DETROIT, Dec. 6, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- From creating
pollinator gardens for native bees and monarch butterflies to
restoring hundreds of acres of land to its native state, the
employees of DTE Energy are now recognized as national leaders in
wildlife habitat and environmental protection.
DTE Energy has earned the Wildlife Habitat Council's (WHC)
2018 Corporate Conservation Leadership Award. It is the highest
recognition for overall excellence in corporate environmental
stewardship. The award recognizes DTE's overall achievement in
conservation efforts, exemplary corporate commitment to
biodiversity and conservation education as well as meaningful
alignments with global conservation objectives. DTE recently
accepted the award at the WHC's 2018 Conservation Conference in
Baltimore.
DTE currently has 36-certified sites with many more programs
planned for certification for the first time by 2020, including
pollinator habitats, bald eagle nests and banding, and conservation
projects with K-12 schools throughout Michigan.
"DTE employees are national leaders in conservation and
environmental protection," said Skiles
Boyd, vice president, Environmental Management and Resources
for DTE Energy. "These efforts were led by passionate employees who
love our land, plants, animals, and volunteer their time to leave
behind a better place."
With 36 certified programs in 25 counties, DTE has more WHC
certified programs than any other company in Michigan. DTE is
helping the WHC expand its Michigan footprint by collaborating with
wildlife habitat efforts in West
Michigan communities, such as Muskegon and Grand
Rapids, getting other businesses and organizations engaged.
DTE ranks second nationally among energy companies in WHC
certifications. In addition, DTE is the only company in the energy
sector actively collaborating with the WHC to expand environmental
stewardship initiatives with supply chain partners.
Now celebrating its 30-year anniversary, the WHC's certification
program is the only voluntary sustainability standard built on the
best practices of global recognition programs. The program
recognizes a company's efforts to use its land, resources and
partnerships to help address pressing global biodiversity
issues.
DTE received its first WHC wildlife certification in 1996 at its
Belle River Power Plant for a
project that included collaborations with Pheasants Forever and the
Cub Scouts to convert leased farmland into food plots for wildlife
and building bluebird boxes. As a major land owner in Michigan with
lots of shoreline property, DTE voluntarily maintains 8,000 acres
of land in its natural state, providing habitat for hundreds of
species of birds, mammals, fish and insects – some of which are
threatened or endangered. Land at several company sites has been
reclaimed for habitats featuring native Michigan plants, including
those benefiting the monarch butterfly and other pollinating
insects. Ending repetitive mowing improves air quality and makes
financial sense, too. Mowed grassy areas burn money in upkeep. When
reclaimed, native wildflowers and grasses require much less
maintenance and provide food, shelter, and space for a variety of
wildlife.
DTE's Michigan Avenue Service Center (Ypsilanti) and Traverse City Service Center
were also finalists for the WHC Green Infrastructure Project
Award.
DTE's WHC certified program sites
WILDLIFE HABITAT
COUNCIL CONSERVATION
CERTIFICATION PROGRAM SITES
|
LOCATION
|
INITIAL
CERTIFICATION
|
CERTIFICATION
STATUS
|
Allen Road Service
Center Complex
|
Melvindale
|
2008
|
Gold
|
Alpena Service
Center
|
Alpena
|
2009
|
Certified
|
Ashley
Mews
|
Ann Arbor
|
2007
|
Gold
|
Belle River Mills
Compressor Station
|
East China
Township
|
2008
|
Gold
|
Belle River Power
Plant
|
East China
Township
|
1996
|
Silver
|
Big Rapids Service
Station
|
Big Rapids
|
2010
|
Gold
|
Cadillac Service
Center
|
Cadillac
|
2010
|
Silver
|
Citizen's
Gas
|
Adrian
|
2016
|
Silver
|
Coolidge Service
Center
|
Detroit
|
2018
|
Silver
|
Detroit Headquarters
Campus
|
Detroit
|
2000
|
Silver
|
Escanaba Service
Center
|
Escanaba
|
2015
|
Silver
|
Fermi 2 Nuclear Power
Plant
|
Newport
|
2000
|
Gold
|
Gaylord Transmission
& Storage Operations Station
|
Gaylord
|
2012
|
Silver
|
Grayling Service
Center
|
Grayling
|
2008
|
Silver
|
Greenwood Energy
Center
|
Kenockee
|
2004
|
Gold
|
Huron Renewable
Energy Center
|
Bad Axe
|
2018
|
Silver
|
Kalkaska Transmission
and Storage Operations
|
Kalkaska
|
2009
|
Silver
|
Kingsford Service
Center
|
Kingsford
|
2015
|
Gold
|
Ludington Service
Center
|
Ludington
|
2009
|
Silver
|
Michigan Avenue
Service Center
|
Ypsilanti
|
2008
|
Gold
|
Milford Compressor
Station
|
Milford
|
2009
|
Silver
|
Monroe Power
Plant
|
Monroe
|
1999
|
Gold
|
Mt. Pleasant Service
Center
|
Mt.
Pleasant
|
2008
|
Silver
|
Muskegon Service
Center
|
Muskegon
|
2009
|
Gold
|
Newport Service
Center
|
Monroe
|
2016
|
Silver
|
Petoskey Service
Center
|
Petoskey
|
2015
|
Certified
|
River Rouge Power
Plant
|
River
Rouge
|
2004
|
TBD
|
Sault Ste. Marie
Service Center
|
Sault Ste.
Marie
|
2015
|
Certified
|
St. Clair Power
Plant
|
East China
Township
|
2001
|
Silver
|
Tawas Service
Center
|
Tawas
|
2009
|
Silver
|
Traverse City Gas
Operations
|
Traverse
City
|
2009
|
Silver
|
Trenton Channel Power
Plant/Sibley Quarry
|
Trenton
|
2002
|
Gold
|
W.C. Taggart
Compressor Station
|
Six Lakes
|
2003
|
Gold
|
Washington-10
Compressor Station
|
Romeo
|
2008
|
Gold
|
Wealthy Street
Station
|
Grand
Rapids
|
2012
|
Certified
|
Western Wayne Service
Center
|
Belleville
|
2005
|
Silver
|
About Wildlife Habitat Council
Wildlife Habitat Council partners with corporations, fellow
conservation organizations, government agencies and community
members to empower and recognize wildlife habitat and conservation
education programs. Our members are environmental leaders at local,
national and global levels, voluntarily managing their lands to
support sustainable ecosystems and the communities that surround
them. Since 1988, WHC has certified more than 1,000 habitat and
education programs worldwide; WHC Conservation Certification
programs can be found in 48 states and 25 countries. To learn more,
visit www.wildlifehc.org or follow @WildlifeHC on Twitter.
About DTE Energy
DTE Energy (NYSE:DTE) is a Detroit-based diversified energy company
involved in the development and management of energy-related
businesses and services nationwide. Its operating units include an
electric utility serving 2.2 million customers in Southeastern Michigan and a natural gas
utility serving 1.3 million customers in Michigan. The DTE Energy
portfolio includes non-utility energy businesses focused on power
and industrial projects, natural gas pipelines, gathering and
storage, and energy marketing and trading. As one of
Michigan's leading corporate citizens, DTE Energy is a force for
growth and prosperity in the 450 Michigan communities it serves in
a variety of ways, including philanthropy, volunteerism and
economic progress. Information about DTE Energy is available at
dteenergy.com, empoweringmichigan.com, twitter.com/dte_energy and
facebook.com/dteenergy.
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SOURCE DTE Energy