2008 Annual Report

Message from the Manager of Aviation

In March 2008, I joined DIA, the fifth-busiest airport in the United States and the 10th busiest airport in the world. With more than 51 million passengers in 2008, DIA continues to exhibit its position as an economic and operational leader in the global aviation market.

In addition to DIA’s clear leadership in innovative design, state-of-the-art facility construction, operational excellence, and providing economic vitality for the region, DIA has also emerged as a leader in environmental stewardship and sustainability.

DIA is poised for additional growth, and I am committed to ensuring that as we grow we maximize benefits to our customers, while minimizing our impacts to the environment. We will continue to implement our ISO 14001-certified Environmental Management System and will incorporate key sustainability principles into every aspect of our business, which will contribute not only to our environmental successes but will also improve economic performance and provide social benefits to our employees, customers, and surrounding communities.

Kim Day
Manager of Aviation

Environmental
Program Management

DIA’s Environmental Management System (EMS) provides a systematic approach to managing DIA’s significant environmental impacts and promotes and encourages continual environmental performance improvement. In 2008, DIA’s EMS was audited twice by an external party for conformance with the international standard and was recommended for continued registration. DIA is still the only international airport in the United States with an ISO 14001-certified EMS that encompasses the entire facility. In addition, DIA has maintained its recognition as an environmental leader, as evidenced by its continued membership in the United States Environmental Protection Agency National Environmental Performance Track Program and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's Environmental Leadership Program (CDPHE).

The annual objectives of DIA’s EMS are:

• Improve environmental compliance
• Reduce potential liabilities
• Enhance the airport’s positive image
• Implement a reliable Environmental Management System
• Evaluate pollution-prevention, energy-reduction, and waste-minimization opportunities

DIA continues to pursue these objectives systematically through its EMS “Plan, Do, Check, Feedback” process. DIA’s EMS is helping Denver achieve two of the city’s goals: Making Denver a Better Place to Live and to Work.

DIA’s environmental achievements were acknowledged by various organizations in 2008 including:

• CDPHE 24-Karat Award
• Federal Aviation Administration Environmental Sustainability Award
• Metro Wastewater Reclamation District Gold Award

2008 Environmental
Performance "Report Card"

In 2005, DIA set aggressive annual targets for electrical energy usage reduction, glycol recycling, hazardous and solid waste generation reduction, and gasoline usage. DIA’s progress toward these targets is illustrated below.

Programs and
Benefits at DIA

Social programs

• Denver Employees Volunteer Opportunities (DEVO) – Community service projects (Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army, etc.)
• Employee blood drives
• Toys, school supplies, and food drives
• Wellness programs
• Denver Employees Combined Campaign (DECC)
• DIAper Dash 2008 – Diaper donations for Denver Health Foundation
• Parade of Lights participant
• Christmas party for local foster children
• DIA Workforce Center-sponsored job fairs

Cultural programs

• Temporary art exhibitions – eight separate exhibits at locations throughout DIA
• Permanent art exhibits – a walking-tour booklet discussing all of DIA's permanent art was printed in 2008
• Entertainment series – live music performances during the holidays
• City offers employees discount tickets to theaters, sporting events, and other cultural events

Economic benefits

• $110,000 in savings from municipal solid waste recycling
• $1.7 million in cost avoided in 2007/2008 through on-site aircraft deicing fluid recycling
• $150,000 in insurance premium savings
• Reduction in hazardous waste generation equals approximately $10,000 savings per year
• 12 percent paper reduction results in $5,000 savings per year
• Diesel and gasoline use reduction saved DIA more than $160,000 in 2008

Looking
Ahead

For the year ahead, DIA has developed new initiatives under the environmental objectives in its 2008 annual plan. In 2009, DIA plans to:

