Environmental Programs

RTD's Boulder Operating Division was recognized by the "Business Partners for a Clean Environment" as a leader in pollution prevention. The Division was recognized for implementing procedures and measures to reduce waste, increase safety and cut costs.

All buses are tested annually to insure they meet RTD standards that are twice as strict as state standards. Supervisors are trained to make on-street visual evaluations that may result in:

• A bus is immediately removed from service if State Standards are exceeded
• A repair scheduled within 5 days of a reported violation

RTD uses premium diesel fuel during high pollution months (October thru March). Premium diesel:

• Provides a low sulfur and aromatic content
• Reduces smoke
• Improves air quality

The Free MallRide buses are fully electric powered by batteries, and the vehicles include regenerative braking that helps to recharge the batteries. These vehicles are referred to as ZEV or zero emission vehicles because there are no emissions, which is even better than hybrid buses that are being replaced.

• Electrical power is provided by battery packs charged by an alternator and by regenerative braking, a process in which the kinetic energy generated by braking is converted to electricity and returned to the power supply line or provided for other on-board uses, such as lights
• Lower noise levels
• Special insulation reduces interior and exterior noise

RTD pioneered the use of electronically-controlled engines and transmissions in order to provide:

• More efficient equipment operation
• Reduced exhaust emissions

We are currently replacing older engines with advanced clean-burning, low emission, electronically controlled engines from Detroit Diesel and Cummins. These engines:

• Reduce particulate emissions by 70%
• Allow RTD to meet EPA standards without using particulate traps, which can reduce fuel mileage

RTD was the first in the transit industry to use a refrigerant recovery system to capture and recycle Freon for reuse. We were also the first in the transit industry to buy new buses using HFC-134a in our air conditioning systems. Plus, all of our buses previously equipped with Freon R-12 have been converted to HFC-134a or FR-12. Both of these refrigerants are environmentally friendly.

A joint program of RTD and the Colorado School of Mines, the High Altitude Test Lab is the only high altitude test lab for heavy-duty engines in the world. The lab uses chassis and engine dynamometers to evaluate new engine technologies and fuels under real conditions.

RTD replaced toxic cleaning solvents with a petroleum-based low flammability solvent featuring a filtration system. Filters remove particulates from the new solvent which can then be used for a year resulting in:

• Drastically reduced hazardous waste generation
• Safer employee handling

We use Low Volatile Organic Compound paint (water base) to reduce emissions from paint. Our paint booths use air, not water filtration systems, to eliminate contaminated wastewater, reducing hazardous waste generation.

RTD recycles newspapers, office papers, computer paper and aluminum cans in our offices. Special bins have also been set up at major bus stations for commuters to recycle newspapers.

All maintenance service trucks are equipped with Spill Containment Units. This allows drivers to immediately clean up accidental spills such as antifreeze or oil, preventing environmental contamination.

Stormwater is surface runoff from precipitation that falls from the sky in the form of rain or snow and ultimately runs into local waterbodies.

Surface runoff can flow off many areas, including streets, parking lots, driveways, lawns, building rooftops, construction sites, and industrial storage yards.

Stormwater may carry to waterways pollutants like trash, sediment, leaves, grass clippings, excessively applied fertilizers/herbicides, metals, bacteria, petroleum product leaks, and spilled chemicals if they are not mitigated in a timely manner. Instances of surface water containing these kind of pollutants are considered to be illicit discharges by state and federal regulatory agencies.

Unlike sanitary sewer systems that treat or recycle gray water from residential and commercial source restrooms, showers, and sinks; surface runoff is rarely treated or filtered before directly entering local creeks or rivers.

The Colorado Water Quality Control Division regulates discharge permits that RTD is certified and authorized to release stormwater under.

Currently RTD is authorized under Sector P-Land Transportation and Warehousing of the Colorado Discharge Permit System’s COR900000 general permit for non-extractive industrial activity. These certifications allow RTD to discharge stormwater at multiple bus and rail maintenance and operational based divisions.

In addition, RTD is authorized under the COR070000 non-standard municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4) general permit to discharge stormwater from stations, park-n-rides, storage yards, station platforms, administrative facilities, and rail right-of-way alignments.

To be in compliance with industrial and MS4 permit requirements prescribed by the Water Quality Control Division RTD must ensure that measures are taken in all activities to reduce or eliminate the likelihood of illicit discharges. Measures include:

1. Distribution of training to RTD employees on agency best management practices, spill response methods, and the recognition of key stormwater permit requirements.
2. Implementation of illicit discharge detection, tracking, and elimination procedures.
3. Collaboration with local municipalities to display stormwater related public education material on interior bus posters, public information displays at stations, and bus stop shelter advertisements containing pollution reduction tips at home or in the community.
4. Coordination with RTD contractors to develop and administer erosion and sediment control measures on construction projects from the planning stage to final stabilization of newly constructed or renovated facilities.

For more information about RTD’s efforts to minimize pollutants and control surface runoff contact the RTD environmental compliance team at [email protected].

To report spills, concerns, or illegal dumping on agency properties please call the RTD main telephone line at 303-299-6000.

RTD uses low-maintenance, low-water usage landscaping at its Park-n-Rides.