Obama Administration Releases Federal Agency Strategic Sustainability Performance Plans

For the first time, Agency Plans to include strategies for climate change preparedness

Continuing the Obama Administration’s commitment to lead by example and cut waste, pollution, and costs in Federal operations, Federal agencies today released their 2012 Strategic Sustainability Performance Plans. President Obama signed Executive Order 13514 on Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance in October 2009, setting aggressive targets for reducing waste and pollution in Federal operations by 2020.  The Sustainability Plans build on three years of progress under the Executive Order and provide an overview of how agencies are saving taxpayer dollars, reducing carbon emissions, cutting waste, and saving energy.

This year, agency Sustainability Plans for the first time ever include Climate Change Adaptation Plans, outlining initiatives to reduce the vulnerability of Federal programs, assets, and investments to the impacts of climate change, such as sea level rise or more frequent or severe extreme weather. Agency adaptation plans highlight actions to plan for and address these impacts in their programs and operations, and protect taxpayer investments. 

The adaptation plans, which the President called for in his 2009 Executive Order, will be available for 60 days of public comment and will be updated by agencies as needed.  The agency adaptation plans build on the Administration’s commitment to promoting climate change preparedness and resilience, including through launching the Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force in 2009 to coordinate measures across the Federal Government and support local and regional adaptation efforts.

“The Federal Government is seeing the results of three years of effort in the form of reduced utility bills, more efficient operations, and less waste and pollution,” said Nancy Sutley, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality.  “Agencies are demonstrating significant progress on sustainability initiatives that are good for American taxpayers and good for American communities.” 

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.  In addition to the Climate Change Adaptation Plans, this year’s Sustainability Plans include two other new components, Fleet Management Plans and Bio-based Purchasing Strategies. 

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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