AMP and its member communities are committed to being environmental stewards, while supplying low-cost, reliable electric power for our customers. To that end, the AMP Board of Trustees established six principles to guide and support its conservation and sustainability actions.

The Environmental Stewardship Principles, originally adopted in 2005, were updated in February of 2009 to most accurately reflect the evolving nature of AMP’s mission, vision, priorities, and actions.

AMP is committed to reducing its overall emissions profile. Reductions of airborne emissions can be achieved through the use of advanced clean-coal technologies and other lower- or zero-emission generation technologies (including renewables), supply-side or end-use efficiency improvements and conservation activities. Improvements in efficiency and use of advanced clean-coal technologies at the generation level will also reduce the need for landfill space.

AMP recognizes that electricity not generated – because it is not needed – yields the greatest environmental benefit. Reducing electricity demand through innovative conservation efforts and efficiency improvements offered to AMP member communities will help conserve natural resources as well as reduce emissions. AMP will also promote the “reduce, reuse, recycle” principles of sustainability to its membership and employees and throughout its operations.

As demand for electricity increases, AMP is faced with finding new power supply options to meet member needs. Volatile energy markets and aging generation resources have spurred AMP to make smart investments in coal and hydroelectric generation assets to avoid overexposure to the wholesale market. AMP is committed to the development of advanced clean-coal technologies and a significant increase in hydroelectric resources for its member communities. AMP will continue to examine both the cost and effectiveness of adding additional renewable resources, such as wind and solar, to further broaden the diversity of its generation portfolio.

AMP acknowledges that regulatory and public pressures are pushing electric utilities to strive to limit emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases. Thus, AMP is taking action to report and reduce emissions, while also investing in non-carbon-emitting renewable generation, CO2 offset projects and research into carbon capture, storage and sequestration technologies. AMP understands that not all electric generating systems are created equal. Thus, AMP supports efforts to account for and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by individual AMP member communities, which promotes balancing their system needs with other stewardship and customer values.

AMP member municipal electric systems are critical components in the success of the communities they serve. Investment of capital, both financial and human, in AMP member communities is essential to ensuring a good quality of life and encouraging economic development and growth. Environmental enhancements (planting trees, creating green space, etc.) are valuable assets, and AMP will work with member communities to identify and provide sustainable investment and development opportunities, including local installations of wind, solar and other renewable generation, consistent with local needs.

AMP encourages its officers and employees to lead by example through increased efforts to reuse and recycle home and office products and conserve energy, both at home and in the workplace. AMP’s new headquarters building, to the extent practicable, will include use of green materials and energy efficient products to demonstrate its commitment to leading by example. AMP will report its environmental stewardship actions on an annual basis and, where possible, measure its success in achieving the goals laid out by these Environmental Stewardship Principles.