Executive Order: 2019-01 – Commonwealth Leadership in Addressing Climate Change and Promoting Energy Conservation and Sustainable Governance

Subject: Commonwealth Leadership in Addressing Climate Change and Promoting Energy Conservation and Sustainable Governance
Number: 2019-01
By Direction of: Tom Wolf, Governor
Date: January 8, 2019

WHEREAS, the Constitution of Pennsylvania protects the Commonwealth’s citizens’ rights
to life, liberty, possessing and protecting property, and happiness. Further,
the Constitution of Pennsylvania and various other laws also preserve the
Commonwealth’s citizens’ right to clean air, pure water, and the preservation
of the natural, scenic, historic and aesthetic values of the environment; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth government has long protected, valued, and recognized
these rights, specifically under Executive Orders: 1973-9 Environmental
Protection by State Agencies; 1980-3 Life Cycle Costing; 1998-1 Governor’s
Green Government Council; 2002-8 Governor’s Interagency Task Force on
Energy; and 2004-12 Energy Management and Conservation in
Commonwealth Facilities; and

WHEREAS, climate change impacts in Pennsylvania are real and continue to put
Pennsylvanians at risk: in recent years, extreme weather and natural
disasters have become more frequent and more intense. Like many areas of
the United States, Pennsylvania is expected to experience higher
temperatures, changes in precipitation, and more frequent extreme weather
events and flooding because of climate change in the coming decades; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth is committed to further reducing its net greenhouse gas
emissions which, left unchecked, would create a high risk of irreversible,
widespread, severe climate impacts in the Commonwealth and beyond; and

WHEREAS, as a major energy provider, Pennsylvania can take steps to continue to
reduce emissions in the power sector, increase reliance on clean energy and
improved energy efficiency, and continue reductions of potent greenhouse
gasses such as methane; and

WHEREAS, as a major transportation hub, Pennsylvania can take steps to increase
reliance on low-carbon transportation solutions, and reduce emissions from
the transportation fleet; and

WHEREAS, Pennsylvania’s economy, health and safety, and quality of life of its citizens
are dependent on the careful stewardship of resources, a healthy economy,
and the development of technologies to enable economic growth while
protecting the environment; and

WHEREAS, Pennsylvania has a robust clean energy sector that provides tens of
thousands of good paying jobs in construction, manufacturing, clean
technology, and services across the state; and a wealth of job-training
programs to prepare workers for jobs in the energy efficiency and clean
energy fields; and

WHEREAS, Commonwealth agencies can continue to demonstrate their commitment to
both environmental and fiscal stewardship by implementing best practices to
reduce energy and resource consumption, improve energy efficiency, realize
cost savings, and protect the environment; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth is committed to joining and working with Pennsylvania
businesses and industry to reduce emissions through pollution prevention and
improved energy efficiency; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth is resolved to do its part to address climate change, the
most critical environmental threat confronting the world.

WHEREAS, I, Tom Wolf, Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, by virtue
of the authority vested in me by the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and
other laws, do hereby reestablish the Governor’s Green Government Council (hereinafter
referred to as the “GreenGov Council”), and do order and direct as follows:

1. Climate Goal for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth
shall strive to achieve a 26 percent reduction of net greenhouse gas emissions
statewide by 2025 from 2005 levels, and an 80 percent reduction of net greenhouse
gas emissions by 2050 from 2005 levels.
2. Performance Goals for State Agencies.

1. All agencies under the Governor’s jurisdiction shall:
1. Collectively reduce overall energy consumption by 3 percent per year,
   and 21 percent by 2025 from 2017 levels.
2. Replace 25 percent of the state passenger car fleet with battery
   electric and plug-in electric hybrid cars by 2025 and evaluate
   opportunities for the reduction of vehicle miles traveled and
   incorporation of new technology where appropriate.
3. Procure renewable energy to offset at least 40 percent of the
   Commonwealth’s annual electricity use and evaluate opportunities to
   source electricity through Pennsylvania Certified Tier I credits, and/or
   direct purchase of renewable power generation sited within
   Pennsylvania.
2. Any new building construction project, build-to-suit leased building, or
   renovation project by a Commonwealth agency that costs more than 50
   percent of the replacement cost of the building, where the design of the
   project commences after the effective date of the Executive Order, shall be
   designed and constructed as a high-performance building achieving a 10
   percent reduction in energy consumption over ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard
   90.1.2016. Agencies may seek US Green Building Council LEED certification,
   Green Building Initiative Green Globe rating, or a comparable numeric rating
   from another accredited sustainable building certification program where
   appropriate.

