Five energy laws -- including executive orders, laws, statutes, and regulations -- spell out how U.S. federal agencies are expected to make decisions about energy efficiency, fuel choice, and energy use.
The Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) helps federal agencies meet these energy goals, and has created a table mapping out high-level specifics.
1. Energy Law #1: Executive Order 13514 of 2009
(c) U.S. Department of Energy
This executive order requires that federal agencies:
- reduce use of petroleum products by 2% annually through 2020
- reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emission levels
- reduce waste emissions and pollutants
- increase energy efficiency in buildings
- increase use of renewable energy
2. Energy Law #2: Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008
(c) U.S. GPO
This law requires that federal agencies:
- increase GHG emissions reporting under rules set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
3. Energy Law #3: Executive Order 13423 of 2007
(c) edocket.access.gpo.gov
This executive order requires that federal agencies:
- reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emission levels by 3% annually or 30% overall by 2015 as compared to baseline 2003
- increase energy efficiency in buildings
- increase use of renewable energy sources
- increase alternative vehicle fuels
- increase plug-in vehicles
4. Energy Law #4: Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA)
(c) U.S. GPO
This law requires that federal agencies:
- reduce energy consumption in buildings by 3% annually or 30% overall by 2015 as compared to baseline 2003
- reduce gasoline use in federal vehicles by 20% by 2015 as compared to baseline 2005
- reduce fossil-fuel generated energy use in buildings
- increase energy efficiency and reduce GHG emissions
- increase solar hot water in buildings to 30%
- increase non-gasoline vehicle fuels and alternative vehicle fuels with low GHG emissions by 10% in 2015 as compared to baseline 2005
- increase energy managers for federal facilities that meet certain parameters
- increase equivalent metering of natural gas and steam consumption
5. Energy Law #5: Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT)
(c) U.S. GPO
This law requires that federal agencies:
- increase levels of renewable energy to 5% in 2010-2012 and 7.5% thereafter
- increase renewables produced on federal or Indian lands
- increase energy performance in buildings
- increase measurement of energy usage through enhanced metering