Speeches - By Date

FedEx in partnership with Eaton Corporation and Environmental Defense, are delivering something to all of us, something that will help make the air we breathe cleaner and our skies clearer. They = re delivering a commitment to make greater use of hybrid electric technology in their delivery vehicles, while working towards an ultimate goal of converting their entire medium-duty trucking fleet to hybrid-electric vehicles.

Not only will these vehicles help improve the bottom line by increasing fuel efficiency by 50 percent, but they will also improve the quality of our environment by dramatically decreasing particulate and smog causing emissions. By making this commitment, they are taking a giant step forward for the environment and for the health of the American people.

Of course, this type of corporate environmental leadership is nothing new for FedEx. Earlier this year, when EPA launched the SmartWay Transport Program B a voluntary partnership designed to improve the environmental performance of the freight sector B FedEx joined as a charter partner. EPA is currently working with FedEx and our other charter partners to develop and refine company specific emissions goals and identify cost-effective fuel savings strategies.

Our goal is to achieve by 2012 annual reductions of up to 18 million metric tons of carbon, and up to 200,000 tons of NOX, which will save 150 million barrels of oil a year and is equivalent to taking 12 million cars off the road. The commitment FedEx is making today to increase the use of hybrid-electric trucks will help us meet this important goal.

The initiative that FedEx, along with Eaton and Environmental Defense, are showing complements the concerted effort President Bush is making to leave America= s air cleaner than we found it. That effort includes his Clear Skies Act of 2003, an historic proposal to reduce the emissions from power plants by more than 70 percent. It includes our regulating, for the first time, emissions from non-road diesel engines that power such things as construction and farm equipment. And it includes our Clean School Bus USA Initiative, a commitment to ensure that by the year 2010, every public school child in America that rides a school bus will be riding a clean school bus.

Taken together B and working together with partners like FedEx B I believe that the air our children and grandchildren will breathe will be cleaner than what we breathe today.

Together, we are making a difference. Together, we are delivering on our commitment to the American people.

Thank you.