SEPTA Receives $1.2 Million EPA Grant to Improve Air Quality
The EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, recently donated 1.2 million dollars to SEPTA, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority. SEPTA is making the switch from locomotive to cleaner diesel fuel engines to power trains. The switch will improve air quality for surrounding areas. The GenSet locomotives can reduce carbon dioxide by 25 percent and nitrous oxide and particulate matter by up to 80 percent. The donation was made by the EPA's Diesel Emissions Reduction Act Program. The donation will encourage other companies to make the switch. SEPTA has made many switches in past years like when they won EPA's Energy Star Building label last year when they improved energy efficiency by greater then 85 percent at the 1234 Market Headquarters. They are also switching many buses over to cleaner disel-electric engines.
Reflection: SEPTA is really making an effort to improve their environmental effect and the EPA is doing the smart thing and funding these plans. If others see that the switch to these things are better for the surrounding areas, save money and are sometimes payed for by the EPA, I can't see why they won't want to switch. After the SEPTA strike it was important for SEPTA to show that they care about Pennsylvanians, and what better way to show it by then creating less pollution for the people. SEPTA really is a fine company.
http://blog.cunysustainablecities.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/10_SEPTA-reg-rail-car_Septa.jpg
Questions:
1) How much will the cleaner engines help?
2) Do you see any downside to the switch?
3) How do you think Pennsylvanians feel about SEPTA?
4) Do you think SEPTA is doing it for the recognition, people or environment?
I think this is a great transition that will only bring benefits along with it. I have actually been wondering recently if trains were going to try to become eco friendly since so many cars are switching over to electric so this is really cool.
ReplyDelete4) I think that SEPTA is doing it for all three; the recognition, people, and then environment. By doing this people who may have rather driven their electric cars around before because they are better for the environment may now switch over to public transportation. This is really a win win situation for SEPTA because they will go up in the public eye, most likely get more business, and they are helping the environment!
Picture: One of the SEPTA trains that people in the pennsylvania area ride on daily.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is great that SEPTA is trying to be more environmentally friendly. However, I can't really relate to the issues involving air quality because we don't see many SEPTA buses in Horsham and we are not very familiar with them.
ReplyDelete4. I would like to think that SEPTA is making this switch for the people and the environment and not so much the recognition. However, as it happens frequently in society today, a lot of companies do this to get publicity.
I think that this is great news. Any time SEPTA or any company makes a conscious move to become more environmentally friendly, it is a great thing. I think that the air quality in Philadelphia would improve a lot with these measures.
ReplyDelete3. I think that the people of Pennsylvania like SEPTA, because a decision like this always helps the popularity of a company. Whether they were doing it to protect their image or not, it still makes people fell cared for.