LAWA Recognized as "Business Leader In Air Quality" by South Coast Air Quality Management District with 2018 Clean Air Award

10/05/2018 03:20 PM

Award recognizes a variety of LAWA's innovative sustainability solutions.
For Immediate Release
October 5, 2018


Contact:
Frederick Badlissi

(424) 646-5260

LAWA RECOGNIZED AS "BUSINESS LEADER IN AIR QUALITY" BY SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT WITH 2018 CLEAN AIR AWARD

The work of LAWA officials from Environmental Programs, Sustainability, Rideshare Services, and Landside Management & Airport Permits groups, pictured above, all play a part in reducing LAX and VNY's carbon footprint.

(Los Angeles, CA) Today, Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) was recognized by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) for its leadership in air-quality stewardship at its 30th Annual Clean Air Awards Luncheon. The award recognizes LAWA as a "Business Leader in Air Quality," for its sustainability initiatives at Los Angeles International (LAX) and Van Nuys (VNY) general aviation airports. These initiatives include airport carbon accreditation, alternative fuel programs, clean vehicle requirements, and other initiatives that will help LAX reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.

“At LAWA, environmental sustainability is a key component in our efforts to deliver facilities and guest experiences that are exceptional,” said Deborah Flint, Chief Executive Officer, LAWA. “Led by the vision of Mayor Garcetti and the policies of our Board of Airport Commissioners, we have achieved ambitious sustainability goals, piloted new technology, and dramatically reduced our emissions and water usage. We are grateful for this recognition of our efforts to create a cleaner future for the region.”

The SCAQMD acknowledged LAWA, one of only two Business Leader in Air Quality honorees, for a variety of sustainability initiatives. In addition to those mentioned above, LAWA was recognized for expanding electric vehicle usage and its accompanying infrastructure; encouraging the use of biofuel by its airline partners; reducing and recycling waste across construction operations; and reducing GHG emissions by implementing programs to reduce vehicle trips to and from the airport.

“LAWA’s strategic plan offers the region a progressive roadmap to improve air quality, reduce harmful emissions, support healthy communities and contribute to the local and regional economy,” said Wayne Nastri, Executive Officer, SCAQMD. “LAWA is setting a great example of how large organizations can do their part by using innovation, technology and partnership to help clean the region’s air.”

Electric vehicle usage is increasing for both LAWA employees and guests at LAX and VNY. LAWA's recently established Electric Vehicle (EV) Purchasing Policy, approved by the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners in June 2017, requires LAWA to make 50 percent of its light duty purchases electric vehicles by 2017, 80 percent by 2025 and 100 percent by 2035. LAX and VNY guests can enjoy the free use of 101 publicly available charging stations, which can be found at LAX Parking Structures 1, 6, and 7; Park ‘N Fly/Park One near the Central Terminal Area (CTA); Economy (long-term) Parking Lot C; and at the FlyAway station located at VNY.

LAWA's award-winning Employee Rideshare program enjoys a participation rate of about 22 percent annually, and saved about 387,600 gallons of fuel - and the associated GHGs that would have been released upon burning the fuel - in 2017. LAX's FlyAway nonstop bus program experienced 11 percent ridership growth in Fiscal Year 2017, with an increase in total trips made from about 128,000 to 133,000 year-over-year. Because of this increased ridership, about 80,600 vehicle miles were avoided per day.

All of these efforts, and more, are helping LAWA meet its goals of reducing GHG emissions. LAWA's sustainability practices are integrated into the city-wide goals set forth by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti's "Sustainabile pLAn," which include metrics for water usage, electricity generation, food scarcity and cleaner air.

For a closer look into many of LAWA's sustainability emissions, download our 2017 Sustainability Report, available at  https://www.lawa.org/en/lawa-sustainability.

About Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

LAX, the fifth busiest airport in the world and second in the United States, was named in Skytrax’ 2018 top 10 U.S. airports. LAX served more than 84.56 million passengers in 2017 and offers 737 daily nonstop flights to 100 cities in the U.S. and 1,386 weekly nonstop flights to 88 cities in 44 countries on 73 commercial air carriers.  LAX ranks 14th in the world and fifth in the U.S. in air cargo tonnage processed, with more than 2.2 million tons of air cargo valued at over $101.4 billion. LAX handled 700,362 operations (landings and takeoffs) in 2017. 

An economic study based on 2014 operations reported LAX generated 620,600 jobs in Southern California with labor income of $37.3 billion and economic output (business revenues) of more than $126.6 billion. This activity added $6.2 billion to local and state revenues and $8.7 billion in federal tax revenues.  The study also reported that LAX’s ongoing capital-improvement program creates an additional 121,640 annual jobs with labor income of $7.6 billion and economic output of $20.3 billion, $966 million in state and local taxes, and $1.6 billion in federal tax revenues.

LAX is also the second most popular airport in the world to appear on Instagram according to wego.com. LAX is part of a system of two Southern California airports – along with Van Nuys general aviation – that are owned and operated by Los Angeles World Airports, a proprietary department of the City of Los Angeles that receives no funding from the City’s general fund.

For more information about LAX, please visit www.flyLAX.com or follow on Twitter @flyLAXAirport, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LAInternationalAirport, and on YouTube at www.YouTube.com/laxairport1.

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