CSX Corporation announced that the company reached its voluntary goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 8% per revenue ton mile ahead of schedule.
The achievement, expected by the end of 2011 but accomplished in late 2010, involved reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 1.5 million metric tons – the equivalent of taking 296,000 cars off the road for one year, or consuming more than 3.5 million fewer barrels of oil.
“This effort demonstrates CSX’s unyielding commitment to environmental excellence and its ability to set and meet aggressive goals,” said Michael J. Ward, chairman, president, and CEO of CSX.
“Transporting freight by rail is already the most environmentally-friendly way to move goods around the country, and we are proud to be an industry leader, developing sustainable solutions that have a positive impact on the environment.”
CSX’s emissions reduction goal, part of its participation in the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Climate Leaders program, was the first ever emissions reduction commitment by a major transportation provider.
This commitment is just one part of CSX’s environmental stewardship plan, designed to continuously reduce the environmental footprint of freight transportation in the nation.
In addition to employing ultra-low emission GenSet locomotives, CSX has dedicated significant resources to its National Gateway initiative, modernising transportation infrastructure to allow for more efficient double-stacked intermodal trains.
New facilities, like the one the company recently opened in North Baltimore, Ohio, include innovations such as electric cranes and optical cargo scanners to improve efficiency, lower emissions, and decrease truck idling times.
Infrastructure enhancements like the National Gateway are critical to mitigating challenges the nation faces associated with rising fuel costs, crowded highways, and greenhouse gas emissions.
The American population continues to grow exponentially, driving increased demand for the basic goods that fuel our everyday lives, many of which are shipped via freight rail.
Current estimates from the Federal Highway Administration predict that total U.S. freight shipments will increase more than 60 percent over the next 30 years.
“With expectations of massive increases in freight demand in the coming decades, it is increasingly important that all modes of transportation work together to make the global supply chain as efficient and environmentally-friendly as possible,” Ward said.
“Improving the efficiency of our operations helps CSX do its part to ‘green’ the global supply chain to the benefit of our customers, consumers and the environment.”
