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EPA Names Simmons One of the Nation's Best Higher Education Workplaces for Commuters

BOSTON (July 10, 2006) — Simmons College has been named one of the nation's Best Workplaces for Commuters by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in its first national ranking of commuter-friendly colleges and universities.

EPA officials said the 72 campuses nationwide that received the designation have demonstrated environmental leadership by offering outstanding commuter benefits meeting the EPA's National Standard of Excellence. The benefits help the environment by improving air quality, saving energy, and reducing traffic congestion, while also improving the quality of life for employees.

Simmons offers employees significant subsidies for subway, bus, and commuter rail pass purchases, and promotes programs such as the Bike Week Commuter Challenge and the Ridematching Program offered through the MASCO Commuteworks cooperative effort supported by the hospitals and colleges in the Longwood Medical Area.

An EPA analysis shows that the effort made by Simmons reduces the amount of carbon dioxide in the air by 266 metric tons per year, takes the equivalent of 53 cars off the road, and saves more than 30,200 gallons of gasoline.

Simmons College (www.simmons.edu) is a nationally recognized private university in Boston with about 5,000 students. It includes an undergraduate college for women, and graduate programs for women and men in social work, health studies, library and information science, management, and liberal arts.