• Participate in the Global Reporting Initiative Airport Sector Supplement development for sustainability reporting
• Conduct an organic collection and composting pilot program
• Evaluate recycling programs for the parking lots and garages
• Partner with Colorado Carbon Fund to offer our customers the opportunity to purchase carbon offsets
• Develop new video of DIA’s environmental programs
• Continue to improve DIA’s training, education, and outreach programs
• Implement erosion-control best-management practices based on the results of a study and test conducted in 2008
• Develop new specifications for the municipal solid waste hauling and recycling contract
• Continue gasoline-only vehicle replacement program with dual gas/electric hybrids or gas/CNG hybrids
• Test a new hydrogen generator system in gasoline vehicles – testimonials claim the technology will increase fuel efficiency by 10-20 percent and reduce emissions by 85 percent
• Perform wind monitoring pilot test to evaluate feasibility of wind turbines
• Include eco-efficiency in all procurements language
• Continue to participate in the public process for permit revisions, regulatory reviews, and environmental policies and procedures
• DIA will be reapplying to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Environmental Leadership Program
• Continue to pursue pollution-prevention, energy-reduction, and waste-minimization targets. Details included in this brochure under the "2008 Environmental Performance Report Card"

DIA's Significant
Environmental Aspects

Air craft deicing fluid (ADF)
Liquid fuels
Hazardous waste
Remediation/Investigation– derived waste
Wetlands
Sediment and street-sweeping waste
Exploration and production products
Universal waste
Municipal solid waste
Particulates (PM10, PM2.5, dust, opacity)
Carbon monoxide (CO)
Nitrogen oxides (NOx)
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – ozone precursor
Migratory birds
Sewage
Natural habitat
Ozone-depleting compounds (ODCs)
Pavement deicers
Lubricants
Solvents
Wash fluids
Threatened and endangered species
Noise

DIA currently recycles or reuses 21 different types of materials, keeping them out of landfills and supporting recycling businesses along Colorado’s Front Range. For a complete list of recyclables and more information on DIA's environmental programs, go to www.flydenver.com/environmental .

Some other notable environmental performance enhancement activities and accomplishments are listed below.

• Installation and operation of a two-megawatt solar photovoltaic system
• The DIA Noise Office verified that DIA had no Type-2 violations in 2008, and that DIA experienced a 12-percent reduction in noise complaints
• DIA placed 160 new recycling containers in public areas to collect aluminum cans and plastic bottles for recycling
• Began single-stream recycling in October 2008
• Completed a waste composition study of DIA’s municipal solid waste
• DIA added scrap wood collection for composting to the waste management program
• Paper conservation initiatives such as "Paper-Free Friday", coupled with using technology strategies (such as setting the network printers' default to print on both sides of paper), resulted in a 12-percent reduction in paper use in 2008 from 2007
• 770 contractors and city employees received environmental awareness training, stormwater training, or new-hire orientation
• DIA saved $150,000 in environmental insurance due to its robust environmental management program
• Colorado Airport Operators Association and DIA co-hosted an “Environmental Regulations for Airports” training session to educate airport managers, consultants, and contractors on the regulations that apply to the industry
• Conducted Earth Day outreach events
• 172 DIA employees enrolled in the RTD ValuPass program
• The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment air and waste divisions, as well as the Metro Wastewater Reclamation District, conducted compliance inspections in 2008. DIA received no violations or advisories as a result of these inspections
• Through DIA’s glycol collection and recycling program, DIA was able to reduce the amount of collected deicing fluid that went to Metro Wastewater by 8 percent
• Created a reduced access fee program for hybrid taxis (average of 117 trips per month since April 2008)
• Instituted an employee carpooling program
• In addition to the 1,432 tons of materials recycled out of the municipal solid waste stream, DIA also recycled the following items:
• 714 large batteries and 2,030 pounds of other batteries
• 23,571 pounds of electronics
• 6,475 pounds of fluorescent bulbs
• 1,273 tons of scrap metal
• 26 tons of wood pallets (into compost)
• 88,200 tons of concrete
• 7,700 tons of asphalt
• 110,500 pounds of restaurant grease
• 1,375 gallons of antifreeze
• 819 tires
• 17,307 gallons of used oil
• 858 gallons of solvent
• 211,672 pounds of carpet
• 365,020 pounds of ceiling tiles
• 70,036 tons of pavement into Class-6 roadbase