ITC : Awarded For Environmental Sustainability

Company's environmental efforts recognized by Wildlife Habitat Council

NOVI, Mich., November 7, 2016 - ITC Michigan earned a Green Infrastructure Project Award and three environmental site recertifications from the Wildlife Habitat Council at the organization's 2016 Conservation Conference Nov. 2-3, 2016 in Baltimore.

ITC's rain garden project at its Wayland, Michigan warehouse in Allegan County earned the Green Infrastructure Project Award. The company's rain garden at its Belleville, Michigan warehouse was nominated for the Green Infrastructure Project Award and the Landscaping Project Award. The rain gardens feature absorbent plants, loose fill and a physical design that lessens the volume of untreated storm water runoff that can pollute rivers and streams.

The Wayland and Belleville projects also were among three environmental site recertifications earned by ITC from the Wildlife Habitat Council. ITC's transmission line right-of-way at Tomlinson Arboretum in Macomb County, Michigan also was recertified.

ITC currently has a total of 14 Wildlife Habitat Council Conservation Certifications in Michigan and Iowa. These and other ITC efforts fall under the company's ISO 14001-based environmental management system, which focuses on environmental sustainability in ITC facilities as well as in the planning, construction, operation and maintenance of the transmission system.

'We place a great deal of importance on minimizing the environmental impact of our projects and operations,' said Jon Jipping, ITC's chief operating officer. 'Whether it is by reducing waste in our facilities through recycling and reuse, conducting environmental assessments to ensure transmission routes avoid endangered species, or maintaining diverse, stable, natural greenways in transmission corridors, we work to ensure we are not only delivering safe, reliable power, but doing it in a way that works responsibly within the surrounding environment.'

Wildlife Habitat Council works with corporations, conservation groups and communities to create habitat and increase biodiversity. 'Companies can play a vital role in conservation programs, as demonstrated by ITC,' said Margaret O'Gorman, president, Wildlife Habitat Council. 'When businesses align their efforts with local, regional and national conservation priorities, it contributes to the collective positive outcome for the environment.'

ITC programs recertified by Wildlife Habitat Council:
Wayland Warehouse Rain Garden, Allegan County, Michigan
Belleville Warehouse Rain Garden, Washtenaw County, Michigan
ITC installed rain gardens and native plants at three facilities in Michigan and Iowa. Recognizing that storm water runoff from urban rooftops, driveways, yards and streets can carry pollutants directly to rivers and streams without any treatment, ITC assessed potential locations for rain gardens as a solution. Each of the three resulting rain gardens - in Belleville and Wayland, Michigan, and Iowa City, Iowa, is designed with plants and loose fill to absorb approximately 4,000 gallons of rain runoff. ITC's employee volunteer Green Team participates in monitoring and maintaining the rain gardens.

Transmission Line Right-of-Way at Tomlinson Arboretum - Macomb County, Michigan
As part of ITC's operations and maintenance efforts, the company and its environmental partners actively manage 1.25 acres of wildlife habitat within the 24-acre Tomlinson Arboretum in Macomb County, Michigan, which highlights plant species and trees native to the state. ITC's environmental team works to identify and replace invasive plant species with species native to the region to maintain biodiversity. These species of shrubs, grasses and wildflowers provide food and cover for wildlife while keeping the transmission line untouched by high growth. The corridor is now home to a variety of wildlife including butterflies, bees, songbirds, rabbits, groundhogs and white-tailed deer. The ITC right-of-way was first certified in 2014.
In addition to these recertifications, the following ITC projects have received Wildlife Habitat Council Conservation Certifications:

Michigan:
• ITC Corporate Headquarters - Novi, Michigan
• Crow Island State Game Area Partnership - Saginaw and Bay Counties, Michigan
• Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy Sand Point Nature Preserve - Huron County, Michigan
• Sterling State Park - Monroe, Michigan
• Stony Creek Metropark Transmission Line Right-of-Way - Macomb and Oakland Counties, Michigan
• Wolcott Mill Metropark Transmission Line Right-of-Way - Macomb County, Michigan
• Chippewa Nature Center Transmission Line Right-of-Way - Midland County, Michigan

Iowa:
• Beverly Park - Cedar Rapids, Iowa
• Sac and Fox Trail - Cedar Rapids, Iowa
• Squaw Creek Park - Marion, Iowa
• Iowa City Warehouse - Iowa City, Iowa

About ITC Holdings Corp.
ITC, a Fortis company, is the largest independent electric transmission company in the United States. Based in Novi, Michigan, ITC invests in the electric transmission grid to improve reliability, expand access to markets, allow new generating resources to interconnect to its transmission systems and lower the overall cost of delivered energy. Through its regulated operating subsidiaries ITCTransmission, Michigan Electric Transmission Company, ITC Midwest and ITC Great Plains, ITC owns and operates high-voltage transmission facilities in Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma, serving a combined peak load exceeding 26,000 megawatts along approximately 15,700 circuit miles of transmission line with 660 employees and nearly 1,000 contractors across its seven state footprint. ITC's grid development focus includes growth through regulated infrastructure investment as well as domestic and international expansion through merchant and other commercial development opportunities. Additional information can be accessed at www.itc-holdings.com.

About the Wildlife Habitat Council
Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) promotes and certifies habitat conservation and management on corporate lands through partnerships and education. WHC Conservation Certification programs take corporate sustainability goals and objectives and translate them into tangible and measurable on-the-ground actions. Through a focus on building collaboration for conservation with corporate employees, other conservation organizations, government agencies and community members, WHC programs focus on healthy ecosystems and connected communities. WHC-assisted wildlife habitat and conservation education programs are found in 48 states and 17 countries. To learn more, visit www.wildlifehc.org.

Media Contacts:
Robert Doetsch, 248-946-3493; [e-mail]
Patricia Leidemer, Wildlife Habitat Council, 240-247-0933; [e-mail]

Source: ITC Holdings Corp.