"President Clinton has finally plugged some huge energy leaks while making a historic climate change commitment for the largest energy user in the world – the federal government," said Alliance to Save Energy President David M. Nemtzow, strongly commending the White House for today’s executive order on Greening the Government through Energy-Efficient Management.

The White House is implementing most of the recommendations of the Alliance’s 50-member corporate task force of business executives and energy experts who examined federal energy use and waste for more than two years and issued a major November 1998 report, Leading By Example: Improving Energy Productivity in Federal Government Facilities.

Government agencies will be required to increase efforts to achieve a 35 percent reduction in energy use by 2010, compared with 1985 levels. Agencies also will have to show that they're on a path to cut greenhouse gas emissions to 30 percent below 1990 levels by 2010. This marks the first time that the government has set a specific greenhouse gas reduction target.

"The real test is in the coming year as Cabinet secretaries implement the President’s plan and are evaluated with score cards – will they come through with adequate plans and budgets and will Congress and the agencies follow the President’s lead?" added Nemtzow. "This is a major step forward in our efforts to address climate change and a substantial down payment on $1 billion worth of potential taxpayer savings from lower utility bills.

"After all, if the federal government can make this work, anybody can."