Participants:

Via Conference Call:

Day 1

EPA Region 8 Accomplishments

Whitney Trulove-Cranor and Dianne Thiel, EPA Region 8, Denver, CO

Partnership with FNS
Dr. Alan Hecht, Director, Sustainable Development, EPA Office of Research and Development, Washington, D.C.

Minimum Goals

There was general discussion on whether to establish minimum goals for FNS Members in each of the initiatives.  The consensus was to stay flexible.  We agreed to not set minimum participation levels, but to encourage active FNS member involvement.

Eun-Sook Goidel, Pollution Prevention Resource Center, provided a detailed overview of the Paper Campaign’s activities to date. Information provided in her presentation included: New members vs. existing; paper’s resource intensiveness; price; the campaign history; goals; participation levels; baseline data; environmental and energy foot prints numbers; current FNS member status; successes; and, the coming do-it-yourself website.

A discussion and summary was then provided by Alan Hurt followed by a question and discussion session on paper use reduction. Eun-Sook Goidel has additional information available. BPA has reduced paper use by 40% and has promoted this in two newsletters. There is a new ‘Fine Print’ software that automatically sets printer defaults to duplex. EPA R9 is testing the software. This is a significant source reduction help.

A discussion on supply location was then held. Most mills are in the mid-west and on the east coast, but there is a new supplier in the west – Gray’s Harbor ( http://www.ghplp.com/ 1-877-548-3424).

The next Paper conference call will be in mid-February. Information will be emailed to campaign members.

*Special note: WAPA started using 100% PCW paper because of the FNS initiative conference calls.

View the Paper Campaign update presentation here (1.1MB PDF).


2.  Federal Electronics Challenge (FEC)
Chris Kent, EPA HQ, Washington, D.C.

Chris Kent, EPA HQ, provided a detailed overview of the Federal Electronic Challenge’s activities to date. Information provided in his presentation included: overview – a solution to address your electronic assets; history – Memorandum of Understanding; voluntary program to deliver a change in behavior; tiered challenge (recognition levels); Goals; the next Partners Calls call 1/8/04; How to sign up; a Timeline; and, a Tools list. See his presentation here (431kb PDF).

Bonneville Power Administration FEC Update – Tim Scanlon, Portland, OR

• Inventory – in 2002, donated 2600 CPUs

• Found out that recycler was dumping overseas

• Now hauling e-waste to Oak Ridge

• Working with NASA Ames to find local recycler

• Building teams key – purchasers talking to EOL folks

• Opportunity to influence e-waste standards

• Fits within model
  
  

NASA Ames FEC Update – Mark Lacy, Moffett Field, CA

• Just joined FEC a month ago

• Focusing on EOL disposal

• Will start using new recycling company in next month

 

3.  Renewable Power Update
Chandra Shah, NREL, Golden, CO

Chandra Shah, NREL, provided an overview of some of the renewable power activities in the Federal sector to date. Information provided in her presentation included: Executive Order 13123; Federal renewable energy goals; current status; who is buying renewables; why invest in renewable power; natural gas prices; Federal purchasing methods; Renewable Energy Certificates (REC); WAPA’s Federal Renewable Power Program; Western Program Status; Bonneville Power Administration’s participation; Federal agency support programs; Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs); and, a list of contacts as well as how to get involved. We also discussed an "Inventory" of purchases made by FNS member agencies amounting to 109.54 Gwh per year. A more detailed federal purchase inventory is available here. See her presentation here (685kb PPT). 

4.  Environmental Management Systems
Larry Woods, EPA R9, San Francisco, CA and Michelle Wright, EPA R10, Seattle, WA

EPA Regions 9 & 10, in coordination with the Federal Network for Sustainability (FNS), will conduct the second year of the Federal Facility Environmental Management Systems (EMS) Workshops.  EPA Region 9 has set aside the funding for 4 classes in FY 2004 (San Francisco, Seattle, San Diego, and Las Vegas). The two-day courses will be held in the spring and summer of 2004.  It will cover implementation of EMS and federal facility responsibilities under executive order 13148. 

Background --Three Year Implementation Plan   (Developed Last Year)

FY 2003: EMS-101 with detailed training covering: environmental policy development, planning for aspects & impacts analysis, objectives and targets development, management programs development and compliance.

FY 2004: Continued EMS-101 with detailed EMS training covering implementation of targets, roles and responsibilities, EMS documentation, emergency preparedness and response; checking and corrective action, measurements and monitoring, records, reports, EMS audits.

