Mark Gordon: “despite the high cost of energy and existing laws enforcing conservation, Federal agencies still do not give energy…”

“despite the high cost of energy and existing laws enforcing conservation, Federal agencies still do not give energy efficiency a priority and continually fall short of meeting their requirements. Our estimates are that the Federal Government wasted almost half a billion dollars in the last 2 years by not meeting its requirements--or roughly equivalent to 8,200 barrels of oil every day--a total of 6 million barrels over the last 2 years. This happens because the laws already on the books are not taken seriously enough. The National Energy Conservation Policy Act--NECPA, last year's Energy Bill--EPACT, and a related Executive order all clearly state that agencies shall meet aggressive but reasonable energy efficiency goals and standards and to prepare reports to the Department of Energy, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Congress and on the agencies' performance. Yet the Federal regulations that govern new building construction are 17 years out of date and the reports reach the Congress months or years after the data is available. The amendment I am offering today would increase the incentive for agencies receiving appropriations under the Agriculture appropriations bill to comply with the law by tying Federal buildings performance to appropriations. This amendment simply states that none of the funds made available by this act shall be used in contravention of Federal buildings performance requirements.…”