No act of enthusiasm is considered too small. Lockheed Martin, the multibillion-dollar defense contractor, is praised on the Performance Track's Web site for proudly showing "its commitment to environmental excellence by flying the Performance Track flag over its Manassas, Va., facility."
Over the last four years, Performance Track has paid two outside consulting firms more than $4.2 million.
Last year alone, records show, EPA paid ICF Consulting of Fairfax, Va., nearly $700,000, including $249,875 for member recruitment and $311,287 for "branding, outreach and communications."
The other consultant, Industrial Economics Inc. of Cambridge, Mass., has received $2.7 million to help run the program and operate its hotline, records show. Spokesmen for ICF and Industrial Economics declined to comment for this story.
In 2007, EPA placed public service announcements touting its corporate members' accomplishments in Forbes, Fortune and Business Week.
One full-page ad claimed that Performance Track members cut water use by 3.5 billion gallons: "That's a big drop in the bucket," the ad said.
Performance Track helps companies look good in other ways too. In 2006, it arranged for several governors to write letters to member companies praising them for joining Performance Track.
Despite these efforts, recruitment has been slow. Records show that Performance Track has resorted to recruiting small fish - companies that don't pollute much in the first place or members that aren't companies at all.
These include the gift shop/cafeteria at the Statue of Liberty, three dozen post office facilities, and even the EPA regional office on Arch Street in Philadelphia.
In a November 2006 internal e-mail, one EPA staffer noted the potential of partnering with a quasi-government agency.
"Sure will up the numbers for Performance Track!!"
Performance Track employees have struggled to come up with success stories, records show. In 2006, when a staffer went looking for examples of environmental good deeds, she came up short.
"Pickings were slim," she reported to a colleague in an internal e-mail. "I won't be able to come up with other examples . . . because most companies do not provide very good information on HOW they accomplished their achievements."
In fact, environmental gains achieved by Performance Track members are, in many cases, underwhelming.
A new Performance Track member, Rio Grande Village Store & RV Park in Texas, announced that its goal would be "turning off all equipment when not being used, computers on power saving mode. . . . "
And in Fife, Wash., the postal distribution facility said that among its environmental "goals," it would recycle plastic - and undeliverable bulk mail.
Contact staff writer John Sullivan at 215-854-2473 or johnsullivan@phillynews.com.
