Local businesses making a difference
Clean air is one of our most precious resources and we all have a role in helping protect it, including businesses. Most businesses are dedicated to minimizing their air emissions. In addition, many businesses go above and beyond air quality requirements by implementing other measures, such as employee commute trip reduction, no-idle policies, green building and energy efficiency, and a host of other efforts that help protect Spokane County’s air, water and land resources.
We believe it is important to recognize businesses for their efforts to improve air quality and to share these stories with the community. To that end, we provide two recognition programs, described below.
Clean Air Award – an annual program
Each year since 2004, Spokane Clean Air has recognized one local company for its innovation, leadership, and commitment to improving air quality. The award is presented publicly to express appreciation for their efforts and to encourage other businesses to follow suit.
The 2024 Clean Air Award recipient is International Aerospace Coatings (IAC) Read more…
Past recipients, in alphabetical order:
AFCO Distribution & Milling
Beacon Cleaners & Laundry
Central Pre-Mix
Costco Gasoline Facility, north
CXT, Inc
Eastern Washington University
Ed’s Premier Auto Body
ExxonMobil Spokane Terminal
Fairchild Air Force Base
Fiber-Tech Industries
Gonzaga University
Hotstart Thermal Management
Huntwood Industries
Inland Empire Paper Co
Providence Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital
Rob’s Demolition
Ross Printing
Spokane International Airport
TransCanada
Doing Our Share for Clean Air – A biennial recognition program
Spokane Clean Air strives to recognize local businesses for the work they do to reduce air emissions and improve air quality in our community.
In January of every-other year, we send forms to businesses in our registration program. They can choose to complete the form to receive either silver or gold recognition. The 2023-2024 recognition cycle has closed. Consider applying in January 2025!
Silver award recognition are those businesses meeting air quality requirements for their business.
Gold award recognizes businesses that have gone “above and beyond” their requirements by implementing additional actions to improve air quality.
To receive recognition, businesses must meet the minimum criteria listed below:
Silver award:
- The facility has not been issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) by Spokane Clean Air in the last two calendar years and during the most recent facility inspection.
- The Annual Registration Form is complete and submitted to Spokane Clean Air by the required due date for the two most recent data collection cycles.
- The Annual Registration fees were submitted to Spokane Clean Air by the required due date during the two most recent billing cycles.
Gold award:
Must meet the Silver award requirements, plus:
- The facility has not been issued a Corrective Action (CA) by Spokane Clean Air in the last two calendar years and during the most recent inspection of my facility
- The facility has implemented at least two measures that go “above and beyond” air quality requirements. Examples include:
- Energy Efficiency – lighting, heating/cooling, water heating, equipment, combustion efficiency
- Process changes, source reduction, material substitution
- Sector Specific – back-up generators, boilers, dry cleaners, gas stations, printers, surface coaters
- Transportation – commute trip reduction, no idle policies, cleaner fleet vehicles
- Participated in the Spokane Clean Air’s P2 consultation in the past
- Is a local EnviroCertified business
Congratulations to these 2023-2024 businesses who earned gold-level recognition!
ALSCO
American Way Collision Center
Ball & Dodd Funeral Home
Broadway Mini Market
Can Am Body LLC
Cowles Real Estate Group
Fairchild Air Force Base
Hennessey Funeral Home
Horizon Credit Union
My Car Collision Center
Northeast Washington ESD
Pavement Maintenance Technologies
PDQ Ten Stop
Profile Products LLC
Riplinger Funeral Home
The Coeur D’Alene Window Co
Travis Iron Works
Tristar North Inc.
Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center
Wear-Tek
International Aerospace Coatings named the
2024 Clean Air Award winner
“Spokane Clean Air is recognizing IAC because of their exemplary work to reduce emissions at their Spokane facility, where approximately 150 aircraft are painted each year in an enormous hangar near Spokane International Airport,” stated Scott Windsor, executive director of Spokane Clean Air.
IAC opened its Spokane facility in 2010. To reduce emissions to the greatest extent possible, they operate a three-filter bank system. The system is designed to reduce paint overspray while allowing for the required airflow. Each filter is the size of an entire aircraft hangar wall.
IAC’s Environmental & Facilities Manager, Buck Spurger, said this about the Spokane facility, “We nurture a culture of paying attention to detail and we are vigilant in maintaining our equipment. Our record keeping, control equipment maintenance, and collaborative compliance efforts are the epitome of a responsible surface coating operation.” Read more