CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- Charlottesville has once again been named a Sustainability Partner in the Virginia Environmental Excellence Program.

According to a release, this is the 10th consecutive year the city has received this honor from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.

The city is being recognized for accomplishments from 2021, upholding environmental records and going beyond legal requirements.

The VEEP Sustainability Partners program aims to encourage organizations across the Commonwealth to make environmental sustainability a part of their culture.

This can be through leadership, innovation, and continual improvement.

The release says they can demonstrate their commitment through verifiable conservation efforts with direct and indirect improvements in energy usage, water usage, waste generation, and more.

“This approval is in recognition of the numerous significant environmental achievements the City of Charlottesville has made to date and the ambitious sustainability goals you have set for the future,” said Meghann Quinn, Office of Pollution Prevention Manager. 

Charlottesville's collaboration with Albemarle County and the University of Virginia was highlighted, as was work with community partners to get climate action kits to children in the fifth grade.

There are also solar systems on government and school buildings that surpassed two gigawatt-hours of power production.

For more information on Charlottesville's Sustainability Initiatives, click here.