President Obama Signs Executive Order to Set Sustainability Goals for Federal Agencies

President Obama has issued Executive Order 13514, Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance, which requires each federal agency to establish a Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan. Each agency will be required to measure, reduce, and report their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and establish an agency-wide GHG emissions reduction target for 2020 as compared to 2008 baseline emissions. Reductions will be achieved through a variety of measures including reduced petroleum consumption, use of alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs), and fleet optimization efforts. Federal fleets of 20 vehicles or more will be required to reduce petroleum consumption by a minimum of 2% per year through the end of fiscal year 2020 as compared to 2005 baseline usage. Within 180 days, the U.S. Department of Energy, in coordination with the General Services Administration (GSA), will issue guidance on federal fleet management, addressing the acquisition of AFVs, use of alternative fuels, fuel economy improvements, fleet optimization, renewable fueling infrastructure, and other petroleum reduction strategies. For more information, see the White House press release and the Executive Order.