Tulsa Receives Award from Blue Skyways Collaborative

The City of Tulsa received the "Blue Skyways Collaborative Partnership Award" at the Blue Skyways Collaborative meeting in St. Louis. The meeting, held Oct. 2-4th, was the fourth semi-annual conference held by the Collaborative since its organization in 2006.

“This award is recognition of our efforts this year to move Tulsa down the path to becoming a sustainable city, and to encourage our citizens and businesses to become more environmentally aware,” said Mayor Kathy Taylor. “I’m proud that our city is a member of the Blue Skyways Collaborative and I look forward to many years of active partnership.”

Tulsa was honored for efforts made so far in 2007. The City of Tulsa created its first Energy Efficiency and Conservation Plan in 2007 under Mayor Kathy Taylor in accordance with the Ordinance passed in 2001 under Mayor Susan Savage. The energy saving benefits of moving a majority of city employees to a central location at One Technology Center and the increased use of natural gas for vehicles are major parts of the Mayor's plan.

Those attending from Tulsa included: Josh Davis (Mayor's Office), Bill Cartwright (MTTA), and Melvin Kilgore (MTTA). Davis moderated the conference session on "Green Buildings."

“Blue Skyways is working to bring cleaner air and healthier lives to the 50 million people who make up America’s heartland,” said EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene. “With a growing list of committed partners and pollution control technologies, we are saving millions of gallons of fuel and cutting tons of harmful emissions each year.”

Today Blue Skyways incorporates ten states, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Texas and New Mexico, and the area along the borders with Canada and Mexico. The collaborative envisions a future where organizations will work together to reduce air emissions and make the heartland of America the Central Corridor of Innovation.