Environmental Policy & Guidance
Federal Leadership Initiatives
DOE participates in several environmental leadership programs organized by the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive (OFEE) or the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This page provides information about the following initiatives:
Electronics Stewardship and the Federal Electronics Challenge
DOE is committed to responsible environmental stewardship of its electronic assets. As a signatory to the Memorandum of Understanding on Promoting Sustainable Environmental Stewardship of Federal Electronic Assets, DOE policy and actions support the following principles of electronic stewardship:
- Procurement of environmentally preferable electronics
- Enable electronics power management capabilities
- Recycling of surplus (end-of-life) electronics
DOE has embedded electronics stewardship principles into DOE Order 450.1, Environmental Protection Program. Attachment 2 of this order establishes new Pollution Prevention and Sustainable Environmental Stewardship goals, and incorporates FEC strategies for achieving the new goals.
DOE encourages its sites and facilities to become Partners in the Federal Electronic Challenge (FEC), sponsored by the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive. The FEC is a voluntary program encouraging federal agencies to promote green electronics stewardship and recycling, including procurement, operations and maintenance, and end-of-life management.
Key Links:
DOE Electronics Stewardship Homepage
OFEE Federal Electronics Challenge Homepage
For more information about the FEC, contact Jeff Eagan (jeff.eagan@eh.doe.gov or 202-586-4598) or Al Sikri (atam.sikri@eh.doe.gov or 202-586-1879).
High-Performance and Sustainable Buildings
In January 2006, DOE signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on High-Performance and Sustainable Buildings. The MOU commits participating agencies to establish and follow a common set of sustainable Guiding Principles for integrated design, energy performance, water conservation, indoor environmental quality, and materials aimed at helping Federal agencies and organizations:
- Reduce the total ownership cost of facilities;
- improve energy efficiency and water conservation;
- provide safe, healthy, and productive built environments; and
- promote sustainable environmental stewardship.
The Department has embedded sustainable building principles into DOE Order 450.1, Environmental Protection Program. Attachment 2 of this order establishes new Pollution Prevention and Sustainable Environmental Stewardship goals, and incorporates strategies to support the design and operation of sustainable buildings.
Key links:
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on High-Performance and Sustainable Buildings
DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
For more information about sustainable buildings, contact Anne Crawley of the Federal Energy Management Program (202-586-1505 or anne.crawley@ee.doe.gov).
Environmental Compliance Management Improvement Initiative
In April 2003, the President's Management Council (PMC) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) asked the President's Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive (OFEE) to identify how federal agencies assure environmental compliance and offer recommendations for improvements. The PMC subsequently made recommendations for Federal agency consideration.
The Department of Energy developed an Implementation Plan to address the recommendations of the PMC. DOE's Implementation Plan states:
The Department, including NNSA, has a long track record of complying with the environmental laws and regulations applicable to its operations. Nevertheless, there have been a number of environmental non-compliances, of varying severity. As part of this Implementation Plan, DOE, including NNSA, will undertake efforts to better understand the root cause(s) of the various non-compliances, and will reflect the knowledge gained in the development of any needed follow-on guidance and coordinated efforts for attaining and maintaining compliant operations.
The Implementation Plan identifies five priority areas for action:
- State Management's Expectations
- Identify Root Causes for Non-Compliance
- Improve Environmental Audit and Corrective Action Processes
- Improve the Collection and Use of Environmental Performance Data
- Identify and Share Best Practices and Lessons Learned
Program and Field Offices have appointed representatives to the DOE Compliance Management Improvement Work Group, which meets periodically to carry out the Department's commitments under the DOE Implementation Plan.
Key links:
President's Management Council (PMC)
DOE Implementation Plan
DOE Compliance Management Improvement Work Group
For more information about DOE's Compliance Initiative, contact Steven Woodbury (202-586-4371 or steven.woodbury@eh.doe.gov).
OMB Scorecards for Environmental Stewardship, Energy Management and Transportation Management
In January 2006, OMB presented Federal agencies with draft scorecards assessing agency performance in implementing statutory and EO requirements on environmental stewardship, energy management, and transportation/fleet management. The three programs listed above are each covered in the Environmental Stewardship Scorecard.
The scorecards available below, made available in May 2006, reflect the changes made to answer the comments raised by federal agencies in response to the original version distributed in January. OMB will use these scorecards to track Federal agency progress and to rate overall agency performance.
The Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety and Health, as the Agency Environmental Executive under Executive Orders 13101 and 13148, is listed as the point of contact for the Environmental Stewardship Scorecard. The Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, as the Senior Energy Official under Executive Orders 13123 and 13149, serves as the point of contact for the Energy and Transportation Scorecards.
This page was last updated on August 31, 2006
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