WASHINGTON –The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration (FTA) today recognized the exemplary efforts of the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA) for its plans to reduce carbon emissions to combat climate change. MVTA's work, part of FTA's Sustainable Transit for a Healthy Planet initiative, garnered the Twin Cities, Minnesota-area transit agency an award during FTA's second annual Earth Day event.

MVTA received the Most Transformative Plan Award for its 2023 Sustainability Plan. The plan provides a road map for expanding agency resources and capabilities to achieve carbon reduction goals throughout every aspect of the transit system, starting with a comprehensive public input and planning process. It highlights strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy efficiency as part of its commitment to a sustainable and equitable future for residents in the seven communities it serves.

"Transit agencies across the country are greening their fleets, hardening critical infrastructure, and transitioning their workforces to reduce the disproportionate impacts of a warming climate on their communities," said FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez. "Minnesota Valley Transit Authority is taking a holistic approach to reducing its footprint, and I congratulate their award-winning efforts."

Created in June 2021 to help advance President Biden's ambitious greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals, FTA's Climate Challenge calls on transit agencies to develop strategies to reduce emissions, such as converting fleets to electric buses, making facilities more energy efficient, and generating power through renewable energy sources. Although the transportation sector is the leading emitter of GHGs in the United States each year, the transit industry has long been at the forefront of reducing emissions.

A total of 222 transit agencies from Maine to Hawaii participated in the FTA Climate Challenge. Throughout the year, FTA helped participants advance their goals with technical resources, targeted listening sessions, and peer exchanges.

FTA encourages transit agencies interested in advancing their sustainability and climate goals to sign up for phase 3 of the Sustainable Transit for a Healthy Planet initiative.

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