Environmental Responsibility

It is Black Hills Energy's policy to manage its business in an environmentally responsible manner. We strive to protect the quality and diversity of our environment. We will comply with all applicable laws and regulations and work with all government agencies regulating our activities. We also work with responsible citizen organizations in the communities we serve.

Environmental Policy Implementation

Continuous Improvement

In support of our Environmental Policy, we will continually seek out and investigate alternative methods of performing our services. When more environmentally sound methods are identified, we will move promptly - when economic circumstances allow - to adopt these practices. In recognition of our varied activities, our Global Environmental Policy provides general guidance. More detailed national, regional and local policies tailored to the specific needs of those communities and ecosystems also will be established.

Training

We will train our employees in environmental responsibilities, educating them on the reasons for our global and specific environmental policies to develop their ability and motivation to implement our programs. We will also encourage all employees to generate new ideas for environmental protection, in order for Black Hills Energy to achieve our primary goals of environmental stewardship, effective compliance and continual improvement.

Resource Efficiency

We will conduct our activities, including contracting with other business entities, in a resource-efficient manner. We will be selective in our choice of products, processes and services. An environmental evaluation step will be included in our procurement process, allowing us to scrutinize purchases of products and services to reduce or eliminate hazardous substances and establish preferences for recycled and recyclable products. Our policy of resource-efficient behavior will include implementation of pollution-prevention techniques to reduce our generation of wastes, particularly hazardous and regulated substances. We will also take advantage of opportunities to reuse, reclaim and recycle materials we generate through implementation of waste-minimization techniques.

Dialogue

We will be open to balanced, informative dialogue with the communities we serve. In this regard, we will recognize and prepare our employees for their role as ambassadors to the community, raising their awareness and sensitivity to environmental issues. We will also create communication channels and an atmosphere that encourages our employees to constructively critique our activities that affect the environment.

Black Hills Energy has a Corporate Environmental Steering Committee to help ensure that this policy is followed throughout its operations. Among its environment-related efforts, Black Hills Energy supports the Iowa Trees Forever and Trees for Kids and Teens programs. For more information about the company's environmental efforts, contact Black Hills Energy Environmental Services.

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