TORONTO, ON – Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA), the trade association representing commercial service airports in the United States and Canada, announced the winners of the 2025 Environmental Achievement Awards. The awards, which honor outstanding sustainability efforts within the aviation industry, were presented on October 27 at the 2025 ACI-NA Annual Conference and Exhibition in Toronto, Ontario. 

“ACI-NA congratulates the 2025 Environmental Achievement Award winners and thanks them for their honorable commitment to advancing sustainability across the aviation industry,” said ACI-NA President and CEO Kevin M. Burke. “These airports have championed innovative solutions that raise the bar for environmental stewardship in air travel. We are proud to recognize their achievements in sustainability and celebrate their lasting impact on our industry.”  

ACI-NA’s Environmental Achievement Awards acknowledge the hard work, innovative practices, initiatives, and accomplishments of ACI-NA member airports working to protect and preserve the environment. 

Airport environmental and planning staff are recognized for developing proposals and implementing programs that enhance sustainability and protect the environment while keeping their airports operational and on schedule, minimizing community and regulatory controversy, and using creative means to maximize overall cost-benefit. 

A total of five awards were granted in the categories of Environmental Management; Mitigation; Outreach, Education, and Community Involvement; Environmental Improvement with Limited Resources; and Innovative/Special Projects. 

Environmental Management  

The 2025 Environmental Management Award went to Los Angeles World Airports’ Van Nuys Airport for its Zero-Emission Ground Support Equipment Policy. The Van Nuys Airport Zero-Emission Ground Support Equipment Policy was developed collaboratively by Los Angeles World Airports, the Van Nuys community, and VNY GSE operators. By 2030, the policy will eliminate noise and air pollution from VNY GSE and help ease environmental impacts on Van Nuys residents. 

Mitigation  

The 2025 Mitigation Award went to Southwest Florida International Airport/Lee County Port Authority for their RSW Mitigation Park Land Management Strategy. This project is an innovative, adaptive land management strategy at the 7,000-acre Airport Mitigation Park in Lee County, FL. It includes a multi-year ecological enhancement effort focused on removing non-native invasive plant species within environmentally sensitive mitigation lands, helping to maintain the ecological integrity of the Mitigation Park. 

Outreach, Education, and Community 

The 2025 Outreach, Education, and Community Involvement Award went to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport/Port of Seattle for their Community Outreach, Engagement, and Language Access initiative. The Port of Seattle developed an environmental framework to address unintended burdens on communities near the airport. This framework guided broad outreach as part of the Port’s Sustainable Airport Master Plan Environmental Assessment. 

An honorable mention was awarded to the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) for their Engaging Passengers in the Sustainability Journey project. The MAC developed innovative programs that use technology and strategic partnerships to engage passengers in sustainability efforts at MSP Airport. These cost-effective and impactful programs helped meaningfully reduce the airport’s environmental footprint while rewarding passengers for making sustainable choices. 

Environmental Improvement with Limited Resources  

The 2025 Environmental Improvement with Limited Resources Award went to the Greater Toronto Airports Authority for their YYBeeZ – Malton Youth Hub Collaboration. GTAA’s programs aim to support a healthier environment, and for the 2025 YYBeeZ Program, youth from the Malton Youth Hub painted beehives as part of a collaborative environmental stewardship effort. The project fostered creativity, strengthened community connections, and demonstrated how youth can actively contribute to sustainability at the airport. 

Innovative/Special Projects  

The 2025 Innovative/Special Projects Award went to Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport/Port of Oakland for their Sustainability and Climate Resilience Grants and Management Program. The program created an innovative, community-first grant-seeking framework that proactively builds partnerships to secure funding for environmental projects. This framework extends the Port’s grant-writing abilities to support projects led by Community Based Organizations (CBOs), significantly expanding the reach and impact of environmental initiatives. 

An honorable mention was awarded to Jackson Hole Airport for their Dark Sky Certification. Jackson Hole Airport became the first airport in the world to be certified as an Urban Night Sky Place (IDSP) by DarkSky International. The certification process required implementing its Lighting Management Plan, including responsible outdoor lighting policies that reduce glare, light trespass, and skyglow. 

More details about ACI-NA’s Environmental Achievement Awards and information on how to apply for next year’s awards can be found HERE.  

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