Pennsylvania Turnpike Earns Fourth Consecutive Perfect Score From PA GreenGov Council

On December 11, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission announced it continues to excel in its goal of being a responsible steward for current and future generations across the Commonwealth by earning its fourth consecutive perfect score from the PA GreenGov Council.

“We have embraced the pioneering spirit of those who planned and built our roadway by creating an organization-wide culture that ensures environmental sustainability practices are embodied in every decision of our roadway and business practices,” said PA Turnpike CEO Mark Compton. “All of our work is leading us down the road to achieving our ultimate goal of becoming America’s First Sustainable Superhighway by 2040. I could not be more proud of our team’s efforts to provide best in class standards that bring us that much closer to achieving our target.”

Established in 2019, the GreenGov Council supports the Commonwealth’s climate goal of an 80% reduction of net greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 levels by 2050. 

Housed within the Pennsylvania Department of General Services, it helps integrate sustainability into the Commonwealth’s policies, planning, operations, procurement and regulatory functions.

Each year, all state agencies complete the GreenGov Agency Certification Checklist, a set of approximately 100 standards, grouped into 20 key areas. 

The comprehensive list covers systematic achievements, such as reducing energy consumption by 3% and improving fleet vehicle efficiency, to active employee culture and engagement initiatives. 

Based on a wide-ranging set of sustainability guidelines, the PA Turnpike remains the first, and only, agency in the Commonwealth to achieve this rating in consecutive years.

Some of these achievements include:

-- Reducing energy usage, which has yielded financial savings for the PA Turnpike 

-- Adding Electric Vehicle chargers installed, with more than 80 to be installed by 2027 

-- Reducing mowing schedules to allow native plant growth 

-- Planting pollinator habitats at seven service plazas, interchanges and the Central Administration Building (CAB) in Middletown, with more than 40 sites being explored for future installation 

-- Powering the Greensburg District Maintenance Shed via a massive solar array – with back-up natural gas generator 

-- Additional solar arrays are in the works, including at the PA Turnpike’s Western Regional Office in New Stanton which is scheduled to come online next year 

-- Planning a new solar canopy with a stationary Inductive Charging Showcase at CAB 

-- Evaluating the feasibility of an electrified road system, thanks to a Future Mobility Program grant funded by Vinnova, the Swedish Government Agency for Innovation. 

Led by Research Institute of Sweden (RISE), this US–Swedish research study explores the potential of in-motion conductive charging along the Pennsylvania Turnpike and is expected to be completed by the end of next summer.

“These efforts will protect our environment and roadway for years to come while advancing our operational and financial goals,” said Leslie Gervasio, the PA Turnpike’s Director of Communications and Sustainability Co-Chair. “Our sustainability roadmap propels the PA Turnpike beyond ‘green’ and toward truly restorative practices across our 550-plus-mile system. It’s an honor to once again be recognized for meeting every GreenGov standard and for our continued commitment to sustainable transportation.”

Click Here for the PA Turnpike announcement.

Visit the PA Turnpike’s Sustainability webpage for more information.

Related Article This Week:

-- 265 MW Solar Energy Facility Approved By Rush Township In Centre County On Nearly 2,000 Acres Of Abandoned Mine Land  [PaEN]  

[Posted: December 11, 2025]  PA Environment Digest