(Los Angeles, CA) Today, Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) was recognized by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) for its leadership in air-quality stewardship at its 30th Annual Clean Air Awards Luncheon. The award recognizes LAWA as a "Business Leader in Air Quality," for its sustainability initiatives at Los Angeles International (LAX) and Van Nuys (VNY) general aviation airports. These initiatives include airport carbon accreditation, alternative fuel programs, clean vehicle requirements, and other initiatives that will help LAX reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.
“At LAWA, environmental sustainability is a key component in our efforts to deliver facilities and guest experiences that are exceptional,” said Deborah Flint, Chief Executive Officer, LAWA. “Led by the vision of Mayor Garcetti and the policies of our Board of Airport Commissioners, we have achieved ambitious sustainability goals, piloted new technology, and dramatically reduced our emissions and water usage. We are grateful for this recognition of our efforts to create a cleaner future for the region.”
The SCAQMD acknowledged LAWA, one of only two Business Leader in Air Quality honorees, for a variety of sustainability initiatives. In addition to those mentioned above, LAWA was recognized for expanding electric vehicle usage and its accompanying infrastructure; encouraging the use of biofuel by its airline partners; reducing and recycling waste across construction operations; and reducing GHG emissions by implementing programs to reduce vehicle trips to and from the airport.
“LAWA’s strategic plan offers the region a progressive roadmap to improve air quality, reduce harmful emissions, support healthy communities and contribute to the local and regional economy,” said Wayne Nastri, Executive Officer, SCAQMD. “LAWA is setting a great example of how large organizations can do their part by using innovation, technology and partnership to help clean the region’s air.”
Electric vehicle usage is increasing for both LAWA employees and guests at LAX and VNY. LAWA's recently established Electric Vehicle (EV) Purchasing Policy, approved by the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners in June 2017, requires LAWA to make 50 percent of its light duty purchases electric vehicles by 2017, 80 percent by 2025 and 100 percent by 2035. LAX and VNY guests can enjoy the free use of 101 publicly available charging stations, which can be found at LAX Parking Structures 1, 6, and 7; Park ‘N Fly/Park One near the Central Terminal Area (CTA); Economy (long-term) Parking Lot C; and at the FlyAway station located at VNY.
LAWA's award-winning Employee Rideshare program enjoys a participation rate of about 22 percent annually, and saved about 387,600 gallons of fuel - and the associated GHGs that would have been released upon burning the fuel - in 2017. LAX's FlyAway nonstop bus program experienced 11 percent ridership growth in Fiscal Year 2017, with an increase in total trips made from about 128,000 to 133,000 year-over-year. Because of this increased ridership, about 80,600 vehicle miles were avoided per day.
All of these efforts, and more, are helping LAWA meet its goals of reducing GHG emissions. LAWA's sustainability practices are integrated into the city-wide goals set forth by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti's "Sustainabile pLAn," which include metrics for water usage, electricity generation, food scarcity and cleaner air.
For a closer look into many of LAWA's sustainability emissions, download our 2017 Sustainability Report, available at
https://www.lawa.org/en/lawa-sustainability.
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