Los Angeles Metro Environmental and Sustainability Initiatives
A Presentation to the AASHTO SCPT and MSTA Program: Winter 2009
Meeting Cris B. Liban, D.Env., P.E.Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation AuthorityDecember 3, 2009
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Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro)
is different from other transit agencies because
regional transportation planner
regional builder
regional transit operator
for Los Angeles County.
it is the…..
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LA County Metro Statistics (FY 2010)• FY 2010 Budget: $3.8B
• Service Area: 1,433 square miles• Bus Fleet: 2,635 buses with >2,500 CNG• About 1.5M weekday boardings in FY 2009• About 80 miles of rail service• About 9,200 total employees
– ~86% are represented– ~50% full- and part-time bus and rail operators
• $2.7B worth of carpool lanes funded since 1991• Approx. 1,000 miles of bike facilities funded in
LA County• Assists more than 25,000 motorists per month
– Freeway Service Patrol fleet
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Metro’s Sustainability and Climate Change Management Policies and InitiativesPOLICIES• Metro Environmental Policy • Metro Energy and Sustainability
Policy• Metro Construction and Demolition
Debris Recycling and Reuse Policy• Metro Environmental Liabilities
Reduction and Reporting Policy• Metro Water Conservation Policy
BOARD DIRECTED INITIATIVES• Metro Ad Hoc Sustainability and
Climate Change Committee• Metro Clean Air Task Force• Metro Congestion Reduction Task
Force• Measure R Coordinating Committee
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Environmental Management System (EMS)
• System under development to integrate Metro’s environment, safety, and quality best management practices
• Calls for continuous improvement & positive impact on the environment, employees & customers
• Pilot Effort at our Bus Division 10 and Red Line Yard
PLAN
CHECK
DOACT
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Environmental Management System (EMS)
• FTA Assisted EMS Development at Metro Red Line Yard– Fenceline study completed in November 2008– Goals
• Further improve worker environment• Consolidation of environmental best practices• ISO 14001 Certification
– Identification and Documentation of Environmental Issues
– Workplan to Address Issues– Development of Targets and Objectives– Monitoring and Measurement Efforts– Environmental Management System Awareness Training– Involvement of Executive Management in the Process– Communications Plan– Roll-out at other Metro facilities
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Environmental Information Management System• Prototype was completed in April 2009
• GIS functionality with database capabilities • Integrating Metro environmental information into one
system to streamline data generation and analysis
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Clean Air and Climate Change Management
•Emissions Reduction Initiatives – Nation’s 1st and Largest Compressed Natural Gas
(CNG) Fleet - >2,500 and growing•97% less priority pollutant emissions compared
to retired diesel buses – Newer vehicle technologies are always considered– Expansion of rail system that tap “Green” Power– All system vehicles have multi-mobility capabilities
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Current Efforts – Small Capital Projects • Division 9 Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design GOLD Building– Additional Projects
• Division 3 Maintenance Annex (Cypress Park): Completed
• Bauchet Street Facility: Planned• Union Division: Planned
• Solar Panel Installations and Energy Retrofits– More than 1,850 KW installed at FOUR Divisions– About 10,000 Metric Ton Yearly Carbon Dioxide
Emissions Reduction– Agency-wide Energy Audits and Solar Feasibility
Study are being conducted
213KW
Chatsworth
Sun Valley
Carson Downtown LA
213KW 1000KW417KW+ + +
Division 9 Building
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Current Efforts – Large Capital Projects
• Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension and Exposition Line– Integrated Multi-Modal Rail System
• Metro Orange Line (MOL) and MOL Canoga Extension– Integrated Multi-Modal Busway System– Implementation of “LEED-like” sustainability principles – Explore the feasibility of renewable energy along the alignment
• Update Call for Projects application to include sustainability criteria– Encourage use of “Green” principles and strategies
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American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Funds
• A $225.1M Grant– Upgrades for Metro Rail and Metro Bus facilities and equipment,
including the replacement of approximately ninety 45-foot buses and fifty 32-foot buses, and the overhaul of 400 buses over five years old
– The widening of staircases at our 7th Street/Metro Center station for emergency egress and improved pedestrian access
– The replacement of fiber optic equipment for our Metro Rail system
– The replacement of 18 aging Metro Blue Line traction power substations
– Electrical modification of CNG fueling facilities
• An $8.2M Grant – Replacement of two traction power substations and electrical
support systems along the Metro Blue Line right-of-way and Metro Blue Line Yard
• A $1M Grant – Art enhancements for up to 19 bus stations or stops along
Harbor and El Monte transitways and local bus stops in downtown Los Angeles.
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American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Funds
• $4.5M to install a Wayside Energy Storage Substation (WESS) at the Westlake/MacArthur Park Metro Red Line station
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Measure R Quality of Life improvements - the First 5 years
• Transit Investment Initiative approved by LA County Voters in 11/08• Measure R is expected to generate $40 billion in new local sales tax revenues
over 30 years• Return ~$3 billion into the local economy• Create over 50,000 new jobs in Los Angeles County• Move minimum of 40,000 more people per day onto public transportation• Convert 30,000 more people per day into shared-rides (carpool/vanpool)• Eliminate 500,000 metric tons of carbon-dioxide equivalents from air• Promotes the use of sustainable construction and operation principles • Expand transit-oriented development along new rail and busway lines
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Measure R and Proposed Long Range Plan Public Transportation Projects
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Measure R and Proposed Long Range Plan Highway Projects
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Transit Oriented Development
• 36 Projects• 8 Completed• 4 Under Construction• 13 Under Negotiations• 11 Under Consideration
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Efforts with High Speed Rail (HSR) Projects
• 30,000 new construction jobs per $1 billion spent
• Coordinate with HSR to ensure full integration with other regional transportation improvements and full HSR development
• Metro will be a partner with HSR in solving freight and goods movements in the region
• Metro will coordinate the applications through the ARRA Statewide grant applications to ensure coordination with other regional transportation plans and policies
• Coordinate with HSR to ensure adequate capacity for new HSR passengers at Union Station
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Other Efforts: Greening of Metro Headquarters • Gateway Headquarters uses the most electricity
• Focus of LEED-Existing Buildings Operations and Maintenance (LEED-EBOM) certification is energy efficiency
• Goal: LEED-EBOM Certified– We are already observing best practices required
by LEED-EBOM– Need formal documentation
• Focused Efforts– Energy Conservation Measures – Water Conservation– Solid Waste Management– Indoor Air Quality Management– Green Cleaning Practices – Sustainable Purchasing: Green Products
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Other Efforts
• Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory completed in December 2008
• June 2009 Baseline Sustainability Report– Tracks eight major indicators: ridership, fuel use,
rail propulsion power, facility electricity use, water use, greenhouse gas emissions, air quality, and waste
– Metro is making significant positive changes on ridership, air quality, and recycling and overall waste reduction
– www.metro.net/sustainability • Annual Sustainability Summit • Regional Sustainability and
Environmental Roundtables
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Other Efforts
• Mode-Shift Study: Bicycle and Pedestrian Paths as sustainable strategies
• Development of a Water Action Plan• Cost-effectiveness study to understand
most economically viable sustainable strategies• Participation in National and Statewide collaborations• Participation in the American Public Transit Association
Sustainability Commitment• Sponsorship and Collaboration: Training and
Workshops– Sustainability Awareness Training– Recently received Model Program Award from
National Training Institute
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Questions/Discussions
For additional information:www.metro.net/sustainability213/922-1100
Dr. Cris B. Liban, P.E.p: 213/922-2471e/m: [email protected]
