Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission Earns Fifth Consecutive Perfect Score from PA GreenGov Council

Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission Earns Fifth Consecutive Perfect Score from PA GreenGov Council

Only State Agency to achieve 100% score for five straight years

MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (Commission) continues its goal of being a responsible steward for current and future generations across Pennsylvania by earning its unprecedented fifth consecutive perfect score from the PA GreenGov Council.

“Our colleagues have embraced the pioneering spirit of those who planned and built the Pennsylvania Turnpike by helping to create an organization-wide culture that ensures environmentally sustainable practices are a part of every decision we make,” said PA Turnpike Commission CEO Mark Compton. “For more than 85 years, we’ve been a leader in transportation, and we will continue to commit to sustainable best practices in every aspect of our work.”

Established in 2019, the PA GreenGov Council supports the Commonwealth’s climate goal of an 80% reduction of net greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 levels by 2050. Housed within the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the Council helps integrate sustainability into the Commonwealth’s policies, planning, operations, procurement and regulatory functions.

“It’s an honor to once again be recognized for meeting every GreenGov Council standard and for our continued commitment to sustainable practices within the transportation industry,” said Kathryn Hartzell, the PA Turnpike Commission’s Assistant Chief Technology Officer and Sustainability Committee Co-Chair. “All of our work is leading us down the road to achieving our ultimate goal of becoming America’s First Sustainable Superhighway by 2040.”

Each year, all state agencies complete the PA GreenGov Council Agency Certification Checklist, a set of approximately 100 standards, grouped into 20 key areas. The comprehensive list covers systematic achievements, such as reducing energy consumption by 3% and improving fleet vehicle efficiency, to active employee culture and engagement initiatives.

Based on a wide-ranging set of sustainability guidelines, the Commission remains the first, and only, agency in the Commonwealth to achieve this rating in consecutive years.

Some of these achievements include:

• Reducing energy usage, which has yielded financial savings for the Commission
• Offering more than 100 EV chargers across its system, with fast-chargers to be installed at all 17 PA Turnpike Service Plazas by early next year
• Reducing mowing schedules to allow native plant growth
• Planting seven pollinator habitats at service plazas, interchanges and the Central Administration Building (CAB) in Middletown, with more than 50 sites being explored for future installation
• Solar microgrids constructed at the Greensburg District Maintenance Shed and Western Regional Office (WRO) – with back-up natural gas generators, with additional solar arrays in the works.
• A new solar canopy under construction at CAB
• Creating the Sustainability Impact Award to recognize employees who demonstrate exceptional leadership and a steadfast commitment to advancing sustainability across the PA Turnpike Commission.
  

“Powering the highway of the future must be done in a sustainable way,” said Leslie Gervasio, the PA Turnpike Commission’s Director of Communications and Sustainability Committee Co-Chair. “Through our Vision 2040 Roadmap, we are charting a path toward a more sustainable future. This roadmap builds on the work already underway across the Commission, positioning us as an industry leader in sustainable practices that protect our environment, strengthen our operations and support long-term financial sustainability.”

For more about its sustainability initiatives, please visit: Sustainability

A national transportation leader, the Pennsylvania Turnpike (PA Turnpike) is the second largest tolling facility in the United States with the most miles. The PA Turnpike proudly supports safety and convenience for its more than 550,000 daily customers through 24-7 roadside assistance, round-the-clock food and fuel at 17 service plazas and a dedicated maintenance force and State Police Troop. The PA Turnpike’s approximately 1,400-person local workforce is unified in its mission; to operate a safe, reliable, customer-valued toll road system that supports national mobility and commerce. For more information about the PA Turnpike’s mission, vision and values, please visit Home | PA Turnpike.

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Media Contacts:

Marissa Orbanek, Press Secretary: 267-408-5151, morbanek@paturnpike.com 

Crispin Havener, Assistant Press Secretary: 717-870-2841, chavener@paturnpike.com