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By observing, researching and implementing sustainable business practices, IDOT will strive to meet the needs of the current generation while ensuring that the needs of future generations are also met. As a large and influential governmental organization, we are obligated to sustainability and seek to act as a leader of conservation, efficiency, and environmental citizenship in Illinois and throughout the country.
As a governmental entity responsible for over 140,000 miles of roads and streets, employing a staff of over 5000, occupying over 4 million square feet and with approximately 5000 vehicles in use, IDOT has a very significant environmental impact. Sustainability activities had been occurring in the Department for many years, but have not had a formal name attached to them. The Sustainability Practices Unit would be the formal conduit for the integration of sustainability into the Department. The Unit will identify on-going environmental initiatives, research new opportunities and recommend policy and program enhancements. Unit staff will strive to offer a balance of environmental vision while being logistically and economically pragmatic.
Specifically, the purposes of the Sustainable Practices Office are:
- To make policy recommendations to the Secretary of Transportation and senior-level staff designed to:
- Identify sustainability opportunities that may provide the Department with significant benefit including grants and other financial savings.
- Ensure compliance with the law by tracking all environmental legislation that affects the Department.
- Promote, throughout the Department and the State, the conservation of resources, energy efficiency, waste reduction and recycling, pollution prevention, increased reliance on renewable resources, and other measures consistent with sustainable living.
- Coordinate further long-range sustainable practices by the Department.
- To act interdisciplinary and be involved cross-departmentally with other state agencies in order to maximize and achieve sustainable goals.
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