FY 2005: Continued EMS-101 with detailed training focusing on management review, and self declaration process.


Results to Date
In FY 2003, 6 classes were conducted (San Francisco, Seattle, San Diego, Anchorage, Las Vegas, and Martinez, CA).  189 students participated in the workshops.  Most comments were very positive and all highlighted that the exercises were a valuable tool that helped facility managers and staff understand both the EMS process and what actions the facility needed to take to move forward with EMS development and implementation. The students said that exercises during training are most important to them.

Potential Changes
1)  Facility specific follow-up activities after the Training Course (phone calls and e-mail assistance)

• this would be the most valuable use of FNS resources

2)  Measuring Results (an EPA need and potential FNS benefit)

• how or what do we track to show environmental benefits?

• how could we collect and process facility specific results?

• how could we publicize results?

 
Potential Challenges
1) Getting New Students

• Can we make it easy for new students to join the class if they missed the first workshop?

2) Additional Training Locations:

• We had requests for additional training classes (Hawaii, Phoenix) however resources limited our ability to provide more classes. We do not have the resources to add more classes. This is possible, but we'd need funding. It may be cheaper to bring the course to a specific location (e.g. Hawaii) than to bring four or five students from a remote location (Cost = EPA Travel for one plus ~$4K in contractor funding)

5.  Sustainable Buildings Initiative
Marda Stothers, USACE South Pacific Division, San Francisco, CA and Cheri Sayer, DOE Seattle Regional Office, Seattle, WA

Marda Stothers, USAACE SPD, provided an overview of some of the FNS Sustainable Buildings Initiative activities to date. Information provided in her presentation included: Federal Government can disclose costs of green buildings; Army will move from Bronze to Gold starting in 2004; USCOE – Billion worth of construction per year – 2500 engineers; FNS work will enhance SWG activities; Top 7 objectives of SBI; initial steps taken in last 6 months; next call on 12/17; and, related efforts in member agencies. See her presentation here (291kb PDF).

• Will solicit comments on website

Navy’s Related Activities – Gary Gasperino, Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center, Port Hueneme, CA

• Revised Navy uniform spec guides to comply with Energy Star - inventory of 75% in Navy

• Total building commissioning

• Recording all training on VHS or DVD

• Updating NFESC book

Discussion Items:

• Sustainable Working Group (SWG) needs Federal projects in database

• Air Force needs metrics on cost – check and balance because it isn’t getting done; energy needs accountability

• USCOE has new measurement starting next month to measure sustainability (green, amber, red)

• Washington Military Sustainability Partnership is a good role model (Ft. Lewis)

• CA has sustainable buildings working group – AH recommends we collaborate with them

• Need a reading list (put on Website)

Guest Lunch Speaker
Christopher Juniper, Principal, EcoLogic Resources, Colorado Springs, CO

What’s Next

John Howard, Office of the Federal Environmental Executive (OFEE), Washington, D.C.

The Office of the Federal Environmental Executive is pleased with the progress on its projects, but not enough people know about sustainability.

We need to do a better job connecting across issues – environment, health and safety, security, energy, and across jurisdictions and time.  Integrate principles into personal lives

5 Sustainability Priorities

1. Integrate within environmental world
2. Work across environmental issues with all other issues; i.e., security, energy
3. Integrate across jurisdictions
4. Integrate across time
5. Integrate everything were doing into our personal lives

FNS history – connecting the dots on the West Coast; the FNS is more popular now than in past years – how do we expand?

 

Forming FNS-type partnerships in Other Regions / States

Representatives from the states of Hawaii, Washington, Colorado, and Oregon as well as from EPA Region 1 joined the meeting via conference call and provided the following updates:

State of Hawaii
Grace Summers and Gail Suzuki-Jones

•  Third Buying Green Conference in Spring 2004

• Built Green exhibit in February, 2004

• Working on relationships with businesses

• Working on brownfields

• Energy and resource efficiency

• Recycling

• Renewables

• Working with University of Hawaii on green projects

State of Washington
Patricia Jatczak (Sitting in for Lynn Helbrecht, Sustainability Program Coordinator,

•  Governor Locke signed Executive Order on Sustainable Practices recently

• First set of plans submitted Sept. 2003 (clean energy, green purchasing, institutional sustainability)

• “New Path Forward – a Sustainable Action Plan, 4^th State of WA” – investing in clean energy, new Institute, critical resources issues, Green house gasses, WA Natural Resources, Green buildings, Green procurement, tax incentives, local governmental autonomy.

