PA NEWS
Published weekly for Port Authority and PATH employees
PA Pursues
Carbon Offsets
I
Remembrance Through Renewal:
A New Tradition Is Born
T
he Port Authority this
year began a new
tradition of commemorating 9/11 through staff
participation in a series of
service projects throughout
New York and New Jersey.
More than a hundred
employees, representing
a cross-section of the
agency, participated in various
volunteer activities, including
rehabilitating the Ironbound
Boys and Girls Club of Newark,
revitalizing an elementary
school in Lower Manhattan,
working on literacy programs,
and participating in a disaster
relief-training program
provided by the American
Red Cross.
Human Resources Director
Mary Lee Hannell said,
“These activities served
to unite PA employees in
Natalie Diaz
The “Boiler Room Team” at the Ironbound Boys and
Girls Club included some of the 116 PA staff members
who signed up this year to serve communities and
honor the victims of 9/11. Employees pictured are
(alphabetically) Frank Bailey, Peter Bitwinski, Felicia
Butts-Daniel, Steve Carr, Kara Chernet, Christi Clark,
Susan Crowley, Craig Fraser, Isabel Gonzalez, Glenessa
Gordon, Jay Iverson, Wendy Johnson, Fabian Karcic, Dee
Dee Kaur, Julia Kerson, Susan Komorowski, Kathy
Kovach, Onel Lopez, Robert McKee, Manuel Melo,
Marcia Moore, Sochieta Moth, Edward Mullins, Andrew
Murray, Reginald Norris, Vanessa Parker, Sean Pflug,
Theodore Przybyla, Dimitrios Raptakis, Rodney
Stallworth, Kyle Sundin, Susie Tom, Anne Marie Trotta,
Dawanna Williams, and Patrick Zacchini.
Continued on page 2
111th Police Class Begins
Michael Cavalier of HRD’s
Employee Benefits Division
addresses members of the
111th Port Authority Police
Academy Class at a new-hire
orientation program October 17
at the Port Authority Technical
Center. The 147 recuits completed a rigorous screening and
selection process developed by
Human Resources and Public
Safety, and will be sworn in as
Police Officers upon successful
completion of a 26-week
training curriculum.
Mike Dombrowski
n a significant step toward
achieving the Port Authority’s
sustainability targets, the Board
of Commissioners today authorized
the award of five contracts, totaling
$2.5 million, for professional services
related to the carbon market.
Two of the contracts are with carbon
brokerage teams that will identify highquality and regionally generated carbon
offsets for the agency’s purchase.
Noting the PA’s goal to become
operationally carbon-neutral by 2010,
Chairman Anthony R. Coscia said,
“We’ve demonstrated our commitment to sustainability by overhauling
our capital plan to include more
than $8 billion in mass transit
improvements, on-dock rail systems,
and energy-efficient lighting at our
bridges and tunnels. Today’s action
confirms our position at the vanguard
of public agencies in taking steps to
preserve and protect the environment.”
Executive Director Chris Ward said,
“Our goal to be carbon neutral by
2010 is a bold challenge, but one that
we strongly embrace. It’s good for the
environment and good for the regional economy because our program will
make smart investments in clean-tech
jobs throughout the region.”
The Board’s broad sustainability
policy includes reducing greenhouse
gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050
through a combination of capital
investments, operational changes,
and carbon offsets; promoting sustainability among tenants and customers;
and adapting facilities to handle future
climate changes.
A component of the public outreach
involves a new Web site, to be activated
early next year, that will allow drivers
and airline passengers to buy credits
to offset carbon emissions they create.
October 23, 2008/Volume 7/Number 43
Remembrance
Achievements
Continued from page1
‘Passionately Pink’
Procurement and friends from
Kennedy International Airport celebrated
“Passionately Pink for the Cure” on
October 17, wearing pink and collecting
donations for the Susan G. Komen for
the Cure organization. The event raised
more than $800.
“People were so enthusiastic and
generous in their donations,” said
organizer and breast cancer survivor
Kathy Leslie-Whelan. “We surpassed last year’s total. I’m very proud of my department and of
the Port Authority. This type of teamwork helps greatly in the fight against breast cancer.”
Golf Champions
Judo Champion
Nico Simeonidis
Business Briefs
PA Selects SWF Consultant
2
PA News / October 23, 2008
TB&T’s Joaquín González (center) won
the 2008 U.S. Open Judo Championship
in the 90-Kg Masters Division last month in
Colorado Springs.
Calendar
Scholarship Dinner
The officers and members of the
Port Authority Police Hispanic Society invite
all PA employees, retirees, and friends to
their scholarship dinner dance on Friday,
November 14, at Maestro’s Caterers in
the Bronx. The event benefits PAPHS’
Scholarship Fund. See Employee Bulletins
for details.
As of this month, the core of One World
Trade Center, the Freedom Tower has
risen above street level by about 14 feet.
The extremely high-strength concrete core
ultimately will rise to nearly 1,300 feet.
On the March
Growing
The Region
You can receive Growing the Region,
an e-mail newsletter about PA projects and
initiatives. To subscribe, follow the links at
the bottom of www.panynj.gov. You can
have it delivered to your PA inbox, your
personal e-mail account, or both. Also,
pass the word about GTR to your contacts
outside the agency and encourage them
to subscribe.
George Masouridis
The Port Authority has selected a
consulting firm to collect, research, and
analyze data that will inform a strategic,
long-term plan to help the agency expand
air services at Stewart International Airport.
TranSystems of Alexandria, Va., will
collect and analyze data on the region’s air
service market, looking at existing and past
commercial, cargo, business, and corporate
activity at SWF and other airports. In the
process, it will reach out to citizen groups,
area tourism and travel experts, economic
development officers, and civic leaders.
Aviation Director Bill DeCota noted
that the PA has “already invested tens
of millions of dollars in infrastructure
improvements at Stewart International,”
and said this effort is designed to “bring
Hudson Valley residents and businesses
the services they want and need at their
local airport.”
One WTC Is Rising
Michael Mahesh
Displaying their trophy as 2008
champions of the Port Authority
Twilight Golf League at Farmstead Golf
and Country Club in Sussex County on
September 19 are (from left) Brian
Hegarty, John Arrabito, Mike Snure,
Mark Rerick, John Varrone, Rich Danko,
Dan Webber, and Dan Murphy.
(Not pictured: Mike Murray.)
honoring the victims and survivors of
9/11 by helping communities in
need.” She pointed to a group of
employees, the “Boiler Room Team,”
who worked together to clear out
space for the 2,500 children who
use the Ironbound Boys and Girls
Club each year.
“We intend to continue this tradition of service as a way to unite the
agency in commemorating 9/11.
Employees who were with the
agency on 9/11, along with new
employees, who might not otherwise
know each other, are now able to
work together not only as colleagues,
but as friends who have shared a
rewarding experience.”
The Port Authority Police Bistate Coalition
was well represented at the 39th annual
African Heritage Day Parade down Adam
Clayton Powell Boulevard in Harlem last
month. The coalition is a fraternal organization of African-American PA police officers who strive to help their communities.
Membership is open to all PA employees.