B N S F R A I LW AY

C O M PA N Y

E N V I R O N M E N TA L

R E P O R T

BNSF RAILWAY’S ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY:

“It is the policy of the BNSF Railway Company to operate so as to protect and

enhance the environment, to protect the health and safety of employees and the

communities in which BNSF operates, to comply with environmental laws and

regulations, and to continuously improve BNSF environmental performance by

monitoring and measuring environmental indicators and goals.”

BNSF Railway’s commitment

to environmental stewardship

is not limited to merely com-

plying with existing laws and

regulations; we strive to make

protecting the environment a

way of life and an ongoing

mission for every employee.

Conserving Energy

Conserving energy to maximize fuel

efficiency and minimize emissions is

BNSF Railway’s most important strategy

to reduce its environmental footprint.

Recent initiatives include:

> Acquiring about 750 GE Evolution

series locomotives, which achieve up

to 5 percent fuel savings over the

previous generation of GE loco-

motives and reduce, on average,

regulated emissions by more than

40 percent

> Remanufacturing existing locomotive

fleets to meet updated EPA emission

standards

> Using hybrid switch engines, such as

the Green Goat, which use 40 to 70

percent less diesel fuel and reduce par-

ticulate emissions by 80 to 90 percent

> Adding idle control mechanisms

that reduce fuel consumption and

emissions

> Annual stack opacity tests, with

certified smoke readers at each

testing facility

> Implementing new lower-friction

roller-bearing technology on railcars

> Improving trailer positioning on

intermodal trains to reduce drag

> Using friction reducers on the

wheel-to-rail interface

> Using alternative fuels, such as liq-

uefied natural gas, and exploring

additional alternatives such as

biodiesel and fuel cell technology

Supporting Clean Fuels

BNSF operated the rail industry’s first

ethanol unit train service, and remains

the industry leader in ethanol trans-

portation solutions.

Reducing Waste

The BNSF Pollution Prevention Program

has helped significantly reduce the

amount of waste generated at major

facilities via recycling and modifying

processes to curtail or eliminate

sources of waste. Additionally, we have

made major investments to improve

our wastewater treatment facilities.

Preventing and Responding

to Emergencies

BNSF is committed to doing everything

possible to prevent the release of haz-

ardous materials. Our safety record is

one of the best in the industry. We are a

Friend of the Responsible Care® program

sponsored by the American Chemistry

Council, we participate in industry-

sponsored public safety education

initiatives such as Operation Lifesaver,

and we have several internal programs

focused on safety, prevention and

response. Our commitment encompasses

the prompt recognition and reporting of

any condition that creates a danger to

the environment or to human health or

safety.A network of 162 expert emergency

responders monitors and mobilizes all

emergency responses and lends technical

expertise, supported by Geographical

Information System (GIS) tools designed

to provide crucial information rapidly.

B N S F R A I LW AY: A N I N D U S T RY L E A D E R

I N E N V I R O N M E N TA L C O M M I T M E N T

The railroad industry has proven

its commitment to environmental

stewardship by increasing fuel

efficiency and reducing emis-

sions while continuing to handle

more freight ton-miles than any

other mode of transportation.

Higher Fuel Efficiency

> On average, railways are more

than three times more fuel efficient

than trucks.

> Nearly one billion gallons of fuel per

year could be saved if only 10 percent

of the freight that currently moves

by truck were moved by rail.

> Freight railway fuel efficiency has

risen 74 percent since 1980.

> In 2004, a gallon of diesel fuel carried

a ton of freight nearly 410 miles on the

U.S. freight railways, compared with

332 miles in 1990 and 235 miles in 1980.

Lower Emissions

> A typical truck emits about three times

more nitrogen oxides and particulates

per ton-mile than a locomotive,

according to the U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA). Other stud-

ies point to an even greater disparity.

> While handling a full 42 percent of the

nation’s intercity freight ton-miles,

railroads account for only 9 percent of

total transportation-related nitrogen

oxide emissions and just 4 percent of

transportation-related particulate

emissions, according to the EPA.

By complying with the 1998 EPA stan-

dards for newly manufactured and

retrofitted locomotives, the rail industry

will achieve a:

> 40 percent reduction in hydrocarbon

emissions

> 60 percent reduction in nitrogen

oxide emissions

> 40 percent reduction in particulate

emissions

compared with pre-1998 locomotives.

And the rail industry is working with

government agencies to achieve even

more stringent locomotive emissions

standards under a three-year public-

private partnership established by the

Energy Policy Act of 2005.

Less Highway Congestion

> The annual cost of highway gridlock

in the U.S. is $63 billion, according

to the Texas Transportation Institute.

> A single intermodal train takes up to

280 trucks off our highways.

> Trains carrying other types of freight

take up to 500 trucks off our highways.

> Shifting freight from trucks to rail

would reduce highway congestion,

enhance mobility and reduce the pres-

sure to build costly new highways.

R A I L : T H E M O S T E N V I R O N M E N TA L LY F R I E N D LY

M O D E O F G R O U N D T R A N S P O R TAT I O N

RANK(1 = MOST

DESIRABLE)

1

2

3

4

RAIL

WATER

TRUCK

AIR

RAIL

WATER

AIR

TRUCK

AIR

RAIL

WATER

TRUCK

RAIL

WATER

AIR

TRUCK

RAIL

WATER

TRUCK

AIR

SOURCE: ENVIROTRANS

OXIDES OFNITROGEN

VOLATILEORGANIC

COMPOUNDSPARTICULATE

MATTERCARBON

MONOXIDECARBONDIOXIDE

Rail: The Most Environmentally Conscious Choice(EMISSIONS PER TON-MILE)

C O N TAC T I N F O R M AT I O N

Working together starts with open lines of communication.

In case of emergency, call the BNSF ResourceOperations Center:

800-832-5452For non-emergency environmental questions,call the BNSF Environmental Question line:

800-308-7513To call the BNSF Confidential Hot Line:

800-241-5689

BNSF Railway CompanyEnvironmental Department

920 S.E. Quincy StreetTopeka, Kansas 66612-1116

800-308-7513

www.bnsf.com

B E I N G A G O O D N E I G H B O R TO DAY, I M P R OV I N G TO M O R R O W

BNSF strives to have its operations leave as little impact as possible on all the inhabitants of our shared

environment.This includes the conservation of wildlife and wetlands in areas through which our tracks pass.

And it includes controlling noise, emissions and odors, as well as environmental remediation at former

railroad facilities.

BNSF is committed to continuous improvement in our environmental stewardship. We are an active partner

with the communities we serve and appreciate their input. If you have a comment, concern or suggestion

regarding how we can improve, please contact us.