A Clovis-based chrome plating company received national recognition Wednesday from federal officials for its effort to eliminate the use of highly toxic chemicals.

Valley Chrome Plating was recognized as part of the National Partnership for Environmental Priorities program.

Jared Blumenfeld, the Environmental Protection Agency's regional administrator, honored the company during his two-day sweep through the Valley that ended Wednesday. Blumenfeld's visit included stops at an almond processing plant, the University of California at Merced, California State University, Fresno, and the South Valley.

"There are more than 500 metal plating plants in California and most of them are in neighborhoods, performing some of the most toxic activities around," Blumenfeld said. "And you have one place here in the Valley that, in terms of environmental benefits, is among the best of the best."

Ray Lucas, president of Valley Chrome Plating, said the company has become a zero discharge plant that recycles all of its production materials. It also switched two years ago from the highly toxic hexavalent chromium -- a protective metal finish -- to the less toxic trivalent chromium.

The company, which makes truck bumpers, said the changes have saved the family-owned firm thousands of dollars in waste treatment costs and hauling fees.

Blumenfeld, who is based in San Francisco, said reducing the use of toxic chemicals in this industry is a significant accomplishment. He said that over the past two years, nearly half of the enforcement actions in California, Nevada, Arizona and Hawaii were against metal finishing plants.

Hexavalent chromium can cause serious health effects, from irritation to the skin, nose, eyes and throat, to lung cancer in workers.

Also on Wednesday, Blumenfeld toured Fresno State's Center for Irrigation Technology where campus officials talked about the university's role in developing water technology.

The goal is to make Fresno County the hub for water-related and irrigation companies.

"We have investors and tech companies from Silicon Valley who are starting to look at what is going on down here," said Helle Peterson, who heads business development for Fresno State's Water, Energy & Technology Center.