ATLANTA – Staples, the Alabama Department of Transportation, and the Kentucky Clean Fuels Coalition were recently honored for their environmental leadership by the Southeast Diesel Collaborative (SEDC).
On behalf of the SEDC, Beverly Banister, director of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4 Air, Pesticides, and Toxics Management Division, presented the SEDC Leadership Awards to the 2011 winners during the Southeast Diesel Collaborative 7th Annual Partners Meeting in Atlanta.
The following awards were presented to the organizations:
SEDC Industry Leadership Award:
Staples Inc. (Framingham, Mass.)
Highlighted achievements:
Outfitting fleet with 53 electric delivery trucks, with six of these in service in Atlanta.
Implementing efficiency initiatives including hybrid vehicles, advanced idle reduction technology, engine horsepower reduction, transmission changes, and route planning to improve fuel economy by 18 percent since 2006.
Achieving fuel savings of 724,000 gallons and reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 8000 tons annually in 2010.
SEDC Community Leadership Award:
Alabama Department of Transportation
Highlighted achievements:
Implementing a fleet replacement program to auction older diesel vehicles to acquire vehicles and equipment that meet the 2007 and 2010 diesel emission standards.
Retrofitting 312 on road and off road vehicles and equipment with diesel oxidation catalysts, either stand-alone or in concert with a closed crankcase ventilation system.
Maintaining a fleet of 1256 alternative fuel vehicles and supporting the development of biofuels infrastructure in Alabama.
Deploying GPS units in two-thirds of their fleet to ensure accountability with their no idle policy.
SEDC Visionary Champion Leadership Award:
Kentucky Clean Fuels Coalition
Highlighted achievements:
Partnering with the Kentucky Department of Education to purchase and create the largest hybrid bus fleet in the nation.
Managing alternative fuel and advanced technology projects across the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Promoting sustainability partnerships with industry and other organizations.
The efforts by Staples, the Alabama DOT, and the Kentucky Clean Fuels Coalition demonstrated exemplary leadership in the use of latest clean diesel technologies, and serve as a role model for others to follow in effective collaboration and partnership to reduce diesel emissions, according to the SEDC.
This is the fourth year the SEDC Leadership Council has presented the Leadership Awards to recognize exemplary projects in emissions reductions in EPA Region 4. Nominated parties are judged on their effectiveness in meeting the SEDC’s goal to reduce emissions from existing diesel engines and the work done in several sectors to reduce these emissions. Previous years’ winners include UPS, Coca-Cola Enterprises, Ingram Barge Company, the North Carolina Solar Center, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and Miami-Dade County, Florida Government.
Organized in early 2006 by EPA Region 4, the Southeast Diesel Collaborative has enjoyed unprecedented success in bringing together leaders from federal, state and local governments, organizations, industry and academia to reduce diesel engine emissions across the eight southeastern states. Focused on promoting energy independence, a cleaner environment and growing, sustainable economies, this partnership offers wide ranging health and economic benefits to the public fleet, freight and non-road sectors.
The Southeast Diesel Collaborative is part of EPA’s National Clean Diesel Campaign, a program combining regulatory measures with voluntary initiatives to reduce the pollution emitted from diesel engines across the country. Visit the Southeast Diesel Collaborative website at: www.southeastdiesel.org.
