Greening the Government Through Leadership in Environmental Management
Headline: Agencies Must Cut Toxic Releases and Improve Environmental Management
What it does: Federal agencies must implement environmental management systems, reduce toxic chemical releases and use, improve compliance and reporting, and change procurement and landscaping practices.
- Federal facilities must reduce toxic chemical releases 10% yearly (40% by 2006).
- Agencies must cut use or generation of selected hazardous wastes by 50% by 2006.
- New procurement and reporting rules will change contractor and supplier requirements.
Summary
This order requires heads of all federal agencies to make environmental responsibility part of everyday decisions and long-term planning. Agencies must set up environmental management systems, conduct regular compliance audits, and report progress to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
It sets concrete pollution goals: reduce reported toxic chemical releases 10% yearly (40% overall by 2006), cut use or generation of selected hazardous chemicals and wastes by 50% by 2006, and phase out procurement of Class I ozone-depleting substances by 2010. The rules affect federal facilities, contractors, suppliers, and local communities by changing buying, reporting, and landscaping practices.
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