1. Establish a schedule of regular meetings with designated representatives of
   Commonwealth agencies to review methods, policies, programs, and actions
   that will implement the objectives of this Order and evaluate and track
   progress towards meeting the Performance Goals.
2. Establish and administer a GreenGov certification program to assess agencies’
   efforts to implement cost-effective conservation and efficiency strategies and
   achieve the Performance Goals.
3. Prepare, issue, and maintain an electronic GreenGov Certification Checklist,
   containing a menu of measures and strategies which may be employed by
   Commonwealth agencies to achieve certification in the GreenGov program.
4. Work with all agencies to develop procedures to reduce energy and other
   utility usage and costs in all Commonwealth-owned and leased facilities.
5. Examine opportunities to provide additional training and acknowledgment
   programs to enable and encourage Commonwealth agencies to become more
   proficient in identifying opportunities and implementing best practices for
   energy conservation and efficiency, and create incentives for further
   improvements.

1. All Commonwealth agencies shall work to achieve the Goals set forth in this
   Order. In particular, all agencies shall:
1. Develop policies to incorporate the strategies outlined in this Order to
   achieve the Commonwealth’s Performance Goals.
2. Seek to implement new cost-effective conservation, sustainability, and
   efficiency strategies in order to achieve GreenGov certification.
   Complete and submit to the GreenGov Council a GreenGov
   Certification Checklist within six months of establishment of the
   certification program, and yearly thereafter.
3. Cooperate with the Department of General Services to track and
   analyze agency utility usage through Pennsylvania’s utility bill
   management system.
4. Establish energy and other utility performance benchmarks for all
   Commonwealth-owned facilities over 20,000 square feet which are
   cooled or heated over which the agency has jurisdiction.
5. Designate an Agency Representative at the Deputy Secretary or
   equivalent level to attend meetings of the GreenGov Council and
   ensure compliance and implementation of the necessary activities and
   measures to achieve the Goals.
6. Evaluate opportunities and implement, where practical, renewable and
   clean energy resources, energy and resource conservation, and energy
   efficiency best practices at Commonwealth facilities.
7. Work collaboratively to conserve energy and promote sustainable
   resources and best energy and resource management practices.
8. Propose and support Guaranteed Energy Savings Act (“GESA”)
   projects for recommendation to Department of General Services where
   cost-effective and appropriate.
9. Provide to the GreenGov Council, or Department of General Services,
   any requested information and data needed to implement the intent of
   this Order.
10. Contribute a proportional share of costs to support the GreenGov
    Council and the annual Commonwealth Comprehensive Energy and
    Utility Usage Report.
2. The Department of General Services shall:
1. Coordinate with all agencies to include green building, energy
   conservation, and energy efficiency practices as part of any new
   construction and renovation projects.
2. Work with all agencies to track and analyze agency utility bills through
   Pennsylvania’s utility bill management system.
3. Provide agencies with access to current utility bill performance data.
4. Benchmark Commonwealth facilities’ energy efficiency against federal
   and association standards.
5. Consider life cycle cost analysis in the selection of new energy sources,
   products, systems, and controls in conjunction with new construction
   and renovation projects.
6. Develop and implement programs to train appropriate personnel in
   benchmarking, energy conservation, and energy efficiency.
7. Pursue and facilitate the development of new GESA projects with all
   Commonwealth agencies.
8. Contract for an annual Commonwealth Comprehensive Energy and
   Utility Usage Report covering all Commonwealth agencies.
9. Research, recommend, and develop vehicle fleet sustainability
   practices and metrics consistent with leading fleet accreditation
   programs.
3. The Department of Environmental Protection shall:
1. Provide advice and assistance to the GreenGov Council and agencies in
   developing cost-effective conservation, sustainability, and efficiency
   strategies necessary to implement the requirements of this Order.
2. On an ongoing basis, develop and recommend additional no-cost and
   low-cost management and conservation measures which may be
   implemented by the Department of General Services and
   Commonwealth agencies.
3. Assist the Department of General Services in developing and
   implementing long-range management and conservation plan goals
   and options to be applied in Commonwealth facilities.
4. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources shall:
1. Offer technical assistance and references on green building and site
   design, low-water landscaping, and related topics.
2. Provide demonstrations of its high-performance buildings and sites and
   alternative energy and transportation installations and operations.
3. Continue to invest in green building and sites projects on state parks
   and forest lands and in communities.

Attached File: 2019-01