NuStar Energy Receives Tahoma Business Environmental Award

The Chamber annually recognizes entrepreneurial efforts that meet a high standard of excellence for environmental, preservation and protection accomplishments through its Tahoma Business Environmental Award.

The 13th Tahoma Business Environmental Award, sponsored by Taylor-Thomason Insurance, was presented at the Chamber Luncheon Featuring Tahoma Business Environmental Award event on April 10, 2014 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Pacific Grill Events Center, 1530 Pacific Ave., Tacoma 98402.

Protecting the environment is a core business value for NuStar Energy, LP, (NuStar) which works to continually improve processes and programs to ensure that the best environmental practices are shared across their numerous terminal and storage systems.

NuStar has invested heavily in voluntary site improvements which resulted in achieving OSHA’s highest honor, OSHA VPP Star Status in 2015. The NuStar Tacoma Terminal has made numerous voluntary site improvements and taken active approaches to be above and beyond regulatory compliance. Some of these environmental advances include: painting roofs to reduce metal pollutants that may be in contact with storm water; the development of a Bucket Tree to prevent empty buckets from collecting storm water, and upgrading vapor hoses to improve capture efficiency for emission at the truck rack.

This company has made internal changes which have improved storm water and air quality, as well as a significant reduction in waste.  Our award recipient has also surpassed 23 ½ years since their last reportable spill, which is almost unheard of in the oil storage industry.
Many area businesses work on environmental projects and do a great deal to improve the community’s quality of life. This year’s nominees for the award were:

• Associated Petroleum Products, Inc.
• Cartridge World
• Nisqually Red Wind Casino
• NuStar Energy, LP
• NW Etch
• Point Ruston, LLC
• Puglia Engineering, Inc.
• TPT U.S. Limited

In addition to the award presentation, the Luncheon featured speakers representing the intersection of business and the environment. ”Achieving Attainment for Air Quality” was presented by Craig Kenworthy, Executive Director, Puget Sound Clean Air Agency and “Tacoma Transportation Master Plan” was presented by Joshua Diekmann, Transportation Engineer, City of Tacoma.