    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2005, Book II)]
    [September 26, 2005]
    [Pages 1490-1491]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Memorandum on Energy and Fuel Conservation by Federal Agencies
    September 26, 2005

    Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies
    Subject: Energy and Fuel Conservation by Federal Agencies

        Residents of the Gulf Coast States affected by Hurricanes Katrina
    and Rita have lost loved ones, lost homes, and been displaced from their
    communities. The Federal Government will continue to assist victims of
    the hurricanes. Our priority is first to save, sustain, and protect
    lives and then to restore important infrastructure needed for recovery.
        A key component of this Administration's hurricane response plan is
    to ensure that sufficient supplies of natural gas, gasoline, and diesel
    fuel are available throughout the country, including in those areas
    hardest hit by the hurricane, as well as in those areas served by
    refineries and pipelines originating in the affected areas. Already we
    have made available oil from the Stra-tegic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to
    refineries that are short on supplies of crude oil, and we will continue
    to monitor this situation and the use of the SPR. The Department of
    Energy has deployed personnel and is working with local power companies,
    local authorities, and State authorities to help get electricity
    functioning and to ensure the repair and continuity of oil and gas
    pipelines that may have been affected by power outages. In addition, the
    Environmental Protection Agency has issued temporary fuel waivers under
    the Clean Air Act, and the Department of Transportation has suspended
    ``hours of service'' rules for fuel tanker trucks to make additional
    supplies of gasoline and diesel fuel available in those areas of the
    country affected by the hurricane. However, it is important that the
    Federal Government lead by example and further contribute to the relief
    effort by reducing its own fuel use during this difficult time.

    [[Page 1491]]

        Therefore, I hereby direct the heads of executive departments and
    agencies (agencies) to take appropriate actions to conserve natural gas,
    electricity, gasoline, and diesel fuel to the maximum extent consistent
    with the effective discharge of public responsibilities. All agencies
    should conserve fuel so we can reduce overall demand and allow extra
    supplies to be directed towards the hurricane relief effort. In
    particular, agencies should temporarily curtail non-essential travel and
    other activities that use gasoline or diesel fuel, and encourage
    employees to carpool, telecommute, and use public transportation to
    reduce fuel use. Federal agencies should also take action to conserve
    natural gas and electricity during periods of peak consumption by
    shifting energy-intensive activities to non-peak periods wherever
    possible and by procuring and using efficient Energy STAR-rated energy
    intensive appliances and products.
        In addition, agencies should review their existing operating and
    administrative processes and conservation programs and identify and
    implement ways to reduce overall fuel use. Agencies should report to me,
    through the Secretary of Energy, within 30 days from the date of this
    memorandum on the fuel conservation actions taken. Agencies shall take
    these and other appropriate energy and fuel conservation actions using
    existing budget authority.

                                                              George W. Bush