EPC highlights Green Star program, certifies 20 auto shops including county fleet

Ken Sierra, EPC waste-division staff, told the Environmental Protection Commission that the Green Star certification recognizes automotive maintenance shops in Hillsborough County that "go above and beyond with environmental compliance." He said the program, housed in the county's small-quantity-generator (SQG) program, was created in 2005 and recently was updated, resulting in 20 new certifications.

Sierra laid out the certification's requirements: candidates must operate an on-site automotive maintenance shop, comply with federal, state and county environmental rules, and pass an EPC green-star checklist. He listed nine required elements that are not regulatory mandates — including labeled used-oil containers, secondary containment, spill cleanup procedures, proper battery storage and identification or covering of storm drains when no oil-water separator exists — and said facilities also choose five of 17 optional best-management practices such as monthly storm-drain inspections, non-halogenated solvents and public used-oil collection.

"A green star facility is any facility in Hillsborough County that has an automotive maintenance site that has implemented various pollution prevention practices and best management practices that are otherwise not required by the regulations," Sierra said during his presentation (paraphrased from his remarks). He showed before-and-after photos to illustrate better container and battery storage and described how the Green Star checklist, plus photos and narratives, are reviewed by EPC directors before certification.

Sierra named certified sites, congratulating Southeastern Freight Lines (County Road 579), Ed Morse Brandon Auto Mall, Courtesy Toyota (Brandon), Morgan Auto Group (seven dealerships and a training shop on North Florida and Fowler Avenue), Manahan Auctions, Jerry Ohm Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Florida Detroit Diesel Allison and Honest-1 Auto Care on North Dale Mabry. He also announced that all five county fleet management facilities were certified and commended Valerie Williams, fleet operations maintenance manager, for the work of county staff.

The presentation concluded with certificates being handed out by Jerry Javier and Ken Sierra; recipients offered brief remarks and thanks. Commissioners asked no substantive policy questions during the item and the commission moved on to the next agenda presentation.

The Green Star program is administered as part of the county's SQG hazardous-waste program and is intended to reduce illicit discharges and improve pollution prevention practices at automotive shops in the county. Officials said both private and public facilities are eligible to apply.