Higgins, Jr. “We’re committed to helping small firms take a realistic look at rising energy costs and other issues that impact their profitability and help them take the necessary steps to assure their continued success.”

More about the Pennsylvania SBDCs and EMAP

The Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers’ Environmental Management Assistance Program assists firms with identifying environmental regulatory compliance requirements and supports the development of companies with new energy and environmental technologies. One-on-one consulting is available to help prepare and review proposals, find new commercial markets, identify potential sources of funding, and find potential project partners. Visit www.askemap.org for more information on how businesses can start saving money and contribute to a cleaner environment.

Since its inception in 1980, the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) has evolved into a network of 18 college- and university-based centers and more than 90 outreach locations, operating under the guidance of the State Director located at the University of Pennsylvania. The SBDCs play a unique and vital role in the Commonwealth’s economic development initiatives as the only organization that, in utilizing the expertise and resources of some of the best colleges and universities in the state, assists entrepreneurs in all stages of business and all industry sectors. Funding support from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the US Small Business Administration and the SBDC host institutions enables consulting services to be provided at no charge to the client. For more information on the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers’ services and impact, visit www.pasbdc.org.

ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy designed to save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. Learn more about the ENERGY STAR 2007 Small Business Winners.

Printable version available for download.