Leading by Example in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance

As the largest consumer of energy in the American economy, it is the Federal Government’s responsibility to lead by example towards a clean energy economy.

With more than 1.8 million civilian employees, 500,000 buildings, and $500 billion in annual purchasing power, the Federal Government has a responsibility to lead by example when it comes to its environmental, energy, and economic performance. Demonstrating a commitment to this principle, President Obama signed Executive Order 13514 on Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance in October 2009 that directed Federal agencies to reduce greenhouse gas pollution, eliminate waste, improve energy and water performance, and leverage Federal purchasing power to support innovation and entrepreneurship in clean energy technologies and environmentally-responsible products.

To learn more about how the Federal Government is helping to move the nation to a clean energy economy by leading by example, read the President’s Blueprint for a Secure Energy Future, released in March 2011.

Featured Story: Implementation of Executive Order 13514 on Federal Sustainability

As the Federal Government moves forward to implement Executive Order 13514, agencies are implementing specific goals and targets. Agencies have reported on their status and planned milestones toward meeting specific targets and goals. Learn More

Reduce Greenhouse Gas Pollution

Executive Order 13514 requires Federal agencies to measure, report, and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution from agency operations to reduce waste, increase efficiency, and cut costs. In 2010, President Obama announced that the Federal Government will reduce its direct greenhouse gas emissions, such as those from fuels and building energy use, by 28 percent by 2020 and will reduce its indirect greenhouse gas emissions, such as those from employee business travel and employee commuting, by 13 percent by 2020. By meeting these two goals, the Federal Government could save up to $11 billion in energy costs over the next decade and eliminate the equivalent of 235 million barrels of oil from its own activities.

The Federal Government’s progress towards meeting the GHG targets will be accomplished by holding agencies accountable for achieving related statutory and executive order goals and the individual targets they identified in their annual Sustainability Plans, through the OMB scorecard process, and monitoring of agency comprehensive GHG inventories on an annual basis beginning in January 2011. The President directed CEQ to issue guidance for GHG accounting and reporting for Federal agencies. The Final Federal Guidance for Greenhouse Gas Accounting and Reporting can be found here.

In April 2011, the White House Council on Environmental Quality released the first-ever comprehensive Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Inventory for the Federal Government, which accounts for the GHG emissions associated with the Federal Government’s operations in 2010.

The Federal Government's GHG inventory for 2010 was 66.4 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions (MMTCO2e). The 2010 GHG inventory shows that the Federal Government successfully reduced GHG pollution by 2.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions (MMTCO2e) since its 2008 baseline, and is on track to meeting the 2020 Federal GHG pollution reduction target.

Federal agency and department FY 2010 GHG emissions summaries can be found at http://www.data.gov/raw/4769.

Hold Agencies Accountable for Results

On June 15, 2012, Federal agencies released their annual Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Sustainability and Energy Scorecards. These scorecards help agencies identify, target and track the best opportunities to lead by example in clean energy; and hold them accountable for meeting annual energy, water, pollution, and waste reduction targets. Based on scorecard benchmarks, each agency will update its annual Sustainability Plan to expand on successes and address areas needing improvement. 

Since 2006, OMB has used the scorecard process to evaluate Federal agencies’ performance in achieving energy, transportation, and environmental goals. To streamline the evaluation process, make it more transparent, and align it with the goals of Executive Order 13514, OMB combined past scorecard metrics into a single OMB Sustainability/ Energy scorecard.

Through the OMB scorecard process, agencies are assessed on energy and water intensity reductions; fleet petroleum reduction; greenhouse gas emissions; green building practices; and, renewable energy use. Agencies are also evaluated on their progress towards implementing additional statutory or Executive Order targets and goals reflected in their annual Sustainability Plans, such as green purchasing and electronics stewardship. CEQ and OMB work with agency leadership to craft strategies for improvement and provide additional support and assistance as needed.

