Today SEPTA provides an update to its award-winning Sustainability Program with the release of the SEP-TAINABLE Annual Report for 2020. The Authority also acknowledges the current crisis and its impact on our society and is committed to all the sustainability objectives outlined in the report.
Since 2012, SEPTA has established itself as a regional and industry sustainability leader, winning awards for dedication to a comprehensive triple-bottom-line approach to environmental, social, and economic sustainability. The 2020 Annual Report details sustainability achievements from the past year, including:
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- Entering into a virtual power purchase agreement for 35 MW of solar power to be developed in Franklin County, PA, zeroing out nearly 20 percent of SEPTA’s greenhouse gas emissions inventory.
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- Commissioning of two rooftop solar power installations, which have generated more than 500 megawatt-hours of clean electricity to date.
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- Introduction into service of 25 battery-electric buses, one of the largest such zero-emission transit fleets in the United States.
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- Progress on a whole-building energy efficiency retrofit of SEPTA’s headquarters.
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- Completion of an eight-acre stormwater management project, nearly doubling SEPTA’s acreage of greened property.
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- Recertification of two maintenance facilities under the rigorous and globally recognized ISO 14001 standard for environmental management.
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- Hosting of farmer’s markets at eight SEPTA properties to improve availability of fresh, healthy food to our service communities.
Also, in November 2019, SEPTA’s Sustainability Program Plan was recognized by 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania with a “Commonwealth Award” for its enduring commitment to environmental, social and economic sustainability for the region.
“SEPTA’s Sustainability Program has generated millions of dollars in cost savings, grants, and new revenues, benefitting both the environment and the bottom line,” said SEPTA Board Chairman Pasquale T. Deon, Sr. “This annual report represents yet another year of progress towards building a safer, more efficient and sustainable transit system for our region, especially with new solar initiatives and the introduction of our new battery electric buses.”
“SEPTA is proud of the many accomplishments outlined in the 2020 Sustainability Annual Report,” said SEPTA General Manager Leslie S. Richards. “We accomplished a lot, from investments in solar technology and energy efficient facilities, to hybrid and battery-electric buses, SEPTA truly remains on the cutting edge of this vital field, which will only become more important as we emerge from this crisis.”
More information about SEPTA’s Sustainability Program is available at http://www.septa.org/sustain
-via Press Release