MBTA announces new climate office to reduce its environmental footprint

The MBTA is creating a new office to focus on reducing its environmental impact and improving the resilience of the transit system.

Announced during the agency's board meeting Thursday, the office of Climate and Resiliency Policy and Planning will operate under the T’s Policy and Strategic Planning Division, overseen by Lynsey Heffernan.

The new group will oversee efforts from electrifying the bus fleet by 2040 to requiring new MBTA facilities to meet higher energy efficiency standards.

Heffernan said the new office is part of an organizational restructuring unveiled last week, and T officials hope it will help remedy some “gaps” in “long term planning to our climate work.” The group also will work with state officials on sustainability planning.

T officials said the transit system is "aggressively pursuing all funding options available," to reach its environmental goals, including securing over $117 million in federal grants.

Heffernan said she is working on a plan to help guide long-term climate and sustainability plans. She hopes to establish a way to measure the progress and goals outlined by her office.

In a statement, the T said it has reduced energy consumption by 20% and emissions by 48% over the past decade.

General Manger Phil Eng said, "From securing grants to fund environmental initiatives to reducing emissions through fleet electrification, the MBTA is firmly committed to building a greener, more climate-ready transit network."