Obama Administration Releases Federal Agency Sustainability Performance Plans

Second annual plans focus on implementation of programs that cut waste, pollution, and costs

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Continuing its commitment to lead by example and cut waste, pollution and costs in Federal operations, the Obama Administration today released Federal agencies’ 2012 Strategic Sustainability Performance Plans.  Agencies develop and submit Sustainability Plans annually under President Obama’s Executive Order 13514 on Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance, signed October 5, 2009.  This year’s Plans highlight agency milestones, new strategies for improving performance, and specific examples of projects that are saving taxpayer dollars, creating clean energy jobs, reducing pollution, cutting waste, and saving energy.

The Sustainability Plans build on two years of progress under the Executive Order, including: completing the first comprehensive greenhouse gas pollution inventory of Federal agency operations; doubling the Federal hybrid vehicle fleet and integrating electric vehicles into the Federal fleet to reduce gasoline consumption; and tracking agency performance through Energy and Sustainability Scorecards prepared by the Office of Management and Budget. 

“The Federal government is seeing the same kinds of positive results that leading American companies have seen from their own sustainability efforts,” said Nancy Sutley, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality.  “Making buildings more efficient, conserving vital resources, and reducing waste all improve the Federal Government’s energy and environmental performance and save taxpayer dollars.”

The 2012 Sustainability Plans were announced on the opening day of the 2011 GreenGov Symposium in Washington, D.C., a three-day forum bringing together leaders from government, the private sector, non-profits and academia to identify opportunities to create jobs, grow clean energy industries, and curb pollution by greening the Federal Government. 

Executive Order 13514 requires Federal agencies to submit their plans to the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval.  Agencies annually update Sustainability Plans, prioritizing activities that help to meet energy, water, and waste reduction goals based on a positive return on investment for the American taxpayer.

Agency Strategic Sustainability Performance Plans are available now at http://sustainability.performance.gov. 

For more information on Executive Order 13514 on Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance, please visit: http://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/administration/eop/ceq/initiatives/sustainability.

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