Obama orders guidelines for locating federal buildings in or near central business districts and transit

Lee Epstein of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation reported, "President Obama issued an Executive Order Oct. 5 instructing federal agencies to set greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets for 2020 within 90 days.

The order also requires a 30 percent reduction in vehicle fleet petroleum use by 2020, a 26 percent improvement in water efficiency at federal agencies, a 50 percent recycling and waste diversion rate by 2015, and a requirement for federal buildings to achieve net-zero energy use by 2030.

Agencies also will be required to use federal contracts to promote environmentally responsible products and technologies and follow forthcoming guidelines for locating federal buildings in or near central business districts and close to transit.

'As the largest consumer of energy in the U.S. economy, the federal government can and should lead by example when it comes to creating innovative ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase energy efficiency, conserve water, reduce waste, and use environmentally-responsible products and technologies,' Obama said in a statement.
Obama said the order 'builds on the momentum' of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Pub. L. No. 111-5) 'to help create a clean energy economy and demonstrates the federal government's commitment, over and above what is already being done, to reducing emissions and saving money.'

According to the White House, the federal government 'occupies nearly 500,000 buildings, operates more than 600,000 vehicles, employs more than 1.8 million civilians, and purchases more than $500 billion per year in goods and services.'

Obama's order builds on Executive Order 13423, signed by former President Bush in 2007, which set goals for federal agencies in energy and resource conservation and pollution reduction, the White House said (16 DEN A-1, 1/25/07).

Taxpayer benefits include substantial energy savings and reduced costs due to improved efficiency, the White House said.

Under the order, each agency will develop and implement an integrated strategic sustainability performance plan for meeting the goals of the order. Implementation will be managed through the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive, working in close partnership with the Office of Management and Budget, the Council on Environmental Quality, and the agencies."

Governor Rell, give you any ideas?