[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