Investors, customers, communities benefit from more info on Norfolk Southern's environmental commitment

NORFOLK, Va., Nov. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Norfolk Southern (NYSE: NSC) has achieved its best-ever score in reports that grade large U.S. and global companies on how well they measure and manage their carbon footprint.

In CDP's 2013 S&P 500 and Global 500 climate change reports, Norfolk Southern scored a 90 for its carbon disclosure, on a scale of 0-100. That is a 2 percent improvement over its 2012 score of 88 and is the company's highest in the six years it has participated in the voluntary CDP survey.

"As a responsible corporate citizen, Norfolk Southern strives to continuously improve the way we manage potential environmental impacts of our business operations, and we are pleased that this year's disclosure score reflects those efforts," said Blair Wimbush, NS vice president real estate and corporate sustainability officer.

Of 44 U.S. industrial-sector corporations in the CDP's S&P 500 report, Norfolk Southern was among 14 that scored 90 or higher on carbon disclosure.

CDP, formerly known as Carbon Disclosure Project, is an independent not-for-profit organization that supports reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the sustainable use of water and forest resources. In addition to scoring companies on their disclosure level, CDP awards performance grades of E to A to measure a company's efforts to mitigate climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Norfolk Southern's 2013 performance grade is B, matching its 2012 and 2011 grade.

By the end of 2012, Norfolk Southern had accomplished nearly 69 percent of its goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 10 percent per revenue ton-mile between 2009 and 2014. The company has invested in locomotive fuel-saving technologies, more efficient lighting and energy systems in rail facilities, and network improvements that increase the capacity and fluidity of rail routes.

For example, the company is investing nearly $30 million to equip road locomotives with LEADER, a GPS-based computer system that helps engineers achieve maximum fuel efficiency when operating trains. By diverting long-haul freight to trains from trucks, the company's Crescent Corridor – a public-private improvement program that spans 11 states from Louisiana to New Jersey – has the potential to reduce greenhouse gases by 1.9 million tons annually when fully developed. Last year, the company invested nearly $1 million to replace lighting at six rail yards in West Virginia, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, reducing energy use at those facilities by 62 percent.

"We are taking a comprehensive, strategic approach to reduce emissions throughout our operation," Wimbush said. "We are committed to maintaining a high-quality system that leverages freight rail's inherent efficiencies in support of the economy, less highway congestion, and lower overall fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions."

To learn more, read Norfolk Southern's 2013 corporate sustainability report at www.nssustainability.com.

CDP collects data from the world's largest companies on behalf of more than 722 institutional investors with combined assets of $87 trillion. It provides the only global system for companies and cities to measure, disclose, manage, and share vital environmental information.

Norfolk Southern Corporation is one of the nation's premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway Company subsidiary operates approximately 20,000 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia, serves every major container port in the eastern United States, and provides efficient connections to other rail carriers. Norfolk Southern operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is a major transporter of coal, automotive, and industrial products.

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SOURCE Norfolk Southern Corporation