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MTA SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES

Cover
April 14, 2008
The Interim Report of the
Blue Ribbon Commission on
Sustainability and the MTA (PDF)

“The evidence shows that ignoring climate change will eventually damage economic growth. Our actions over the coming few decades could create risks of major disruption to economic and social activity, later in this century and in the next, on a scale similar to those associated with the great wars and the economic depression of the first half of the 20th century. And it will be difficult or impossible to reverse these changes. Tackling climate change is the pro-growth strategy for the longer term, and it can be done in a way that does not cap the aspirations for growth of rich or poor countries. The earlier effective action is taken, the less costly it will be.”

--Stern Review Report on the Economics of Climate Change, 2006 (p. ii)
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/independent_reviews/stern_review_economics_climate_change/sternreview_index.cfm

“Many impacts can be reduced, delayed, or avoided by mitigation. Mitigation efforts and investments over the next two to three decades will have a large impact on opportunities to achieve lower stabilisation levels. Delayed emission reductions significantly constrain the opportunities to achieve lower stabilisation levels and increase the risk of more severe climate change impacts.”

--Climate Change 2007: Synthesis Report (Fourth Assessment Report), Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2007 (p. 19)
http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/syr/ar4_syr_spm.pdf

An Even Greener MTA: The Next Wave of Sustainability

Sustainability focuses on enabling human economic systems to last longer and have less impact on ecological systems, particularly relating to climate change and oil depletion. The MTA and its agencies contribute to sustainability by providing fast, efficient, reasonably priced public transportation that reduces resultant pollution. The MTA is also acutely aware that its vast network contains infrastructure of various vintages – including parts that may be made more efficient by new technologies, revised construction practices, better planning, and many other approaches. Thus the network offers great current benefits and immense potential for future advances in sustainability. The challenge for the MTA is to continue to provide the environmental and fuel-efficient benefits of mass transportation while increasingly reducing and managing its own carbon footprint, the energy and other environmental inputs and impacts involved in providing its services. Sustainability issues and opportunities are being examined by a Blue-Ribbon Commission on Sustainability and the MTA chaired by Jonathan F.P. Rose, a leader in environmentally conscious development, and including industry and environmental leaders. The commission began its work in September, 2007; an interim report will be available on Earth Day 2008; the final report with far-reaching recommendations will be completed by the end of that year. All agencies are participating in the Commission’s work and are an integral part of the effort to expand upon their previous environmental achievements.

MTA TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

Public transportation plays a vital role in the creation and maintenance of viable and sustainable communities.  More and more communities in the MTA service region are exploring transit-oriented development (TOD) as a tool for promoting smart regional growth, reducing traffic congestion, cutting greenhouse gas emissions, leveraging economic development, expanding housing choices, and supporting changing market demands.  By encouraging growth and development where public transportation currently exists, these communities can capitalize on extensive public investments in transit.

The MTA shares these goals, and is developing a region-wide TOD program to support local communities throughout the MTA service territory in their efforts to encourage eco-friendly land use, smart growth, sustainable development and sustainable redevelopment. A MetroNorth-led TOD project in Beacon (“Be in Beacon”) illustrates the benefits of dynamic collaboration between communities, an MTA agency and multiple stakeholders involved in the development of revitalization plans.  The MTA will be working with communities that are exploring TOD options or are planning and designing TOD projects. The MTA believes that there are viable TOD opportunities in each of its three major subregions – the LIRR region, the MNR region and the NYCT region.

While the overall MTA program is still in development, the MTA continues to support communities in its service region that are interested in exploring transit-supportive development, or that have projects underway.  Early collaboration on even tentative project plans can help ensure that transit services and community development plans ultimately complement each other.  The MTA therefore encourages all communities interested in working with the MTA on TOD initiatives to contact:

                                                Steve Toth, MTA Strategic Initiatives
                                                (212) 878-7078
                                                STOTH@MTAHQ.ORG

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