(The Association of American Railroads issued the following news release on April 25.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Railroad employees from Enola, Pa.; Fort Worth, Tex.; Martinsville, Ind.; Providence, R.I.; St. Paul, Minn.; and Seattle, Wash., will be honored for their contributions to the environment at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, April 30 when the Association of American Railroads announces the winner of the John H. Chafee Environmental Excellence Awards.
Senator Lincoln Chafee, R-Rhode Island, will present the awards, which honor his father s legacy as a leading environmentalist who understood and promoted the environmental advantages of rail transportation. James Connaughton, chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, will give opening remarks, and Congressman Sherwood Boehlert, chairman of the House Science Committee will deliver the keynote address.
The connection between railroads and the environment is strong one, said AAR President and CEO Edward R. Hamberger. Railroads are the most environmentally friendly form of transportation, more fuel efficient than any other modes. Freight rail can also play a key role in alleviating traffic congestions, and taking trucks off the highway.
Beyond that, we are blessed with tens of thousands of environmentally-conscious employees who in addition to their daily job responsibilities have dedicated extra time and effort to protecting the environment.
Two awards will be given out at the ceremony, one to an environmental professional employed in the railroad industry and the other to an employee who is not employed in as an environmental professional.
Professional Award Winner
Melvin Burda, Director-Environmental Operations, Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company, Fort Worth, Texas
Mel has worked on environmental issues for the railroad since 1977, in the process writing a manual on waste water treatment and doing research that led to the use of natural microrganisms to decontaminate soil. He currently serves as Chairman of the AAR s Environmental Affairs Working Committee and was elected first Chairman of the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance Association s Environmental Committee 13, coordinating three symposiums designed to increase understanding of railway environmental issues. Over the past two years, he developed a program to survey BNSF structures for vermiculite insulation which contains asbestos. More than 5,000 facilities were surveyed, with 118 found to contain vermiculate. All will have been cleared by July of this year. Also, asbestos containing materials were removed from more than 100 additional structures and asbestos containing thermal wrap was removed from more than 2,700 locomotives. He has coordinated environmental training for more than 13,000 railroad employees. He also coordinated the review and update of the railroad s environmental policies. Off the job, he has advised the Mayor and City Council in Keller, Tex., where he lives, on a variety of environmental issues, including recycling and wetlands. He is also involved with Habitat for Humanity and has helped build more than 40 homes.
Nominees for the non-professional award:
Paul Agren; Roadway Mechanic; Amtrak; Providence, Rhode Island
Paul is the consummate recycler whose efforts to find alternatives to waste disposal have led to both cost savings and resource recovery. Since he began managing the waste stream at the Providence facility, monthly disposal costs have been reduced by almost 60 percent as wooden pallets, rubber hoses and other materials are recycled instead of thrown away. He developed contacts with one recycling contractor that disposes of wood ties by processing them so they can be burnt for energy and concrete ties by pulverizing them so they can be used as aggregate for commercial purposes. His recycling efforts have been estimated to save Amtrak $7,200 annually. Paul also anticipates and prevents potential problems such as environmental releases and violations. He lives in Rumford, R.I.
Gary W. Biggs, Maintenance Supervisor; Union Pacific; Fort Worth, Tex.
A 35-year railroad employee, Gary is a member of the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Team at UP s Fort Worth locomotive shop, He also monitors all maintenance needs at the facility, including crane operation, water/oil servicing systems, sand tower, wash house, generators, lighting and heating/cooling. He sees to it that oil, fuel and other contaminates are removed properly from the locomotive wash house. As a result of his efforts, an average of 821 gallons per month of skim diesel oil was recovered and properly recycled during 2002, which is the lowest spill ratio on the UP system. He also recycles contaminated fuel from locomotives with mechanical problems, and saved the railroad $120,000 last year by recycling fuel from retired locomotives. Gary also took personal time to develop a local policy to dispose of harmful environmental wastes. He lives in Fort Worth.
Matt A. Bruno, Machinist; Canadian Pacific Railway; St. Paul, Minn.
Matt volunteered to monitor hazardous waste storage materials at CPR s St. Paul shops. His responsibility includes fluorescent lamp storage area, battery storage container, zep tanks and spent zep filters, used oil tanks, aerosol cans, used oil filters, wicks, paint cans, grease, wood sealer, sludge, used oil, and all used batteries. He also conducts a weekly monitoring program that covers pit sand, used petroleum, oil sorbents, toilet chemical, soap and anti freeze totes, empty barrel disposal, trash containers. Matt managed the introduction of recycling program for gear cases by convincing an on-site contract that recycling program would reduce costs. He is currently involved in an initiative to recycle cardboard that could eventually result in new revenue to the company. Matt lives in Brooklyn Park, Minn.
Trent M. Hudak, Manager of Engineering; Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company; Seattle, Wash.
A 17-year railroad industry employee, Trent is responsible for managing the planning, design, and construction of track and other railroad facilities such as intermodal hubs, yards and maintenance facilities in an environmentally-sensitive part of the country. After a number of weather-related events led to increased regulatory oversight on railroad property near waterways, he established a communications program and developed procedures that permitted the railroad to work effectively with the Army Corps of Engineers. Another achievement was publication of the first Standard Operating Procedures manual which facilitates both routine and emergency repair work in an environmentally sound manner. He also initiated employee training on the requirements of the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act. While the program initially began in Trent s home area, it has since been expanded to all Army Corps of Engineers offices on BNSF. While focusing on big picture issues, Trent has also found time to work on improving culverts that serve as fish passage of several species of endangered salmon and represent the railroad in two habitat enhancement efforts along BNSF right of way. Trent lives is Issaquah, Washington.
Robert Leonard; Electrician; Norfolk Southern; Enola, Pa.
Rob is responsible for the operation, maintenance and environmental compliance of the Enola Diesel Shop Waste Water Treatment Plant and also monitors the Harrisburg Mainline Fuel Pad oil/water separator. A 32-year railroad employee, he has been in charge of the Waste Water Treatment Plant for the past 10 years. During that time, the plant has improved to the point where there have been no discharge violations for three years now. This plant is located on the banks of the Susquehanna River and discharges directly to the river. Because of the sensitivity of this operation, the city and state will conduct unannounced inspections for compliance. He has spent many nights and days during snow storms, hurricanes, and thunderstorms on the property keeping the emergency generator operating so that all equipment will continue to operate and continue the flow of properly treated effluent. Rob lives in Marysville, Pa.
Robert D. Toms, Senior General Foreman; CSX Transportation; Indianapolis, Ind.
Bob Toms is an active participant in CSX s Hazmat Sentinel Program, which was developed to be the company s first line of defense during an environmental emergency. He is now part of a team developing an advanced hazmat program called Sentinel Plus. He has received extensive training and expertise which he has passed along not just to other employees but also to local fire departments through hazmat training classes. He also conducts tabletop exercises, simulating environmental emergencies for local and state emergency agencies and responders. Bob also initiated a waste minimization program in the shop he oversees, implementing a switch to steam cleaning floors from using solvent-based products. This allows the waste water treatment plant to easily separate oils and solids from the wash-down operation. He also instigated a switch from petroleum based lubricants for freight car doors to more environmentally-friendly graphite lubricants. This practice is now followed company-wide. And he began a recycling program for scrap metal and wooden pallets. Away from work, Bob is an avid conservationist who donates time to reclaiming land for wild habitat. Bob lives in Martinsville, Ind.