This week, HART was selected to participate in the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) 2013 Environmental Management Systems (EMS) Training and Technical Assistance program.
The program will enable HART to analyze, control and reduce the environmental impact of its activities, products and services and operate with greater efficiency and cost savings.
Key Aspects of the Program
• HART will join nine other transit agencies from across the country for the specialized 2-year training process, provided by the Center for Organizational and Technological Advancement (COTA) at Virginia Tech University.
• The Virginia Tech EMS team will conduct an on-site baseline environmental review of HART facilities in June and provide an environmental debrief.
• An EMS will assist HART in adopting a systems approach to environmental affairs management that is integrated into overall management and affects all aspects of HART service delivery to the community
EMS Process and Benefits
• The HART Core EMS Team will participate in four scheduled FTA funded workshops between August 2013 and June 2014 in Roanoke, Virginia
• Benefits of the training program include increased efficiency, productivity, and safety; plus conservation of water, energy, and fuel
• Other potential areas of significant positive impact include hazardous waste maintenance, noise levels, and the release of volatiles
• Environmental goals will be set for HART's organization, along with an action plan for achieving those metrics and objectives
The HART Core EMS Team members are HART Chief Financial Officer Jeff Seward, executive sponsor and champion; Lorena Donaldson, Dale Smith, Randy Stribling, and Steve Taylor