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Northeast Florida utility JEA recently presented the Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) its 2008 Gold Award for outstanding environmental performance in industrial wastewater pretreatment.

The award recognizes FEC for achieving 11 straight years of zero wastewater pretreatment violations. Only 57 percent of all companies JEA regulates achieved full compliance last year, the utility said. A discharge violation refers to exceeding the established limits of pollutants, such as oil, grease and chemicals, before discharging wastewater into a public sewer system.

FEC generates wastewater while servicing locomotives, including cleaning and refueling functions. The railroad’s pretreatment system removes oil, volatile compounds and other pollutants before water is discharged into JEA’s treatment system and later into the St. Johns River.

“This award reflects the plant operators’ diligence and dedication to maintaining quality discharges and complying with government regulations,” said FEC President David Rohal in a prepared statement.