Kohl’s Department Stores (NYSE: KSS) today announced that the company has been recognized with its third Green Power Partner of the Year Award by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Energy and the Center for Resource Solutions. With this year’s award, Kohl’s is the first retailer to be named a Green Power Partner of the Year for three consecutive years. The award was given last night at the 2011 Green Power Leadership Awards held as part of the annual Renewable Energy Markets Conference in San Francisco, Calif. Green Power Leadership Awards recognize the country’s leading green power purchasers for their commitment and contribution to helping advance the development of green power sources.

As a 2011 Green Power Partner of the Year, Kohl’s has distinguished itself among U.S. companies through its green power purchase, leadership, overall strategy and impact on the green power market. In 2011, Kohl’s purchased 1.4 billion kilowatt-hours (kwh) of renewable energy, offsetting more than 100 percent of the company’s purchased electricity use. According to EPA, Kohl’s current green power purchase is equivalent to avoiding the carbon dioxide emissions of more than 192,000 passenger vehicles per year, or the equivalent carbon dioxide emissions from the electricity use of more than 122,000 average American homes annually. Kohl’s currently ranks number one on EPA’s Top 20 Retail list and number two on the National Top 50 and Fortune 500^® lists. The company joined EPA’s Green Power Partnership in 2006 and made an initial purchase of more than 80 million kwh of renewable energy credits in 2007.

“Recognition as Green Power Partner of the Year demonstrates Kohl’s leadership in the use and support of renewable energy as part of our commitment to being an environmentally responsible retailer,” said John Worthington, Kohl’s chief administrative officer. “In 2011, Kohl’s strengthened its commitment to the use and support of green power by increasing our total green power purchase by more than 52 million kilowatt-hours and purchasing enough green power to offset the purchased electricity requirements for each of our 39 new stores that opened in 2011. We were also pleased to add 16 new solar locations this year in addition to our first two wind locations, and we continue to explore additional opportunities to expand our green power and energy efficiency initiatives.”

“EPA’s Green Power Leadership Award winners are driving the development of new renewable energy sources and demonstrating that green power makes good environmental and business sense,” said Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “We applaud Kohl's efforts and hope that other organizations follow their lead.”

Purchase of renewable energy credits is one key component of Kohl’s ongoing efforts to implement strategies that encourage long-term resource sustainability. Other key initiatives include a companywide commitment to recycling and waste reduction, environmentally responsible building design, construction and operation, supply chain and transportation initiatives, stakeholder engagement and a strong commitment to energy efficiency. Currently, the company operates more than 100 solar locations in nine states and has more than 650 ENERGY STAR labeled locations – more than half of the company’s stores and more than any other department store. Since fall 2008, Kohl’s has also committed to building all new, ground-up stores according to LEED precertified prototypes and has most recently earned LEED Gold precertification for its new and existing new store prototypes from the U.S. Green Building Council. To date, Kohl’s has more than 200 LEED-certified locations nationwide.

Kohl’s comprehensive environmental program, Advancing Environmental Solutions, is part of the Kohl’s Cares® philanthropic platform, committed to making communities happier, healthier, greener places to live and work. Additional information about Kohl’s Cares is available at www.Kohls.com/Cares. Additional information about Kohl’s environmental efforts is available at www.KohlsGreenScene.com. 

About Kohl’s Department Stores
Based in Menomonee Falls, Wis., Kohl’s (NYSE: KSS) is a family-focused, value-oriented specialty department store offering moderately priced, exclusive and national brand apparel, shoes, accessories, beauty and home products in an exciting shopping environment. With a commitment to environmental leadership, Kohl’s operates 1,127 stores in 49 states. In support of the communities it serves, Kohl’s has raised more than $180 million for children’s initiatives nationwide through its Kohl’s Cares® cause merchandise program, which operates under Kohl's Cares, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kohl's Department Stores, Inc. For a list of store locations and information, or for the added convenience of shopping online, visit www.Kohls.com.

About EPA’s Green Power Partnership
The Green Power Partnership is a voluntary program that encourages organizations to buy green power as a way to reduce the environmental impacts associated with electricity use. The Partnership currently has close to 1,300 Partner organizations voluntarily purchasing more than 21 billion kilowatt-hours of green power annually. Partners include a wide variety of leading organizations such as Fortune 500® companies, small and medium-sized businesses, local, state, and federal governments, and colleges and universities. For additional information, please visit http://www.epa.gov/greenpower.

About the Green Power Leadership Awards
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) co-sponsors the annual Green Power Leadership Awards in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy and the Center for Resource Solutions. EPA recognizes winners in the following awards categories: Green Power Partner of the Year, On-site Generation, Green Power Purchasing, and Green Power Community of the Year. EPA’s Purchaser awards recognize the exceptional achievement among EPA Green Power Partners who distinguish themselves through green power procurement, market leadership, overall green power strategy, and overall impact on the green power market. The Awards are held in conjunction with the Renewable Energy Markets Conference. For additional information, please visit http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/awards/.

Kohl's Department Stores

Kohl's Department Stores

Based in Menomonee Falls, Wis., Kohl’s (NYSE: KSS) is a family-focused, value-oriented specialty department store offering moderately priced, exclusive and national brand apparel, shoes, accessories, beauty and home products in an exciting shopping environment. With a commitment to environmental leadership, Kohl’s operates 1,155 stores in 49 states. In support of the communities it serves, Kohl’s has raised more than $231 million for children’s initiatives nationwide through its Kohl’s Cares® cause merchandise program, which operates under Kohl's Cares, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kohl's Department Stores, Inc. For a list of store locations and information, or for the added convenience of shopping online, visit www.Kohls.com, join the discussion on Facebook (facebook.com/Kohls) or Twitter (twitter.com/Kohls) or get inspired on Pinterest (pinterest.com/Kohls) and Instagram (instagram.com/Kohls).

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