• EPP – Office of State Procurement

• Training

• Electronics

• Launched new website

• Biodiesel

• Encouraging local food purchases

• Has EMS program

State of California
update provided by Alan Hurt

• Green buildings push (big University initiatives)

• Alternative Fuel Vehicles (Fuel Cells)

State of Colorado
Jill Cooper

• Moving to sustainability (“Sustainable Colorado”) – biggest achievement

• Trying to get environmental benefits and detriments of all departments

• Gov. running EMS cross media permit program

• Partnering with Universities

• Sustainable Planning Goal

• Phase 1 of EMS goal in progress

State of Oregon
David Van’t Hof, Sustainability Senior Policy Advisor

• Issued Executive Order on sustainability to put together action plan

• Across all departments

• Reporting to Oregon Sustainability Board

• Regional dialogue on Climate change with WA, OR, CA

• How can the State lead statewide on sustainability issues? – benefits

• Working on strategy to reduce green house gasses – 3 step process

• Incorporating sustainability into higher education system

EPA Region 1
Ross Gilleland and Ann Fenn, Boston, MA

• Held green conference earlier this year in Philadelphia (action oriented – focused on Feds from Maine to Virginia)

• The FNS East Coast was discussed – just had conference call to scope out how to do it and are forming a Steering Committee

• 1/6/04 next conference call – solidify S contractor and set up spring meeting – RTP will host

Western Governor’s Association
Paul Orbuch, Denver, CO

• En Libra principles

• Best management practices on coal bed methane

• Energy Summit in April

• Very involved in energy

• Biomass conference

• Native American energy conference, summit

• Green Tags

• Fire proofing by building industry on thinning trees

• Oquirth.com; www.westgov.org

It was recommended to solicit ideas from the states.  Use a listserve to build a network of Feds and State employees. Washington would like to coordinate with the FNS on green purchasing and alternative vehicles.

There will be the National Pollution Prevention conference (informal networks) in MD in April. It was recommended to use FNS initiatives as collaboration with states – use FNS initiative models.

Recommendation – use ECOS to reach all states. Touch base with existing groups first (P2, EMS, etc.).

Alan Hecht has a series of questions for the states – survey (he could use help from the FNS to finalize survey).

WA, HI, OR, and CO want to participate further with the FNS. AK is interested, but they’re in budget trouble.

Lessons Learned and Successes from Sustainability Education Day at Army, Ft. Lewis

Clare Mendelsohn, Air Force Western Regional Environmental Office, San Francisco, CA
 

Biodiesel National Test Site Project
Gary Gasperino, Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center, Port Hueneme, CA
 

FNS Strategic Planning Document
Hayden Street, Navy Region NW, Silverdale, WA
 

Day 2
(Participants were shuttled to and from the hotel to NREL in a Natural Gas powered bus.)

Welcoming Remarks and Signing of the FNS Statement of Unity

Day 2 of the FNS Member Meeting commenced at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Visitors Center. Participants were able to learn from the numerous sustainable technologies on display in the Center. Welcoming remarks were given by Admiral Richard Truly, NREL Director, and Robbie Roberts, EPA Region 8’s Administrator. Mr. Roberts provided participants with a summary of EPA R8’s sustainable activities including: purchasing green power; purchasing green paper; Energy Star building; developing comprehensive EMS system; purchasing a hybrid car; designating a full time environmental coordinator since 1995 (D. Schaller); and, using corn based cups.
 

Five new Signatories joined FNS recently, and three agencies resigned the agreement since their Signatory had changed.  A brief signing ceremony for the Signatories (or their representatives) was held and included remarks from several of the new Signatories.

The new Signatories/Members are:

1. John Kersten, Manager, DOE Golden Field Office
2. Admiral Richard Truly, Director, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
3. William Becker, Director, DOE Denver Regional Office
4. Fred Gunnerson, Director, Energy Efficiency & Technology, Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory
5. Major General Robert Wilson, U.S. Army 7th Infantry Division and Fort Carson
   

 The re-signed Signatories/Members this year are:

6. Julie Riel, Acting Director, DOE Seattle Regional Office
7. Joseph Schroedel, Colonel (P) U.S. Army, Commander, U. S. COE South Pacific Division
8. LTG Edward Soriano, Commanding General, I Corps and Fort Lewis
9. Captain Schanze, U.S. Navy Southwest Division (signed July, 2003)

Signing of the FNS Statement of Unity

Sustainable NREL Presentation

After the Signing Ceremony, participants were led into a conference room where Bob Westby, Director of the NREL Energy and Environmental Applications Office and Sustainable NREL Lead, gave a presentation of all the sustainability activities going on at NREL.  They have the full support of the NREL Director, Admiral Richard Truly and have implemented a remarkable program.  Learn more about the NREL Sustainability Program here (1.1MB pdf)


Tour of Solar Energy Research Facility Building, NREL Hydrogen Lab, and DOE Denver Regional Office

Participants were then given brief yet informative tours of the Solar Energy Research Facility (SERF) Building and the NREL Hydrogen Lab.  Participants were shuttled from the SERF Building to the NREL Hydrogen Lab in a Natural Gas powered bus.

