CSX Transportation First Railroad To Join The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Leaders Program

CSX Transportation (CSXT), a subsidiary of CSX Corporation (NYSE: CSX - News), today became the first railroad to join the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Leaders program, pledging to annually inventory and publicly report its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and establish a voluntary goal for reducing them.

“CSX Transportation is committed to environmental stewardship,” said CSX Corporation Chairman, President and CEO Michael J. Ward. “We’ve made significant improvements in our environmental performance even as the nation’s reliance on freight rail transportation has increased. We look forward to working with the EPA as a Climate Leader to build on our progress and further reduce emissions.”

Climate Leaders was created by the EPA in 2002 to encourage companies to reduce GHG emissions by working with the agency to set achievable reduction goals and document their success.

“EPA is proud to work in collaboration with our industry partners to voluntarily reduce their climate footprints in cost-effective ways,” said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. “By reaching their ambitious greenhouse gas reduction goals, leading companies like CSXT are proving they can protect our environment while boosting their bottom lines.”

Since 1980, CSXT initiatives have improved fuel efficiency by approximately 73 percent. In the past five years, CSXT has invested more than $1 billion to upgrade its fleet with more efficient, low-emission locomotives.

“I commend CSXT for taking leadership within the rail industry on the very important issue of climate change,” said Rep. Corrine Brown (D-FL), Chairwoman of the House Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.

“As Congress looks for solutions to climate change, increasing freight rail shipments is critical to reducing greenhouse gas and other emissions from the transportation sector.”

At a time when rail traffic is increasing, new technology and conservation efforts have allowed CSXT to reduce annual fuel use by 30 million gallons. The savings have made tens of millions of dollars available for infrastructure improvements such as increasing rail capacity. Railroads are the most environmentally friendly form of surface transportation, and additional capacity allows more environmental gains.