Identify Your Airport’s Policy on Environmental Responsibility and Sustainability

Review the environmental policies at your airport to evaluate whether they are consistent with FAA regulations and applicable state regulations.

Environmental Responsibility

Your airport’s owner/operator (often a city or county) may have developed formal policy positions or statements regarding environmental stewardship and the agency’s commitment to regulatory compliance, or other related topics. It is important to review and assess your airport’s current environmental policies to determine whether they are current or whether they require revision in response to changes in FAA regulations and policy updates. If your airport operator has not established any environmental policies, you will need to create them. Existing environmental policy statements may be found within your airport’s Master Plan or expressed through actions taken by your agency or airport’s board.

With or without explicit policy statements, your airport can demonstrate environmental stewardship through actions such as:

• Identifying and assigning staff responsibilities for environmental compliance
• Allocating dollars in the budget to support physical or operational improvements to environmental conditions
• Providing training for staff to support responsibilities assigned
• Developing airport plans that focus on sustainability efforts, such as sustainable master plans
• Identifying previously completed environmental mitigation measures or management efforts.

Before moving forward to create new policy, take time to assess current conditions.

Sustainable Master Plans

The FAA promotes the long-term benefits of sustainability and sustainable development. In 2010, FAA initiated a pilot program for the development of sustainable master plans and standalone sustainability plans

The building industry is moving towards sustainable development, with goals of net-zero energy consumption. Net-zero energy consumption occurs when the total amount of energy used annually is equal to the amount of renewable energy created on the site. The U.S. Green Building Council established the LEED program to recognize sustainable practices. LEED provides a set of rating systems for the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of green buildings, homes, and neighborhoods. Other rating/certification programs are also available. The public recognizes these certification programs, and facility managers who participate in such programs can demonstrate a commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability.

Although the sustainability topic is included in the Environmental section of the Guide, sustainability also needs to consider economic and social components of sustainability.