[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 2318]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                RECOGNIZING THE AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC

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                         HON. LAURA RICHARDSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 2, 2010

  Ms. RICHARDSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to salute the Aquarium of 
the Pacific located in my community of Long Beach, California, for 
receiving the prestigious Super Nova Star of Energy Efficiency from the 
Alliance to Save Energy, a coalition of prominent business, government, 
environmental, and consumer leaders who promote the efficient and clean 
use of energy to benefit consumers, the environment, economy, and 
national security. Each year the Alliance to Save Energy recognizes 
companies, learning institutions, state offices, and government 
programs for their efforts to promote energy efficiency domestically 
and globally. My constituents at the Aquarium of the Pacific received 
the Super Nova Star Award on September 17, 2009, at the Alliance to 
Save Energy Gala in Washington, DC.
  Madam Speaker, the Aquarium was chosen for this globally recognized 
award because it is the most energy efficient business in the Nation 
with annual revenues under $50 million. The Aquarium became the first 
among museums, zoos, and other aquariums in this country to certify its 
greenhouse gas emissions with a third-party, the California Climate 
Action Registry. This led to its being named as a Climate Action Leader 
with the Climate Action Registry in 2007. The Aquarium of the Pacific 
has used energy-efficient practices to maintain steady kilowatt-hour 
usage for the past 8 years despite rising visitor numbers.
  It is no surprise to me that the Aquarium of the Pacific received 
such a prestigious award because it is a pioneer of marine education 
and energy efficiency in my district. In 2008, the Aquarium inaugurated 
a new environmental classroom that was recognized as Long Beach's first 
LEED-platinum certified building. The classroom achieved LEED-platinum 
certification because it uses solar power, a green roof, a rainwater 
capture system, and a highly efficient pool pump, among other energy 
and water efficiencies. The Aquarium is committed to achieving LEED 
platinum or gold certification for all future projects and is setting 
an excellent example for how other businesses and institutions in my 
district can prioritize and achieve energy efficiency.
  Madam Speaker, the Aquarium of the Pacific is a vital part of my 
constituents' community environmental conservation efforts. The 
Aquarium's Green Team task force organizes environmentally friendly 
activities such as an annual street cleanup day, an Earth Day festival, 
a sustainable seafood initiative, and a watershed and ocean literacy 
program. As the Aquarium continues to grow, one of the underlying 
objectives of the master plan is to increase attendance by expanding 
the facility's capacity and conservation programs without increasing 
energy and potable water usage.
  Madam Speaker, I also want to commemorate the Aquarium of the Pacific 
for its ongoing efforts to broaden the public's understanding of the 
Pacific Ocean and its complex ecosystem. The Aquarium's mission is to 
instill a sense of wonder, respect, and stewardship for the Pacific 
Ocean, its inhabitants, and ecosystems. It is the largest aquarium in 
Southern California and the fifth largest in the nation. With 200,000 
school children visiting annually, the Aquarium of the Pacific provides 
a fun and educational experience for students of all ages and 
backgrounds through its interactive exhibits and daily presentations. 
The Aquarium hosts a variety of educational programs, cultural 
festivals, classes and courses, offsite field trips, and renowned guest 
speakers to connect Long Beach's diverse community with the Pacific 
Ocean's diverse ecosystem.
  I applaud the Aquarium of the Pacific for its hard work and 
dedication both to educating the community of Long Beach about marine 
environments and to mitigating the effects of climate change. I ask my 
fellow colleagues to join me in recognizing the Aquarium of the Pacific 
for having received the high honor of the Super Nova Star of Energy 
Efficiency.

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