Bailey Wins Top Environmental Award

CSX Construction Engineer Charles Bailey Wins Top Environmental Award

Every new siding construction project has unique environmental challenges, from soil and water conditions to wildlife and vegetation. But for 13 straight years, one thing has been consistent about all CSX siding projects — none has received a single notice of violation from a regulatory agency.

The person primarily responsible for this remarkable record is Charles Bailey, CSX director of design and construction engineering, whose extraordinary focus on protecting the environment has earned him the 2017 John H. Chafee Environmental Excellence Award, presented by the Association of American Railroads.

One of the top honors of the railroad industry, the Chafee Award is named after the late senator from Rhode Island, who was a strong advocate for environmental causes and the eco-friendly benefits of rail transportation. The award recognizes a railroad employee who has demonstrated the highest level of environmental stewardship in the previous year.

Although the award covers a single year, Charles has developed his approach to environmental stewardship over the course of a 39-year railroad career, during which he has changed the way engineering and environmental teams work together at CSX.

Charles involves environmental professionals at each step in the design and construction process to ensure sustainable features and environmental protections are prioritized in the plan design and carried out during the construction process. Last year, for example, his collaborative approach led to a siding design modification that reduced soil excavation by 13,700 cubic yards — material that would have had to be taken to a landfill. On separate project, the construction plan was changed to save 10,700 cubic yards of excavation.

Another example of Charles’ environmental stewardship occurred on a yard project in Kentucky, where he included additional protection underneath the fueling area and incorporated storm water segregation and treatment in the overall yard design because of the area’s porous karst geology.

Charles has also relocated wildlife using environmental best practices for protecting impacted species. On construction sites in Florida, he helped voluntarily relocate more than 375 gopher tortoises, and he oversaw the removal and restoration of more than 300 plants of four endangered species and the collection of more than 7,000 seeds from six endangered plant species.

Through his respect for the environment and understanding of railroad operating and engineering priorities, Charles is demonstrating to the entire industry that environmental stewardship and successful railroad operations can go hand in hand.