The Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners (BOAC) on Aug. 4, approved to accept an approximately $4-million grant offer from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for a Voluntary Airport Low Emissions Program (VALE) project at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). This is the airport’s first-ever VALE grant, which are awarded to projects that reduce all sources of airport ground emissions.
The grant will partially finance the Remain Over Night (RON) West Electrification Project. This project will install nine 400-Hertz electrical Ground Power Units (GPUs) at aircraft parking slots located on the west side of LAX and associated electrical infrastructure. Aircraft parked at these slots will be able to draw power from the airport’s electrical supply rather than run the aircraft’s onboard Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) or diesel GPU, which both produce emissions and noise.
“Anything Los Angeles World Airports can do to reduce the carbon footprint of our airports is a step in the right direction,” said BOAC President Sean Burton. “Being recognized with a VALE award affirms LAWA’s hard work to create a sustainable and environmentally responsible airport for generations to come.”
“The VALE award demonstrates our commitment to social responsibility and sustainability,” said LAWA Chief Executive Officer Deborah Flint. “It’s commensurate with the recent launch of the LAWA sustainability website and the release of the LAWA Sustainability Report. Our team has been making true advances, and our culture is adapting and changing and continuing to push forward on these elements of our mission.”
The U.S. Congress created the Voluntary Airport Low Emission Program in 2004 to help airport sponsors meet their state-related air-quality responsibilities under the Clean Air Act. It is funded through the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP) and Passenger Facility Charges (PFC).
The VALE Program is available to commercial airports located in compromised air quality areas as designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Airports can obtain VALE funding for cleaner technology that the FAA deems cost effective. VALE projects also receive emission reduction credits from state governments, which the airports can use to meet future environmental obligations under the Clean Air Act.
LAWA staff worked cooperatively with the FAA Airports District Office and the South Coast Air Quality Management District to qualify the LAX RON West Electrification Project for an AIP grant under the VALE Program.
The VALE award covers up to 75 percent of a project’s eligible cost. The Remain Overnight West Electrification project’s total cost is $6.5 million, of which $5.3 million is eligible for VALE funding.
