The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) today announced that the Emissions Reduction Program at Boston Logan International Airport is the winner of the 2008 Environmental Management Award presented by the Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA). Award winners will be recognized at the ACI World/North America Conference & Exhibition in Boston in September.
The Airport Emission Reduction Program encompasses a wide range of efforts that have significantly improved air quality in and around Logan, the nation’s 19th busiest airport. These include: alternative ground access transportation options; use of alternative fuel vehicles; energy optimization and conservation; and building design measures.
Emissions reduction is one of the most prominent environmental, operational and community issues currently facing the aviation industry. For airports in particular, addressing air quality is a challenge since the largest sources of emissions are typically aircraft engines and vehicles over which airports have little or no control. Massport recognizes this challenge and since the mid-1990s has developed and implemented a broad range of innovative programs at Logan Airport to reduce airport-wide emissions. Specific programs include Massport’s aggressive High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) goals, maintenance of one of the largest fleets of CNG buses in New England along with an on-airport CNG station, and partnering with the City of Boston to promote the conversion of taxi cabs to hybrid vehicles. Most recently, Massport initiated a pilot renewable energy program in which 20 wind turbines were installed on its administrative offices at the airport. Logan is also home to the world’s first passenger terminal certified in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), as well as the first LEED-certified general aviation facility.
“Logan Airport is serious about reducing its environmental footprint,” said Massport’s Director of Aviation Edward C. Freni. “Our high occupancy Logan Express buses deliver more than one million passengers and employees to the airport each year. Our CNG shuttle buses have traveled more than 11 million clean miles. For passengers who can’t conveniently take public transit, we also reserve prime garage parking spaces for hybrid vehicles. While these ground access programs fulfill many transit needs, the unifying theme is reducing emissions.”
ACI-NA represents local, regional and state governing bodies that own and operate commercial airports in the United States and Canada. ACI-NA member airports enplane more than 95 percent of the domestic and virtually all the international airline passenger and cargo traffic in North America. Nearly 400 aviation-related businesses are also members.
Boston Logan serves as the gateway to the New England region and offers nonstop service to 70 domestic and 31 international destinations and in 2007 handled 28.1 million passengers. Boston Logan is the Air Line Pilot Association’s Airport of the Year for 2008 because of its commitment to safety. Over the past decade, the airport has spent $4.4 billion on a modernization program that includes new terminals, parking facilities, roadways and airport concessions, and has transformed the airport into a world-class 21st Century facility.