July 2016

The mission of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is to ensure a fast, safe, efficient, accessible and convenient transportation system that meets vital national interests and enhances the quality of life of the American people, today and into the future. In this latest OMB scorecard on Sustainability and Energy for the Federal Government, DOT has showed improvement in many key performance measures.

Under the leadership of Secretary Foxx, DOT continues to lead by example by meeting, and in some cases exceeding the President’s sustainability mandates through improvements in its operations.

“DOT’s commitment to sustainability is manifested in seeking out opportunities to improve our transportation system every day,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx.  “As part of our mission, DOT is dedicated to work towards meeting the President’s sustainability goals and reducing our environmental impact.”

Some highlights of the Department’s FY2015 performance include:

• Surpassed greenhouse gas reduction targets five years in a row - DOT has reduced its overall scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 34 percent and its scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 31 percent, both relative to a FY2008 baseline.
• Achieved double the FY15 federal renewable energy use target (7.5 percent), which translates to 15 percent of DOT’s electricity consumption coming from renewable sources.
• Exceeded the FY15 federal fleet petroleum target - DOT has reduced petroleum consumption in its fleet by 950,000 gallons or 26 percent in the last decade.
• Increased DOT alternative fuel use by 233 percent since 2005.
• For the third year in a row, DOT topped federal water reduction target - DOT has reduced water consumption by more than 154 million gallons in FY2015, which represents a 20 percent improvement from the FY2007 baseline.
• DOT ensured all appropriate supply and service contracts included expanded green requirements as well as emphasizing purchase of bio-based products.
• DOT was the first federal agency to join U.S. Department of Energy’s Workplace Charging Challenge.
• DOT diverted nearly 5,000 tons of solid waste from landfills.
• DOT won three prestigious Federal sustainability awards.

DOT will continue to integrate sustainable practices into all programs and operations. “The Department is proud of its commitment to investing in our infrastructure, improving our climate resiliency, and finding innovative ways to meet our sustainability goals,” said Assistant Secretary for Administration and Chief Sustainability Officer Jeff Marootian.

DOT continues to invest in clean public transportation technology.  For example, in FY 2015 DOT made$22.5 million available to transit agencies through the Low or No Emission Vehicle Deployment Program for new technology clean buses, followed by $55 million in 2016.   DOT continued to advance efforts to reduce aviation fuel burn, emissions and noise, and promote innovative fuels and aircraft technologies, making air travel safer and more sustainable. DOT is also working to ensure that electric vehicle drivers have access to charging stations at home, at work, and on the road by supporting the development of charging infrastructure and establishing zero emission and alternative fuel corridors (see July 2016 Fact Sheet).  

In FY 2015, DOT launched the Safer People, Safer Streets initiative to increase walking and biking as a mode of transportation and reduce pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities, and worked with mayors around the country in implementing this initiative.  Also in 2015, DOT released tools to help transportation agencies identify vulnerabilities to climate change and plan for more resilient transportation infrastructure, including the Gulf Coast Phase 2 study, and hosted a roundtable on climate resilience. DOT also began to evaluate and plan for improving the resiliency of its own facilities and assets to the impacts of climate change. Each of these important programs will ensure the nation’s transportation system continues to be fast, safe, efficient and sustainable.

Secretary Foxx initiated the Smart City Challenge, a national competition to implement bold, data-driven ideas to demonstrate use of advanced data and intelligent transportation system technologies to make our transportation network safer, more efficient and more reliable for all residents.   The winner, Columbus, Ohio, and six other finalist cities will receive support for innovative concepts for vehicle-to-vehicle communication and corridors for autonomous vehicles, improved ride-sharing, information on transit schedules, and improved traffic signal technologies.  

Through the sustainability program, the Department looks forward to growing its culture of sustainability and accelerating its successful track record of innovation and improvements.