continues to green the airports
AIRPORT VOICE, JANUARY 2022 15
taken in New Jersey.”
“With this important commitment
to net-zero by 2050, the
Port Authority is stepping up to
the seriousness of the climate
crisis,” said Port Authority Chairman
Kevin O’Toole. “Delivering
on the commitments made
in 2018 when we became the
first U.S. transportation agency
to embrace the Paris Climate
Agreement, and with the new
policy goals and initiatives announced
today, the agency is
fully committed to acting aggressively
to do our part to mitigate
the effects of climate change.”
The Port sets new
goals set in the
“Clean Dozens”
-Halving agency-wide direct
emissions by 2030, cutting
137,000 Tons of Greenhouse
emissions annually
-Commits the agency to
100% Electric Light-Duty Vehicle
Fleet by 2030, and 50% Electric
Medium- and Heavy-Duty Fleet
by 2035; More Than 1,250 Internal
Combustion Engine Vehicles
Replaced
-Advances Initiatives Related
to Zero-Emissions Ground Support
Equipment and Sustainable
Aviation Fuel at Airports Electrification
Roadmap to be Released
by 2022, Outlining Transition to
Electric Equipment and Other Infrastructure
Across Agency Operations
-Collaborate with Business
Partners and Stakeholders to
Promote and Accelerate Net-
Zero Ambitions
-New Ambitious Measures
Build on Agency’s 2018 Commitment
to Paris Climate Agreement
Governor Hochul responded
to the agency’s initiatives, “New
York is a national leader in combating
climate change and with
our neighbors across the river,
the Port Authority is making a
massive, groundbreaking commitment
here, Port Authority going
‘net-zero’ also significantly
supports New York’s path to a
carbon-neutral economy, and
the entire region will benefit from
it with healthier bodies and a
healthier planet.”
Net-Zero Roadmap
“Net-Zero” refers to a state in
which GHG emissions are eliminated
or offset .The path to netzero
is conceptually simple • All
vehicles become electric vehicles
• Buildings are efficient
• On-site solar • Grid power all
from renewable sources • The
most challenging nuts to crack
are aircraft, ships, and to a lesser
extent building heating/cooling,
Partners in all segments have
adopted or are moving toward
net-zero goals, enabling real collaboration
Initial Steps in
the 2018 “Clean
Dozen” Initiatives
Electrification progress is
stated on each element of the
plan.
1) 36 intra-airport shuttle
buses-Completed
2) 50% of PA’s light vehicle
fleet to electric models. In progress
(50% by 2023)
3) JFK fast-charging hub
Completed Renewable energy
4) Solar and fuel-cell initiatives
at 6 Port Authority facilities
Completed (1 project) -in progress
(4 projects) 5) 5MW community
solar project at JFK-in
progress Sustainable buildings /
energy efficiency
6) LED re-lamping initiatives/
upgrades-Completed (3
projects)-In progress (2 projects)
7) $100 million for multiple energy
efficiency projects-In progress
8) Sustainability measures in
airport redevelopment projects-
Completed (in leases) Indirect
emissions and partnerships
9) Pilot straddle-carrier at the
Elizabeth-Port Authority Marine
Terminal-In progress
10) Extend the Ocean-going
Vessel Clean Vessel Incentive
Program-Completed
11) Offshore wind support for
NY and NJ In progress 12) Join
and partner with 6 sustainability
coalitions -Completed
Proposed New Initiatives
“Clean Dozen 2.0”
1) Deploy 20+ more electric
airport shuttle buses JFK, EWR
(up from 36 in service)
2) Achieve 100% electric PA
light vehicle fleet by 2030; 50%
medium/heavy duty fleet by 2035
3) Adopt airport policy for
zero-emissions Ground Support
Equipment (GSE)
4) Adopt port policy for zeroemissions
Cargo Handling
Equipment (CHE)
5) Implement airport fastcharging
hubs for taxis and For-
Hire-Vehicles (EWR, LGA)
6) Develop “Getting to Zero”
electrification strategy, issue RFI
Renewable energy
7) Maximize on-site solar; additional
solar installations at 4 PA
facilities
8) Increase purchase of electricity
from clean renewable
sources
9) Advance use of Sustainable
Aviation Fuel; issue Logistics
and Production report for PA
airports Sustainable buildings /
energy efficiency
10) Set net-zero building standards;
expand energy efficiency
program (launch 8 new projects);
strengthen low-carbon construction
requirements
11) Issue Airport recycling
policy, PA Zero Waste target
12) Set net-zero vision for new
PABT, accommodate all-electric
bus fleets Indirect Initiatives and
Partnerships Join Global Commercial
Drive To Zero, Clean
Skies for Tomorrow coalition.
“The Port Authority continues
to take increasingly aggressive
actions, recognizing our responsibility
as an agency that
operates across many modes
of transportation,” said Christine
Weydig, Port Authority’s
director of the office of sustainability.
