CSX Announces Results of Partnership to Address Climate Change

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Sept. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- CSX is tapping the nation's colleges and universities to improve the environment and make its operations even more environmentally friendly.  That effort is paying off.  CSX today announced the results of the company's participation in the Environmental Defense Fund's (EDF) 2011 Climate Corps program, which places specially-trained graduate students in a three-month fellowship with companies, cities and universities to address climate change-related issues.  These issues include reducing carbon emissions and improving energy efficiency.  

This year, CSX and a graduate student – called a fellow under the Climate Corps program – examined both the company's railyard air compressors and the CSX Data Center in Jacksonville.  The fellow worked with CSX subject matter experts, financial planners, local utilities and auditors to gather and analyze data for his projects. Using data from both the railyard and the data center, he helped CSX to identify potential cost savings of more than $1.2 million and greenhouse gas emissions savings of nearly 3,000 metric tons annually.

"We're ecstatic that our partnership with the Climate Corps has demonstrated such actionable results and we thank our EDF fellow, Naveen Venkataraman, for his dedication in helping us achieve our emissions reduction goals," said Skip Elliott, vice president, public safety and environment, CSX. "Working with EDF strengthens CSX's commitment to sustainability."  

This year marks the second year CSX has participated in the Climate Corps program. In 2010, the CSX Climate Corps fellow identified annual savings of $165,000, 1.5 million kWh of electricity (enough to power 140 homes) and 940 metric tons of CO2 (equivalent to removing 150 SUVs from the road).

Partnering with EDF is part of CSX's overall climate change strategy, which also includes setting and achieving a voluntary eight percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions since 2006, as well as introducing 23 ultra-low emission GenSet locomotives throughout the CSX network. Additionally, CSX has invested more than $1.5 billion in the past decade to upgrade its entire locomotive fleet including technological advancements to reduce air emissions and fuel consumption. Through all of these efforts, the company has improved its fuel efficiency by more than 90 percent since 1980.

Environmental Defense Fund is a national nonprofit organization representing more than 700,000 members, committed to reducing the barriers for organizations to invest in climate change strategies. Since 1967, EDF has linked science, economics and law to create innovative, equitable and cost-effective solutions to society's most urgent environmental problems.

About CSX

CSX Corporation, based in Jacksonville, Fla., is one of the nation's leading transportation companies, providing rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services. The company's transportation network spans approximately 21,000 miles, with service to 23 eastern states and the District of Columbia. CSX's network connects more than 240 short line and regional railroads and more than 70 ocean, river, and lake ports. More information about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at www.csx.com.

SOURCE CSX Corporation