(Tour of SERF Building)

(Hydrogen Lab Tour)

Participants then walked to the DOE Denver Regional Office.  Bill Becker, DOE DRO Director and Jerry Kotas, Green Power; Air/Energy Integration; Solar Team welcomed the group and provided an overview on all the activities undertaken by the DRO, including purchase of 100% of their energy from wind farms in Colorado, lighting improvements including dimming and photosensor capabilities, and use of recycled material carpet tiles.  Many other activities contribute to their sustainability efforts.  See what all they have accomplished here.

Jerry Kotas was the luncheon speaker.  He gave the group an overview of Energy Efficiency and Sustainability efforts by the Department of Energy in the western states.  View his presentation here (2.1MB PDF).  (Jerry Kotas Lunch Presentation - JerryKotasDenver03.pdf)

(lunch consisted of locally grown green and organic items)

 

Continuation of FNS Administrative Tasks
What’s Left to Do

This discussion was focused on what the membership should be doing to further FNS efforts and was led by Alan Hurt, U.S. Navy.

• Use today to set agenda for next meeting – strategic thinking

• To do – connect FNS to DENIX – talk to AH and GG – https://www.denix.osd.mil/

• What info can we take from sustainable.doe.gov and place on federalsustainability.org? sustainable.nrel.gov? p2library.nfesc.navy.mil?

• CM to update member and steering committee list; add new members with logos; add new links

• Talk to MF’s Postal Service DC contact (John Bridges) to get them involved

• Dick Young – ED of National registry of Conferences? Ask MF

• MF – get professional association involved in FNS – ASME, etc.

• What is the FNS long range goal?

• AH – SOU, training; next meeting will focus on strategic planning

• As we mature, we need to have objectives; what are we trying to do?

• Discussion on scope of FNS – West Coast vs. states vs. non-Feds – ECOS, NASEO

• Discuss what and how we should interact with states

• We need to find out what states want and what can we learn from them

• DS – FNS rep at next WGA meeting – need higher level contact in states

• Use break-out groups to discuss these subjects and bring to next meeting

• HS - we need to have a common language and post it on the website – unified sustainability statements

• Sustainability is key to national security

FNS Contractor and Funding Support
Cheri Sayer – DOE Seattle Regional Office, Seattle, WA

Cheri gave an overview of current funding status, status of contracting for support services for FNS, and bringing in additional funding for next year. (Update: Since the meeting, a contractor has been selected and information will be coming out shortly.)

GAP Matrix
Hayden Street, Navy Region NW, Silverdale, WA

Hayden led a discussion of actions needed to complete the important pieces of FNS planning. FNS members were asked to sign up for their area of interest. We will continue to work on this at the next FNS meeting.
 

FNS Certificates of Appreciation

Certificates of Appreciation were handed out by Alan Hurt, FNS Chairman to EPA Region 8, NREL, and DOE Denver Regional Office for hosting this very successful FNS meeting and to Steven Winter Associates for their ongoing support of the FNS.

David Schaller, EPA Region 8	Denise Rayborn, National Renewable Energy Lab
Jerry Kotas, DOE Denver Regional Office	Christian May, Steven Winter Associates

Upcoming Events

• The EPA Science Forum, June 1-3, 2004, Washington, D.C. - http://www.epa.gov/ord/scienceforum/ 

• FEC Partners Calls call 1/8/04 - http://www.federalelectronicschallenge.net/index.htm 

• 2004 Build and Buy Green Conference, April 22-23, 2004, Honolulu, HI - http://www.bia-hawaii.com/subpage.asp?section=70

• The National Green Building Conference, March 14-16, 2004, Austin, TX - http://www.nahb.org/meetings_and_events_details.aspx?meetingEventID=157 

• National Pollution Prevention Conference, April 19-22, 2004, Baltimore, MD - http://www.p2.org/summit2004/ 

Continue to send your ideas, comments, events, updates, and corrections to FNS@FederalSustainability.org.