44 ENVIRONMENTAL October 2026 AirportImprovement.com BFI Green Ripples Tenants at BFI are contributing with sustainability projects of their own. A UPS facility, for instance, uses half as many fossil-fuel burning tugs that burn fossil fuel since installing caster decks— industrial flooring systems embedded with millions of flush-mounted caster wheels and ball bearings that allow workers to manually push and pull heavy air freight cargo containers. Elsewhere on the field, fixed-base operator Modern Aviation operates electric tugs, and purchased an all-electric fuel truck early last year. “We’ve led the way for our tenants to reduce their carbon footprints,” Parrott says. The airport also plans to offer tenants reduced fuel prices if they use sustainable aviation fuel, a cleaner alternative to standard petroleum-based jet fuel that significantly reduces carbon emissions. “We can’t force people to use it, but we can incentivize them to use sustainable aviation fuel,” says Parrott. Looking ahead, BFI might invest in more electric vehicles, but that depends on several factors, including the availability of electric vehicles as the auto industry adjusts its push toward electrification in the wake of poor sales. “The desire to convert is one thing, but the ability to convert is another,” Parrott observes. “As our firetrucks age, we’ll talk about replacing them with hybrids or electric vehicles,” he continues. “But it’s a slow process—you take what you can find. If something fits your needs, great. If not, you pass and wait until something comes along. “But the bottom line is, we’re committed to this for the long haul.” Modern Aviation operates an electric fuel truck and electric tugs.
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