Environmental References
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West Lake Park Wetland Mitigation Wins Environmental Award
The West Lake Park Wetland Mitigation Program has won the prestigious 2011 Environmental Award by the Florida Airports Council (FAC).
Read the winning award application (PDF).
Caption: Accepting the award at the 42nd Annual FAC Conference are (left) Kent G. George, A.A.E., Director of Aviation; James McCluskie, Director of Planning; and Michael Pacitto, Environmental Manager. |
The FAC Environmental Award recognizes member Airports for promoting or implementing environmental projects that have a positive effect on the Florida aviation system. This annual award is presented to both a commercial aviation airport and a general aviation airport.
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The Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is committed to ongoing efforts to enhance the airport's environmentally sensitive approach. The airport is managed by Broward County and the Board of County Commissioners who are all dedicated to the preservation of the beautiful South Florida community.
To learn about these environmental initiatives, you can view a PowerPoint Presentation or read the detailed copy below.
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Presentation
The presentation shows some of the initiatives currently in place at FLL designed to minimize our environmental impact.
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Rental Car Center
The Rental Car Center (RCC) is a nine-story building designed to bring under one roof, nearly all the rental car companies at FLL.
Historically, petroleum related impacts to the soil and groundwater at airports from leaking fueling facilities or maintenance activities represent a significant source of environmental degradation and liability. As each car rental company duplicates these activities at various sites, the potential for impacts is great over time.
The RCC consolidated the facilities required for maintenance and fueling operations into one state-of-the-art, self-contained, indoor complex. It is managed and maintained by an independent professional fueling contractor. By taking the process inside and ensuring that the systems are managed and maintained, the potential for impacts to the underlying soil and groundwater, surface water bodies and surrounding wetlands is greatly reduced.
Benefits
- Reduces emissions by eliminating nearly four million miles of bus travel. Previously, each rental car company operated their own shuttles. Now there is one common shuttle for all the companies.
- Reduces road congestion in the terminal area.
- Conserved three million gallons of fuel since the facility opened in 2005.
- Reduces the potential for environmental impacts.
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Pay-On-Foot Program
The Pay-On-Foot Program (POF) allows drivers to pay their parking fees at machines in the parking garages prior to exiting instead of paying at the toll booths. They insert the ticket into a POF machine and pay using cash or credit card. The POF machines allow 30 minutes of additional time to exit the parking facility.
Locations
POF machines are located on each level of the Cypress parking garage and in the elevator vestibules of the Hibiscus Garage, including near the pedestrian bridge to Terminal 1.
Benefits
- Reduces emissions from cars idling at toll booths
- Reduces delays
- Improves customer service
- Minimizes toll booth infrastructure and staffing
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Cell Phone Lot
The 70-vehicle cell phone lot allows individuals to wait for their passengers for up to 30 minutes. It is very close to the arrival area of the terminals. Monitors provide timely information on flight arrivals. Since this parking lot opened in the fall of 2006, FLL has prohibited idling on the entrance road's shoulders. Also there is no idling in the cell phone lot.
In warm-weather climates like Fort Lauderdale, motorists and commercial fleets can reduce pollution and save money by turning off their engines when they plan to remain idle for thirty seconds or more. Security requirements eliminated vehicles idling at airport curbsides waiting to pick up passengers. In many cases, this has led to circulation of vehicles or idling on highway shoulders which contributes to increased emissions and airport congestion.
Benefits
- Reduces emissions
- Reduces gas use
- Reduces roadway traffic
- Reduces idling
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Bus and Taxi Holding Lot
In August 2006, FLL implemented a new program to reduce the queuing of buses at the Ground Transportation Areas by the terminals. During slow periods, a bus supervisor directs buses to the nearby bus holding lot. Weather permitting, drivers turn off the engines until they are dispatched back into operation. At the taxi holding lot, taxis remain until they are requested and dispatched to the terminal.
Benefits
- Reduces vehicle traffic
- Reduces idling
- Reduces emissions
- Reduces gasoline usage
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Bio-diesel and Hybrid Electric Buses
FLL operates one of the largest bio-diesel and hybrid-electric bus fleets in the nation. This fleet includes 56 bio-diesel vehicles, three bio-diesel trams and five hybrid-electric vehicles. They transport airport passengers to and from the terminals, parking garages, and Rental Car Center.
Benefits
- Reduces emissions
- Decreases dependency on fossil fuels
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Recycling
An on-site sorting and separating facility processes approximately 7,000,000 pounds of solid waste per year from tenants, terminals, the Rental Car Center, offices, and county facilities.
Benefits
- Well over 2,000,000 pounds of aluminum, plastic, glass, paper and cardboard are recycled per year. This accounts for about 30% of the materials processed.
- The balance of the processed waste is sent to a local facility where it is used to generate electricity which powers our community.
Additionally, FLL's maintenance facilities also recycle waste oil, florescent bulbs, spent solvents, tires, batteries, and unused paints.
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High Efficiency Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning System
The airport has increased the energy efficiency of the Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) System by replacing older units with new higher efficiency models. Staff recently replaced and upgraded 55 air handler units in Terminals 2, 3, 4, and the commuter terminal. BCAD is currently upgrading the existing HVAC controls for Terminals 2, 3 and 4 to include a state-of-the-art control system. Further, staff upgraded chillers and towers in Terminals 3 and 4.
Benefits
- Reduces energy use
- Reduces emissions from power generating facilities
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Storm Water Pollution Prevention Program
BCAD has a very active and aggressive Storm Water Pollution Prevention Program (SWPPP) at both FLL and North Perry Airport. This allows staff to work with our facilities and tenants to protect the storm water system. This system serves as a direct conduit to the groundwater and surrounding surface water bodies such as the Dania Cut-Off Canal.
