NORFOLK, Va., Sept. 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Customers who
ship with Norfolk Southern helped avoid almost 15 million metric
tons of carbon emissions in 2019 by choosing rail for their
transportation needs instead of highway shipping, according to
Norfolk Southern's recently released Corporate Responsibility
report. That equates to saving approximately 1.5 billion gallons of
diesel fuel.
"It's a substantial reduction," said Josh Raglin, Norfolk Southern's chief
sustainability officer, who has spent nearly 25 years in the fields
of conservation, forestry, and environmental stewardship. "As
companies continue to set climate goals around lowering their
emissions, rail can be part of that solution." Raglin is leading
the charge to integrate sustainability into every aspect of the
company's business. Trained as a wildlife biologist, Raglin joined
NS in 1996 as a ranger at the company's Brosnan Forest conservation and conference
center in Dorchester, South
Carolina.
Norfolk Southern's 13th annual Corporate
Responsibility report highlights the company's performance in a
number of areas, featuring initiatives that support a cleaner
environment, foster an inclusive workplace, and build stronger and
safer communities.
Among initiatives detailed in the report, Norfolk Southern:
- Invested $2 billion in its rail
network to promote safe and efficient operations, modernize
technology, and support economic growth in communities NS
serves.
- Led the industry in tapping into Waze, a mobile navigation app,
providing alerts to motorists approaching highway-rail grade
crossings.
- Transformed a stretch of eroded shoreline on the Elizabeth
River at the railroad's Lamberts Point terminal into a green oasis
for oysters and other wildlife.
- Joined the Operation Clean Sweep Pledge aimed at eliminating
plastic pollution with a goal of zero loss of plastic resin into
the environment.
- Provided training at no cost to more than 5,800 local emergency
responders on how to prepare for and safely respond to potential
rail-related incidents.
- Continued efforts to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion,
and to cultivate a workplace that values all individuals for their
experiences and perspectives.
- Contributed $8.7 million to
support communities across the railroad's system.
Norfolk Southern also has posted its 2020 filing with CDP,
formerly Carbon Disclosure Project, a voluntary disclosure of the
company's carbon emissions and steps the railroad is taking to
reduce its carbon footprint and identify climate-related risks.
To access the full Corporate Responsibility report, visit the
Environment page on Norfolk Southern's website.
About Norfolk Southern
Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) is one of the
nation's premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern
Railway Company subsidiary operates approximately 19,500 route
miles in 22 states and the District of
Columbia, serves every major container port in the eastern
United States, and provides
efficient connections to other rail carriers. Norfolk Southern is a
major transporter of industrial products, including chemicals,
agriculture, and metals and construction materials. In addition,
the railroad operates the most extensive intermodal network in the
East and is a principal carrier of coal, automobiles, and
automotive parts.
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SOURCE Norfolk Southern Corporation