More than 30 leading corporations and environmental groups announced today the formation of a new initiative for the 21st century.

The Environmental Millennium Initiative (EMI) brings together businesses, environmental organizations and others who seek to draw attention to environmental stewardship and the need to do more as the world enters a new millennium.

“Our purpose is simple, yet, we think unique,” said William E. Davis, chairman and chief executive officer of Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation, one of the EMI member companies. “We want to intensify environmental stewardship efforts here and around the world by encouraging partnerships among business, environmental organizations, academia and government. And we want to increase public involvement by broadening awareness of environmental challenges facing our world today and in the future.”

EMI participants represent more than $100 billion annually in revenues and employ more than 365,000 people worldwide. Participants also manage more than 1.7 million acres of land as well as support some 240 ongoing stewardship projects.

Included among the group’s objectives are three primary goals:

 Strengthen corporate and public commitment to environmental stewardship activities.

 Strengthen communication between the business community and environmental organizations so that the environmental objectives of both become mutually supporting.

 Strengthen and build partnerships on issues regarding management of land, water and other natural resources, thereby promoting stewardship as well as habitat preservation and restoration.

“In today’s world, no single segment of society in isolation can move us toward change and environmental responsibility,” said Dr. Tom Lovejoy, chief bio-diversity advisor for the Smithsonian Institution and The World Bank. “Efforts such as the Environmental Millennium Initiative are vital in bringing together all segments to work toward a common goal. We all want the same thing – a clean, healthy environment.”

Corporations, organizations and others worldwide are learning to manage their operations to balance ecological and economic value. While much has been done, much remains to be accomplished. Of critical importance is the linking of business with the environment.

John Flicker, president of the National Audubon Society, added, “The primary objective of our organization is the protection of birds, wildlife and their habitat through education, advocacy and science. We know we can’t accomplish that in a vacuum. We can only reach our goals with partners like those who have joined this new Initiative. The environment is, indeed, everybody’s business.”

Current participants in the initiative blend the interests of large multi-national corporations with regional-based businesses and well-known established environmental organizations. (See list below.) EMI welcomes additional participants and will highlight plans for future stewardship activities later this year. In the fall, EMI is planning a second conference, scheduled Sept. 20-22 in Savannah, Ga.

Additional information on the Initiative and on how an organization can participate, as well as details about the upcoming fall conference, may be found on the World Wide Web at www.environmental-mi.com.

Participants

 Allegheny Energy
contact: Scott Shields
301-790-6139

 American Cyanamid
contact: Jim Bean
901-853-1444

 American Electric Power
contact: Paul Loeffelman
614-223-1243

 Baker & Botts
contact: William Bumpers
202-639-7718

 Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc.
contact: Timothy Bent
615-872-1426

 Canon U.S.A., Inc.
contact: Keith Paglen
516-328-4926

 Central and South West Corporation
contact: Jay Pruett
214-777-1175

 Champion International
contact: Tucker Hill
203-358-7451

 Entergy Corporation
contact: Jim Mutch
409-981-3200

 First Energy Corporation
contact: Laura Koch
330-761- 4484

 Florida Power & Light Company
contact: Winifred Perkins
561-691-7046

 Fuji Photo Film U.S.A. Inc.
contact: Nancy Neely
800-755-3854, ext. 8347

 Lafarge Corporation
contact: Edward Junia, 248-948-1196

 Lockheed Martin
contact: Brian Kent
315-456-6976

 Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation
contact: Rob Scott
315-428-6622

 Northeast Utilities
contact: Greg Butler
860-665-3181

 NiSource
contact: Gregory Quartucci
219-647-5262

 Orion Power New York
contact: Sam Hirschey
315-413-2790

 PG&E Corporation
contact: Tom Powers
617-788-3345

 PacifiCorp
contact: Jim Burruss
801-220-2535

 Rochester Gas and Electric
contact: Dennis Money
716-771-2113

 Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal
contact: Nicholas Yost
415-882-2440

 Southern California Edison
contact: Daniel Pearson
626-302-9562

 Southern Company
contact: David King
404-506-0267

 Suncor Energy, Inc.
contact: Gord Lambert
403-269-8720 (Canada)

 Wisconsin Electric Power
contact: Noel Cutright
414-221-2179

Partners

 American Wildlife Research Foundation:
Scott Shupe
315-428-6616

 National Audubon Society:
John Bianchi
212-9793026

 National Audubon Society of New York State:
Rick Werwaiss
518-869-9731

 SUNY College of Environmental
Science & Forestry:
Lucy Popkess
315-470-6639

 The Conservation Fund:
Larry Selzer
304-876-2815

 The Nature Conservancy of New York State:
David Klein
716-546-8030

 Wildlife Habitat Council:
Bob Johnson
301-588-8994