NHL named U.S. EPA Green Power partner of the year

NEW YORK – The National Hockey League announced today that it has received a 2015 Green Power Leadership Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The League is being recognized for its leadership, overall strategy and impact on the green power market.

"Environmental sustainability is important to the NHL and we are proud to be recognized for our efforts in support of clean energy," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. "For the good health of our players and fans, we will continue to support initiatives to keep the air clean and the ponds frozen for future generations."

For the second straight season, the League will work with Constellation – the NHL's official preferred energy provider – to implement energy efficiency strategies in NHL arenas and counterbalance greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from all League activities through Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) and carbon offsets.

For the 2014-15 season, Constellation supplied more than 271 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of Green-e® Energy Certified RECs* to match all NHL games and premier events with energy generated from environmentally preferable renewable resources. This season, the RECs supplied to the League will support wind projects in the United States and a biomass project in Canada.

In addition for the 2014-15 season, Constellation supplied Green-e Climate certified carbon offsets to match 126,500 metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2e), the estimated amount of GHG emissions resulting from certain League activities such as waste-to-landfill and air travel.

"Receiving the Green Power Partner of the Year Award is a great honor," said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. "EPA applauds the National Hockey League's exemplary leadership in acting on climate, which should serve as a model across the country."

EPA will present the award today at the 2015 Renewable Energy Markets Conference in Arlington, Va. The NHL was one of only five organizations nationwide to be chosen as a Green Power Partner of the Year.

In 2010, the League launched NHL Green, a comprehensive environmental sustainability initiative which addresses the effects of climate change and freshwater scarcity on the game of hockey. The NHL is the first professional sports league in North America to issue a sustainability report, documenting and disclosing the League's carbon footprint. In February, the NHL first appeared on the EPA's National Top 100 list, ranking as the 17th-largest user of green power in the United States.

* Green-e Energy certifies that renewable energy certificates meet the minimum environmental and consumer protection standards established by the nonprofit Center for Resource Solutions. For more information on Green-e Energy certification requirements, call 1-888-63-GREEN or log on to www.green-e.org.