Executive Order: 2019-01 – Commonwealth Leadership in Addressing Climate Change and Promoting Energy Conservation and Sustainable Governance
January 08, 2019

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.
- All agencies under the Governor’s jurisdiction shall:
- Collectively reduce overall energy consumption by 3 percent per year,
and 21 percent by 2025 from 2017 levels. - 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. - 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. - 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.
incorporation of environmentally sustainable practices into the Commonwealth
government’s policy, planning, operations, procurement, and regulatory functions,
and strive for continuous improvement in efficiency and performance, to achieve the
goals set forth above.
4. Composition of the GreenGov Council. The GreenGov Council shall consist of the
Secretaries of the Departments of General Services, Environmental Protection, and
Conservation and Natural Resources, who shall chair the GreenGov Council jointly, as
well as other individuals the Governor shall appoint.
5. Council Responsibilities. The GreenGov Council shall serve as a central
coordinating body to promote the implementation of this Order and the achievement
of the Goals set forth above. In this role, the GreenGov Council shall:
- 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. - Establish and administer a GreenGov certification program to assess agencies’
efforts to implement cost-effective conservation and efficiency strategies and
achieve the Performance Goals. - 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. - Work with all agencies to develop procedures to reduce energy and other
utility usage and costs in all Commonwealth-owned and leased facilities. - 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.
- All Commonwealth agencies shall work to achieve the Goals set forth in this
Order. In particular, all agencies shall: - Develop policies to incorporate the strategies outlined in this Order to
achieve the Commonwealth’s Performance Goals. - 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. - Cooperate with the Department of General Services to track and
analyze agency utility usage through Pennsylvania’s utility bill
management system. - 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. - 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. - Evaluate opportunities and implement, where practical, renewable and
clean energy resources, energy and resource conservation, and energy
efficiency best practices at Commonwealth facilities. - Work collaboratively to conserve energy and promote sustainable
resources and best energy and resource management practices. - Propose and support Guaranteed Energy Savings Act (“GESA”)
projects for recommendation to Department of General Services where
cost-effective and appropriate. - Provide to the GreenGov Council, or Department of General Services,
any requested information and data needed to implement the intent of
this Order. - Contribute a proportional share of costs to support the GreenGov
Council and the annual Commonwealth Comprehensive Energy and
Utility Usage Report. - The Department of General Services shall:
- Coordinate with all agencies to include green building, energy
conservation, and energy efficiency practices as part of any new
construction and renovation projects. - Work with all agencies to track and analyze agency utility bills through
Pennsylvania’s utility bill management system. - Provide agencies with access to current utility bill performance data.
- Benchmark Commonwealth facilities’ energy efficiency against federal
and association standards. - Consider life cycle cost analysis in the selection of new energy sources,
products, systems, and controls in conjunction with new construction
and renovation projects. - Develop and implement programs to train appropriate personnel in
benchmarking, energy conservation, and energy efficiency. - Pursue and facilitate the development of new GESA projects with all
Commonwealth agencies. - Contract for an annual Commonwealth Comprehensive Energy and
Utility Usage Report covering all Commonwealth agencies. - Research, recommend, and develop vehicle fleet sustainability
practices and metrics consistent with leading fleet accreditation
programs. - The Department of Environmental Protection shall:
- 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. - 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. - 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. - The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources shall:
- Offer technical assistance and references on green building and site
design, low-water landscaping, and related topics. - Provide demonstrations of its high-performance buildings and sites and
alternative energy and transportation installations and operations. - Continue to invest in green building and sites projects on state parks
and forest lands and in communities.
Independent agencies, state-affiliated entities, and state-related agencies are
encouraged to participate in the goals and provisions of this Order.
8. Effective Date. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately and shall remain
in effect until amended or rescinded by the Governor.
9. Rescission. Executive Orders 1998-1 and 2004-12 are hereby rescinded.
Attached File: 2019-01