LOS ANGELES, March 3, 2010 – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has named Southern California Gas Co. the winner of a 2010 Excellence in ENERGY STAR Promotion Award for its outstanding contributions to energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions through its consumer education efforts promoting energy-efficient products and services.  

        Southern California Gas Co. will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., March 18.
 
        “Our collaboration with ENERGY STAR is an important part of our success in promoting energy efficiency,” said Hal D. Snyder, vice president of customer solutions for Southern California Gas Co.  “We’re always looking for innovative ways to show our customers how they can use ENERGY STAR products and programs to save money and protect the environment.”

        An ENERGY STAR partner for more than 10 years, Southern California Gas Co. will be honored for its work in promoting the "Change the World, Start with ENERGY STAR" national campaign last year.  Southern California Gas Co. invited other utilities to be co-sponsors, making it the first time the Los Angeles-area campaign was promoted by multiple utilities. 

        As part of the campaign sponsorship, a 30-foot-by-50-foot ENERGY STAR Exhibit House was featured in the "Going Green" exhibit during the last five days of the 2009 Los Angeles County Fair, an event Southern California Gas Co. sponsors every year.  Fair guests toured the exhibit to learn how they could save money, help protect the environment, and how the sponsoring utilities are working together to save energy in the community. 
 
        The Excellence in ENERGY STAR Promotion Award is given to a number of organizations to recognize their efforts to improve energy efficiency and reduce pollution, resulting in significant cost savings.  Award winners are selected from more than 17,000 organizations that participate in the ENERGY STAR program.

        "By creatively promoting ENERGY STAR, partners like Southern California Gas Co. are making it easy for consumers to find energy-efficient products in the marketplace," said Gina McCarthy, EPA assistant administrator for air and radiation.  "Organizations such as Southern California Gas Co. demonstrate their leadership by showing Americans how they can protect our environment through energy efficiency."

        Last year, with the help of ENERGY STAR, consumers across the U.S. saved nearly $17 billion on their energy bills and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by an amount equivalent of taking 30 million vehicles off the road.

        ENERGY STAR was introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 as a voluntary market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased energy efficiency.  Today, ENERGY STAR offers businesses and consumers energy-efficient solutions to save energy, money and help protect the environment for future generations.  More than 17,000 organizations are ENERGY STAR partners committed to improving the energy efficiency of products, homes, buildings and businesses.  For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit www.energystar.gov or call toll-free 1-888-STAR-YES (1-888-782-7937).

        Southern California Gas Co. has been delivering clean, safe and reliable natural gas to its customers for more than 140 years.  It is the nation’s largest natural gas distribution utility, providing safe and reliable energy to 20.5 million consumers through 5.7 million meters in more than 500 communities.  The company’s service territory encompasses approximately 20,000 square miles in diverse terrain throughout Central and Southern California, from Visalia to the Mexican border.  Southern California Gas Co. is a regulated subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE).  Sempra Energy, based in San Diego, is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company. 

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