Volume 145, No. 102 covering the 1st Session of the 106th Congress (1999 - 2000) was published by the Congressional Record.
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“PRESIDENT CLINTON'S EXECUTIVE ORDER TO INCREASE ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT” mentioning the Environmental Protection Agency was published in the Senate section on pages S8797 on July 19, 1999.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
PRESIDENT CLINTON'S EXECUTIVE ORDER TO INCREASE ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, I would like to speak for just few minutes today in support of President Clinton's Executive Order of June 3, 1999, which ordered the Federal Government to undertake a comprehensive program to save energy, save money and cut pollution.
The Federal Government is the nation's largest consumer of energy, purchasing energy to light, heat and cool more than 500,000 buildings and power millions of vehicles. Each year the Federal Government purchases more than $200 billion worth of products, including enormous quantities of energy-intensive goods. Current efficiency programs already save more than $1 billion a year according to an estimate in the Wall Street Journal of July 15, 1999. In addition, the government's vast purchases give it significant market influence to impact the development, manufacture and use of clean energy technologies.
This Executive Order sets worthwhile--and unfortunately too long overlooked--goals, including the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, energy efficiency improvements, increased use of renewable energy, reduced use of petroleum, water conservation and changes in how we measure energy use. I believe these goals have tremendous merit and will deliver the ``win-win'' results of sound environmental and energy policy, because each goal stresses reduced pollution and reduced costs.
To achieve these goals, the Order sets in place several new administrative policies for organization and accountability. To begin, each agency will designate a single officer to oversee implementation. Agencies will submit a budget request to the Office of Management and Budget for investments that will reduce energy use, pollution and life-
cycle costs, and they will track and report progress. The Order applies to all Federal departments and agencies, with an appropriate exception for the Department of Defense when compliance may hinder military operations and training.
Federal agencies will be able to employ a range of Federal programs including Energy Star, sustainable building design research from the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency and others. For example, to the extent practicable, agencies will strive to achieve the Energy Star standards for energy performance and indoor environmental quality for all facilities by 2002. Agencies will apply sustainable design principles to the siting, design and construction of new facilities--meaning energy use, costs and reduced pollution will be optimized across a facility's life. And such measures will extend to transportation, including the use of efficient and renewable-fuel vehicles.
Finally, the Executive Order endorses the use of ``source energy'' as a measure of efficiency. Measuring energy consumption by ``source''--as opposed to ``site''--means taking into account not only the energy consumed by a light bulb, appliance or other product to perform a certain function, but also the energy consumed in the generation, transmission and distribution of that energy to the product in question. Research in energy use increasingly shows that a ``source'' measurement is a more accurate measure of the total costs that we pay to operate appliances and other equipment.
Mr. President, I add my sincere appreciation to President Clinton for executing this Order and endorsing its policies. I believe that if this Executive Order is properly implemented, it will pay dividends for the environment and taxpayers.
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