San Francisco, Portland, New Orleans International Airports and Dane County Regional Airport Honored with ACI-NA's 2007 Environmental Achievement Awards

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- Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA) selected San Francisco International, Portland International and Dane County Regional Airport as winners of its 2007 Environmental Achievement Awards. Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport also won a special recognition award.

"Airports have many innovative programs to mitigate environmental impacts of their operations," said Jessica Steinhilber, ACI-NA's Director of Environmental Affairs. "The ACI-NA Environmental Achievement Awards highlight those airports that set an example for the industry by going above and beyond regulatory compliance standards to protect and preserve the environment. The 2007 winners demonstrate outstanding elements that exemplify the mission of this award."

San Francisco International Airport won the Environmental Management Award for its Environmental Sustainability Program. The San Francisco International Airport plays a key role in meeting the City's commitment to attaining environmental sustainability. Significant measures have been undertaken to reduce emissions, save energy, improve water quality, preserve natural resources, and minimize waste at the airport. Components of the airport's Environmental Sustainability Program include a pilot program with Virgin Atlantic to tow departing aircraft part-way to the runway, 400 Hz power and pre-conditioned air at many gates, conversion of airport shuttles to bio-diesel fuel, installation of solar panels, and a solid waste minimization and recycling program.

Portland International Airport won the award for Outreach/Education/Community Involvement with its Environmental Outreach and Communications Program. The Port of Portland's Environmental Outreach and Communication Program informs stakeholders about the Port's aviation environmental programs and integrates stakeholder input to those programs through use of Community Integration Guidelines developed specifically for the Program. The Program, which includes a dedicated Environmental Outreach Manager, enhances relationship building between the airport and the community, allowing more effective implementation of the airport's proactive environmental projects.

Dane County Regional Airport won the Mitigation Award for its Runway 14/32 Safety Area and Associated Improvements. To bring Runway 14/32's safety area into compliance with FAA design standards, the Dane County Regional Airport relocated 2.4 miles of active rail line, 0.8 miles of a county highway, over one mile of creek, and the airport perimeter road and fence. The project resulted in 36 acres of direct wetland fill and 35 acres of secondary impact, necessitating 53 acres of wetland mitigation credit. In conjunction with 10 federal, state, and local agencies, the airport developed an on-site mitigation plan that included measures to address adverse historical impacts to water resources. The airport restored both the hydrology of the Cherokee Fen, including buffer plantings and sediment removal, and the Starkweather Creek. The mitigation measures of the project will result in a net overall enhancement to local water resources.

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport won a special recognition award for its Runway 10-28 Rehabilitation, Levee Lift, Flood Gate, and Canal Enclosure because of the laudable impact this project had on the environment and the community,    Having been in service for almost 30 years without a major rehabilitation, rehabilitating Runway 10-28 became a priority for the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport in late 2003. The project was completed successfully through use of monetary incentives for early completion, innovative and environmentally-friendly construction techniques, and inclusion of regional flood protection construction works. Completion of the rehabilitation coincided almost to the hour of Hurricane Katrina making landfall near New Orleans. With daily operations soaring from an average of 700 to as many as 3,800, completion of the rehabilitated runway proved critical to emergency operations following the Hurricane's devastating effects.

The 2006 Environmental Achievement Award winners included: Winnipeg International Airport and Oakland International Airport. Winnipeg was honored for its Central Deicing Facility (CDF) and Oakland for its Materials Management Program (MMP).

The Environmental Achievement Awards program was revised in 2007 with new award categories, judging criteria and implementation of independent judges. Categories were added for environmental management and outreach/education/community involvement. Entries were judged on environmental benefits, innovation, effective implementation, widespread applicability and cost effectiveness. 2007 judges included David Bell, editor of Aviation and Environment News and Noise Regulation Report; George Donohue, professor of Air Transportation Technology and Policy at George Mason University; and Sabrina Johnson, policy analyst for the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Air and Radiation.

Created in 1997, the contest has generated tremendous interest throughout the industry and has been the springboard for numerous environmental programs at airports. Award winners will be recognized at ACI-NA's 16th Annual Conference & Exhibition in Kansas City, Wednesday, Oct. 3, during the Chairman's Honors Luncheon. In addition, the winning airport authorities will be invited to make presentations during the Environmental Affairs Conference in spring 2008.