Click on the links below to view individual agency OMB Sustainability/Energy Scorecards for 2011:

 
Department of Agriculture Department of the Interior
Department of Commerce Department of Justice
Department of Defense Department of Labor
Department of Homeland Security National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Department of Education National Archives and Records Administration
Department of Energy Office of Personnel Management
Environmental Protection Agency Smithsonian Institution
General Services Administration Social Security Administration
Department of Health and Human Services Department of State
Department of Housing and Urban Development Department of Transportation
Department of the Treasury U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Tennessee Valley Authority Department of Veterans Affairs
United States Postal Service (Not Available at this Time)  

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Develop Agency Sustainability Plans

Under Executive Order 13514, Federal agencies are required to develop, implement, and annually update a Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan that describes how they will achieve the environmental, economic, and energy goals mandated in the Executive Order. Agencies must prioritize actions based on a positive return on investment for the American taxpayer. The plans are updated each year, reviewed by CEQ and approved by OMB to ensure that actions are carefully aligned with resources, Administration priorities, and the Federal budget process.

In furtherance of the Administration’s commitment to transparency, the annual Sustainability Plans are publically accessible. Each year after the plans are approved, the agencies post them on their websites. On February 7th, 2013 the agencies released their third annual Sustainability Plans. 

Click on the links below to view individual agency 2012 Strategic Sustainability Performance Plans:

 
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation General Services Administration
Commodity Futures Trading Commission Marine Mammal Commission
Department of Agriculture National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Department of Commerce National Archives and Records Administration
Department of Defense National Capital Planning Commission
Department of Education National Endowment for the Arts
Department of Energy National Endowment for the Humanities
Department of Health and Human Services Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Department of Homeland Security Office of Personnel Management
Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Special Counsel
Department of Justice Overseas Private Investment Corporation
Department of Labor Peace Corps
Department of State Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
Department of the Interior Railroad Retirement Board
Department of the Treasury Small Business Administration
Department of Transportation Smithsonian Institution 
Department of Veterans Affairs Social Security Administration
Environmental Protection Agency Tennessee Valley Authority 
Farm Credit Administration US Army Corps of Engineers
Federal Trade Commission United States Postal Service

 

Click on the links below to view individual agency 2011 Strategic Sustainability Performance Plans:

 
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation General Services Administration
Commodity Futures Trading Commission Marine Mammal Commission
Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency Millennium Challenge Corporation
Department of Agriculture National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Department of Commerce National Archives and Records Administration
Department of Defense National Capital Planning Commission
Department of Education National Endowment for the Humanities
Department of Energy National Labor Relations Board
Department of Health and Human Services National Mediation Board
Department of Homeland Security Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Personnel Management
Department of Justice Overseas Private Investment Corporation
Department of Labor Peace Corps
Department of State Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
Department of the Interior Railroad Retirement Board
Department of the Treasury Small Business Administration
Department of Transportation Social Security Administration
Department of Veterans Affairs Tennessee Valley Authority
Environmental Protection Agency US Army Corps of Engineers
Farm Credit Administration United States Postal Service
Federal Housing Finance Agency  

 

Click on the links below to view individual agency 2010 Strategic Sustainability Performance Plans:

 
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Marine Mammal Commission
Broadcasting Board of Governors National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Commodity Futures Trading Commission National Archives and Records Administration
Corporation for National and Community Service National Capital Planning Commission
Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency National Endowment for the Arts
Department of Agriculture National Endowment for the Humanities
Department of Commerce National Labor Relations Board
Department of Defense National Mediation Board
Department of Education National Science Foundation - Section 1
Department of Energy National Science Foundation - Section 2
Department of Health and Human Services Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Department of Homeland Security Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board
Department of Housing and Urban Development Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission
Department of Justice Office of Personnel Management
Department of Labor Overseas Private Investment Corporation
Department of State Peace Corps
Department of the Interior Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
Department of the Treasury Railroad Retirement Board
Department of Transportation Securities and Exchange Commission
Department of Veterans Affairs Small Business Administration
Environmental Protection Agency Smithsonian Institution
Export-Import Bank of the US Social Security Administration
Farm Credit Administration Tennessee Valley Authority
Federal Housing Finance Agency US Agency for International Development
Federal Labor Relations Authority US Army Corps of Engineers
Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission US Office of Special Counsel
Federal Trade Commission United States Postal Service
General Services Administration US Trade and Development Agency
Institute of Museum and Library Services