“To reach this net-zero
goal by 2050, we will be working
diligently with stakeholders
across all of our business lines
to accelerate the transition to a
low-carbon economy and bring
those economic opportunities
and environmental benefits
to our local communities. The
detailed initiatives described
below have been dubbed the
Clean Dozen 2.0. These initiative
build on the Port Authority’s
original “Clean Dozen,” a set
of 12 climate-focused projects
launched by the agency as part
of its embrace of the Paris Climate
Agreement in 2018. The
costs of the current initiatives,
laid out below, will be absorbed
within the Port Authority’s operating
and capital plans.
Electrification
Commitment
The Port plans to increase the
commitment to electric buses by
60 percent (a total of nearly 60
buses) to meet expanded service
related to airport redevelopment
and assure that all its regular
duty airport shuttle buses will be
all electric. The agency already is
the operator of the largest electric
bus fleet of any U.S. airport
system.
-Commit to 100 percent electric
agency light-duty vehicle
fleet by 2030, and 50 percent
electric medium- and heavy-duty
fleet by 2035.
-Require the transition at
Port Authority airports to clean
zero-emissions electric airport
ground support equipment to
the maximum extent practicable,
as such equipment become
available from manufacturers.
Beginning with the phase-out
by 2027 of fossil-fueled baggage
tugs, belt loaders, and
aircraft positioning tractors,
this initiative will replace “dirty”
models that produce greenhouse
gas emissions and air
pollutants (these requirements
will be subject to a 30-day public
comment period).
-Require the transition at
the Port of New York and New
Jersey to clean zero-emissions
electric port material-handling
equipment, to the maximum extent
practicable, as such equipment
becomes available from
manufacturers. Beginning with
a phase-out of diesel ship-toshore
cranes and over time replacing
diesel equipment such
as terminal tractors, this initiative
will replace “dirty” models
that produce greenhouse gas
emissions and air pollutants
(these requirements will be subject
to a 30-day public comment
period).
-Commit to building more
fast-charging infrastructure
across the Port Authority airports
to advance electric vehicle usage
among taxis, ride-sharing
services and other for-hire vehicles,
with initial construction in
2022 of two pilot electric vehicle
fast-charging hubs at Newark
Liberty and LaGuardia airports,
modeled after the existing fastcharging
hub in use at John F.
Kennedy International Airport.
-Release an agency wide
“Getting to Zero” electrification
strategy
This is supported by industry
and stakeholder responses to a
Request for Information #RFI-
6000000667 at
https://www.panynj.gov/portauthority/
en/business-opportunities/
solicitations-advertisements/
goods-services.html
Renewables and
Sustainable Fuel
-Maximize use of on-site solar
energy at Port Authority facilities,
achieving 20 megawatts of installed
capacity by 2023 through
current projects, including the
largest solar plus energy storage
project in New York, at John
F. Kennedy International Airport.
Add approximately 7 megawatts
of additional solar by 2025 at facilities
such as LaGuardia and
Newark Liberty airports, Port Jersey,
and the George Washington
Bridge, with additional projects to
be implemented between 2025
and 2030.
-Vigorously increase our purchase
at all our facilities of electricity
generated from clean, renewable
sources such as solar
and wind.
According to environmental
sustainable executive of the Port
Christine Weydig,
“We are actively preparing
PANYNJ airports for Sustainable
Aviation Fuel and looking
at regional production options
that would support green jobs
and the transition to a low carbon
economy. Read the report
we commissioned from National
Renewable Energy Laboratory
on the topic that will provide a
roadmap for SAF adoption. The
report can be read here:
https://www.nrel.gov/docs/
fy22osti/80716.pdf
Sustainable
Buildings / Energy
Efficiency
Building Initiatives:
(a) Strengthen existing sustainable
building and infrastructure
design requirements to be
consistent with net-zero 2050 targets,
for all new construction and
renovations.
(b) Expand the Port Authority’s
robust energy efficiency
programs to existing buildings.
At least eight new energy efficiency
projects will be implemented
by 2024 at facilities
such as John F. Kennedy and
Newark Liberty international airports,
PATH stations, Holland
Tunnel, and World Trade Center;
with additional projects to be
implemented between 2025 and
2030.
(c) Ensure full compliance
with Port Authority’s clean construction
guidelines to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions associated
with construction materials
and activities.
Issue airport-wide recycling
policy within 90 days, to be implemented
in phases, in support
of establishing a path to agencywide
zero waste targets.
Establish a net-zero vision
for the new Midtown Bus Terminal.
The new terminal will be designed
to accommodate all-electric
bus fleets and adopt design
features and technology to drive
toward net-zero to the maximum
extent practicable.
Said Port Authority Executive
Director Rick Cotton. “By bringing
the Port Authority’s climate
goals in line with the Biden administration’s,
we are unequivocally
recognizing the severity of
the climate crisis. We are proud
to build on our 2018 goals outlined
in our embrace of the Paris
Climate Agreement to take even
more ambitious actions to do
our part to mitigate the potentially
devastating effects of global
warming.”
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