FEC Receives Gold Award for Environmental Stewardship
5/29/2009 12:00:00 AM
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (May 29, 2009) – JEA has awarded the Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) its 2008 Gold Award for outstanding environmental performance in industrial wastewater pretreatment. JEA honored FEC for achieving 11 straight years of zero wastewater pretreatment violations. Only 30 percent of all companies JEA regulates achieve full compliance over just one 12-month period.
JEA, a northeast Florida electric, water and sewer service utility company, bestows its Environmental Stewardship Awards each year to industrial wastewater permit holders that maintain discharge compliance with no violation throughout the year. In addition, JEA selects one gold and one platinum award winner to recognize companies making special efforts in ensuring no violations are made.
A discharge violation would occur if a permit holder exceeded established limits of pollutants, such as oil, grease and chemicals, before discharging its wastewater into the public sewer system. This year, 49 companies achieved 100-percent compliance. These companies, along with FEC, received their awards at a ceremony on May 13.
FEC generates wastewater through servicing its locomotives, including cleaning and refueling. The railroad’s pretreatment system removes oil, volatile compounds and other pollutants before the water is discharged into JEA’s treatment system and finally into the St. Johns River.
“By ensuring we do not pollute local water systems, we’re able to further minimize our impact on the environment, which is already extremely low when compared with other transportation modes,” said Matt Borchert, FEC manager, environmental compliance. “Overall, rail is a very fuel efficient and ‘green’ transportation option. One rail freight car can carry the equivalent of four truckloads. And, railroads consume almost a third less fuel than trucks per ton-mile moved.”
“This award reflects the plant operators’ diligence and dedication to maintaining quality discharges and complying with government regulations,” said David Rohal, FEC President. “Our operators are proving that full compliance can be achieved every year with the right focus and commitment.”
About the Florida East Coast Railway
FEC is a regional freight railroad that extends along a 351-mile corridor between Jacksonville, Fla., and Miami, Fla., with exclusive rail access to the Port of Palm Beach, Port Everglades (Ft. Lauderdale) and the Port of Miami. For more information, visit www.fecrwy.com.
About RailAmerica, Inc.
RailAmerica is a leading owner and operator of North American regional and short-line railroads. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., the company operates railroads in 26 states and three Canadian provinces, with more than 8,000 miles of track. RailAmerica is owned by funds managed by affiliates of Fortress Investment Group, a leading global alternative asset manager with approximately $34.3 billion in assets under management. For more information, visit www.railamerica.com and www.fortress.com.
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