GEMI Releases Updated & Enhanced Suggested Data Source List for its GEMI Local Water Tool™ (LWT) and the GEMI LWT™ for Oil and Gas

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the Global Environmental Management Initiative (GEMI) released an updated and enhanced Suggested Data Source List for its GEMI Local Water Tool™ (LWT) and the GEMI LWT™ for Oil and Gas.  The new list may be found on the tool web page, www.gemi.org/localwatertool, under the "Resources" Tab as the "Suggested Data Sources" button and has replaced the original file from March 2012.

"GEMI is pleased to announce the release of the updated and enhanced Suggested Data Source List for the GEMI LWT™," said GEMI's Chair, Neville Dias, Director, HESS Management System, Carnival Corporation & plc.  "Last year GEMI released the GEMI LWT™ and the GEMI LWT™ for Oil and Gas and several supporting documents, one being a suggested data source list.  It was agreed that the list would be a 'living' document so that updates could be made as needed and at the request of the membership," added Dias.

"Based on the feedback received by the members for including information for more detailed local data, GEMI selected the following watershed areas to add the list: Western Australia; Sydney, Australia; Melbourne areas, Australia; Buenos Aires area, Argentina; Neuquen Oil Basin area, Argentina; Alberta area, Canada; St. Lawrence area, Canada; Eagle Ford area, TX; Colorado River, TX; Brazos River, TX; Red River, TX; and, Trinity River, TX," said Karl Fennessey, Director of Water and Biodiversity, ConocoPhillips and Co-Chair of the GEMI Water Sustainability Work Group.  "As use of the GEMI LWT™ continues to grow and feedback on it is shared with GEMI, the Suggested Data Source List will continue to be enhanced with additional areas," he added.

Co-chair of the Work Group, Bill Lechner, Vice President, Global Environment Health and Safety & Security, Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, noted "the GEMI LWT™ and the GEMI LWT™ for Oil and Gas are free interactive, downloadable tools to help companies and organizations identify the external impacts, business risks and opportunities related to water use and discharge at a specific site or operation. These tools are the result of a collaborative effort and leadership of GEMI member company representatives as well as the GEMI LWT™ Project Participant company representatives in cooperation with WBCSD and IPIECA."

GEMI's Communications Chair, Heather Tansey, Sustainability Manager, 3M, noted that "the GEMI LWT™ and the GEMI LWT™ for Oil and Gas has been downloaded by individuals and corporations from around the world more than 1,300 times over the past 10 months since the tool was launched in March 2012.  GEMI is extremely pleased with the feedback received and knowledge of the widespread interest and use of the tools."

"CH2M HILL assisted GEMI in creating the updated Data Source Suggestions List as well as in the development of the tools and also supported the creation of the WBCSD GWT and the IPIECA GWT for Oil and Gas," Fennessey also noted. 

"In addition, we are pleased to announce that as of today, BP, Chevron, Exxon Mobil, Intel and Statoil will be continuing their participation in 2013 as GEMI LWT™ Project Participants," said Steve Hellem, Executive Director of GEMI.

"GEMI is considering additional sector-specific solutions tools, with the GEMI LWT™ for Oil and Gas as the first. GEMI would welcome additional sector-specific GEMI LWT™ projects as well as other topic areas," concluded Dias.

GEMI members include: 3M; Abbott; Ashland Inc.; Biogen Idec; BNSF Railway Company; Carnival Corporation & plc; ConAgra Foods; ConocoPhillips; ENI; FedEx; Halliburton; Johnson Controls, Inc.; Koch Industries; Kraft Foods Group Inc.; Legrand; Merck & Company, Inc.; Occidental Petroleum Corporation; Perdue Farms Incorporated; Phillips 66; The Procter & Gamble Company; The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company; Sealed Air Corporation; Smithfield Foods, Inc.; Southern Company; and, Union Pacific Railroad.

For more information about GEMI and the GEMI LWT™, please visit www.gemi.org

Contact:
Amy Goldman (202) 296-7449

SOURCE GEMI