The Association of American Railroads (AAR) bestowed its highest environmental honor, the John H. Chafee Environmental Excellence Award, on CSX's Chris Durden last night at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. The annual award recognizes railroad employees for outstanding environmental awareness and responsibility. Durden is the eighth CSX employee and first-ever intermodal representative to win the award, which is named for the late Rhode Island senator who devoted his career to protecting the environment.
Sen. Barbara Mikulski also was honored with the 2014 John H. Chafee Congressional Environmental Award, recognizing her decades of leadership on environmental issues in her home state of Maryland, where she has led efforts to protect the Chesapeake Bay by restoring water quality, habitats and fisheries.
"Chris Durden leads a team that brings a unique understanding of the value of sustainable development for improving efficiency when building state-of-the-art intermodal facilities," said Wilby Whitt, president, CSX Intermodal Terminals. "Chris's commitment to further raising environmental awareness and including sustainability features within building design has contributed to CSX's success, and this award is a testament to his dedication."
As the leader of CSX Intermodal Terminals' team overseeing terminal planning, engineering and construction, Durden has successfully orchestrated the completion of intermodal rail terminals across the CSX network, including the award-winning Northwest Ohio Intermodal Facility and terminals in Central Florida and Massachusetts.
Durden's team maintains superior performance with a focus on the company's responsibility to the surrounding community, environment and wildlife. His teams implement industry-leading design features that combine operational efficiency with environmental responsibility, including electric wide-span cranes that operate with zero air emissions and regenerate 60 percent of their power back to the terminal electric grid; driveway and parking surfaces that reduce the heat island effect and stormwater runoff; solar photovoltaic panels that provide energy to buildings; and LED high-mast light towers that reduce energy consumption and maintenance costs.
"Senator Mikulski and Chris Durden both embody the dedication necessary to ensure our environment is preserved and protected for generations to come," said Edward R. Hamberger, president and CEO, Association of American Railroads. "Chris's achievements showcase what is possible when railroad professionals make sustainability a top priority. He consistently leads teams that find new ways to reduce environmental impact and improve the quality of life in communities served by the freight rail network. We are pleased to recognize him with the John H. Chafee Award, and appreciate his contributions."
Durden's performance showcases CSX's commitment to sustainability, which affects every decision the company makes. CSX has invested $1.75 billion in fuel-efficient locomotives and technologies over the last decade, and is making strides towards its voluntary goal to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 6 to 8 percent by 2020. Through transportation solutions such as intermodal shipping, CSX is helping customers reduce costs, fuel consumption, highway congestion and carbon emissions.
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