Oklahoma City FAA center goes green, wins White House award

Congratulations to everyone at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City for working so hard over the last 4 years to prove that big government agencies can “go green” and reduce their carbon footprint.

 

 

Today, joined by FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt, I presented the Center with the White House's "Closing The Circle" award for its Environmental Management Systems.

 

It's always a good day when I get a chance to congratulate a group of people on a job well done. And, as Secretary, I enjoy it all the more when that team is part of our DOT family.

 

Once again, I am reminded today of how proud I am of this Department, the hard work of its employees, and their commitment to a safe and prosperous America.

 

Here's a brief inventory of the Center's achievements:

• Recycled more than 100 tons of cardboard;
• Saved more than thirteen hundred gallons of gasoline;
• Reduced water consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.
• Shaved hundreds of thousands of dollars from energy bills each year

Now, that's great news for the FAA and the DOT, but it's also great news for taxpayers--and for citizens hoping to protect air quality and conserve water and energy resources. Here's hoping the Center's achievements inspire others--in the private sector as well as the public--to follow their example.

 

No one should think this award comes easily. If you're not from Oklahoma City, you may not know this, but the Monroney Center has the largest concentration of DOT employees outside of the Washington, DC, area.  It serves customers throughout the entire FAA, all branches of the DOT, other Federal agencies, and foreign governments; as well as pilots, media, aircraft owners, and commercial air carriers. The Center occupies 1,100 acres, more than 100 buildings and 3.3 million square feet of space.

 

How was this accomplished at the FAA’s most industrialized facility in less than five years?  By having dedicated personnel at every level, in every organization and by having continual improvement in mind at all times.

 

You can read more about the Center's commitment in their Closing The Circle nomination form.

 

The American people now realize that each of us bears the responsibility to use energy more wisely, reduce our dependence on oil, and help make our communities more livable and sustainable. We in the federal government and the DOT are determined to do our part to achieve these goals.

 

The Obama Administration is committed to making the federal government a true leader in environmental stewardship. I am honored to see the DOT working to fulfill that commitment.

Comments

[Sean Callahan]

LOL, Those cars are great. I think Albany, NY had one first...not sure though.

[Plastic Surgery Guy]

It is a good idea to look for ways to reduce a city's carbon footprint by making cost-effective investments in energy efficiency.

[Oklahoma city roofer]

Awesome cars...Government and Utility based programs that offer weatherization and other energy saving retrofits are concerned about the cost-effectiveness of the program.