At an Aug. 27 Industrial Showcase event, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Air and Radiation Division Branch Chief Katie Siegel congratulated the Canton refinery’s employees and leadership for having earned the EPA ENERGY STAR award for 14 consecutive years.

“Marathon’s corporate energy program is world class,” Siegel said, adding that Canton’s achievement is remarkable. “Canton can now claim [the title of] the longest, continuous running certified refinery in the United States.”

Earning the ENERGY STAR award requires that a refinery maintain top-quartile energy efficiency and demonstrate excellent environmental compliance, with no outstanding major enforcement actions.

Refinery manager Don McCord addressed the 114 attendees, a group that included refinery employees, MPC officers, elected officials, Community Advisory Panel members, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials, and representatives from other industries in the area. McCord noted that Canton alone has earned 20% of all the ENERGY STAR awards for refineries in the U.S.

“One of the ways we’re able to achieve such great results is through energy ownership by all the employees here,” he said. “Their dedication to our industry is helping to drive our local and national economy, while at the same time increasing our country’s energy security in a competitive global economy.”

Principal Engineer Jason Akey, who leads MPC’s energy-efficiency function, agreed with McCord, saying the culture at Canton is what makes the difference. “It’s engagement that really drives success,” he said. “Kudos and accolades to the employees here.”

Akey pointed out that Canton’s recognition is part of MPC’s broader success in energy efficiency, given that our refineries have earned more ENERGY STAR awards than all other U.S. refiners combined. He noted the extraordinary amount of planning and analysis to implement a corporate-wide energy-efficiency plan. “We try to have a five- to 10-year vision for our facilities,” he said. “That roadmap keeps leadership and staff aligned on a common set of goals.”

In addition to recognizing Canton’s achievement, the Industrial Showcase event recognized MPC for having been named an ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year for the second consecutive year. We are the only refining company to have earned the ENERGY STAR program’s highest recognition twice, and we own and operate the only two refineries – Canton and Garyville – to have earned ENERGY STAR awards every year since it became available to refineries.

Refining Executive Vice President Ray Brooks, who also attended the event, thanked the many people who have made our refineries’ energy-efficiency program such a success. “I can’t say enough about our energy technologists, our refinery leadership, and the thousands of employees who focus on energy-efficiency every day,” Brooks said. “It’s a great effort that not only helps the company’s bottom line, but also helps protect the environment we all share. I’m very proud of what they have accomplished.”