A major environmental concern at airports is water quality. Activities from tenants, facilities, and the ramp areas can lead to illegal discharges. This can quickly degrade groundwater and surface waters unless measures are put in place to protect these resources. The cost to mitigate such impacts can be very expensive, due to the loss of property usage during remediation, and in the degradation of our natural community.
FLL's Environmental Compliance Group oversees SWPPP compliance through inspections, storm water sampling, analysis and report preparation, and updating of the SWPPP document.
Benefits
- Protects water quality
- Educates tenants to minimize incidents and limit impacts
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LEED Standards for New Projects
LEED concepts such as the use of recycled building materials, energy efficient lighting and HVAC systems, low-flow water devices, and reflective roof coatings have been incorporated into the terminals and the Rental Car Center.
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), provides a suite of standards for environmentally sustainable construction. The hallmark of LEED is an open and transparent process. The technical criteria proposed by the LEED committees are publicly reviewed for approval by the more than 10,000 membership organizations that make up the USGBC.
Broward County joined the USGBC in September of 2002 and sponsored the 1st LEED workshop in South Florida in March, 2003 at the Broward County Convention Center. Currently, more than 10 employees are LEED accredited professionals in the County.
Benefits
- Reduces energy use
- Reduces emissions from power generating facilities
- Reduces water use
- Increases use of recycled materials
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High Efficiency Lighting
Staff is installing high efficiency lighting in the terminals and other buildings. They are upgrading the standard T12 fluorescent lamps and ballasts to T8 fluorescent lamps and electronic ballasts. Incandescent luminaries/lamps have been replaced or retrofitted with compact fluorescent lamps. In addition, BCAD is reviewing plans to replace existing lighting in the parking garages with more energy efficient lighting.
Benefits
- Reduces energy use
- Reduces emissions from power generating facilities
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Low-Flow Water Fixtures
The airport is currently utilizing low-flow toilets and urinals and water conserving automatic shut-off faucets within the restrooms. During future proposed terminal expansion or renovation projects, newer technology lower flow systems will be installed.
Benefits
- Reduces water use
- Reduces energy use to heat water
- Reduces emissions from power generating facilities
Best Management Practices for Hazardous Materials and Waste Management
Maintenance staff follows Best Management Practices (BMPs) in the use, storage, and disposition of hazardous materials and wastes. BCAD developed BMPs for the maintenance staff to follow according to State standards. Staff is recycling fluorescent bulbs, waste oil, unused paints, tires, batteries and spent solvents. These BMPs are currently being updated for use by tenants at FLL and North Perry Airport.
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Benefits
- Reduces potential pollution
- Recycles hazardous materials
Green Belt and Noise Barrier
FLL has combined noise mitigation with environmental stewardship in the Green Belt development which marks FLL's southern boundary. The 30-acre greenbelt is a vegetated earthen berm. It also serves the community by providing a noise barrier with a walking path, diverse vegetation, and wetland areas.
Benefits
- Reduces noise impacts
- Provides a walking path through a beautiful landscaped setting
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Final Reports Discussed at Meetings
Broward County Aviation Department's Green Airport Initiative (GAI) held three public meetings to discuss its final reports and recommendations.
The findings from the GAI study will help Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (FLL) improve environmental quality and efficiency. Clean Airport Partnership, Inc., a private consulting firm, conducted the study on behalf of Broward County. The meetings were held from 7 – 9 p.m. on the following dates and locations.
| Date: |
Wednesday, November 14, 2007 |
| Location: |
Dania Beach City Hall
Commission Chambers
100 West Dania Beach Boulevard
Dania Beach, FL 33004
(This meeting was held in cooperation with the Melaleuca Gardens) |
| Date: |
Wednesday, November 28, 2007 |
| Location: |
Hollywood City Hall
Commission Chambers
2600 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood, FL 33022 |
| Date: |
Thursday, November 29, 2007 |
| Location |
Pine Island Park, Multipurpose Center
Cypress Hall
3801 South Pine Island Road
Davie, FL 33328 |
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Reports Issued
The Executive Summary and seven final environmental reports from the Green Airport Initiative (GAI) are now available.
Background Information
The Clean Airport Partnership (CAP), a private consulting firm, is conducting a Green Airport Initiative (GAI) at the Airport.
The GAI is a five-phase process designed to help FLL improve environmental quality and efficiency, and become a community model for sustainable development. The first phase is to measure the environment conditions at the Airport in five areas:
- Air quality
- Water quality
- Solid waste
- Noise
- Energy consumption
CAP introduced the project at a public meeting on March 31, 2005. They also provided a progress report on October 18, 2005 to the Broward County Board of County Commissioners.
CAP is developing an Environmental Report based on the initial findings. It will be completed in early 2006 and workshops will present the Report to the public.
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Public Workshops
Clean Airport Partnerships held two workshops to gather input from the public on ways to reduce the environmental effects from the activities at FLL. Representatives from CAP discussed the status of the study, answered questions, and recorded the public's suggestions.
The evening meetings were held on the following dates and locations
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Pine Island Park Multipurpose Center
3801 South Pine Island Road, Davie
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Hollywood City Hall
Commission Chambers
2600 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood
Monday, April 17, 2006
Dania Beach City Hall
Commission Chambers
100 West Dania Beach Boulevard, Dania Beach
To receive notices about future meetings, provide your name, street address, and email address to the Community Outreach Office or call 954-359-6978.
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