A message from the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive As with this past year, we are very pleased to announce that the 2009 Federal Environmental Symposia (FES) will again be held at both East and West venues. Having set a very high standard for excellence and appeal at the Big Sky Resort in 2008, our host - Navy Region Southwest - has selected the Great Wolf Lodge in Grand Mound, Washington for this year's Symposium West. And, with continuing generosity, NIH will once again host the Symposium East at their convenient and spacious Natcher Conference Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Both events will occur in June: FES-West: June 2-4, 2009 FES-East: June 16-18, 2009 Registration is scheduled to open in March 2009.

The Office of the Federal Environmental Executive (OFEE) is now accepting nominations for the 2009 White House Closing the Circle (CTC) Awards. This program recognizes outstanding achievements of Federal employees and their facilities for efforts that resulted in significant contributions to, or have made a significant impact on, promoting environmental stewardship. The awards focus on waste prevention, recycling, green purchasing activities, environmental management systems, high performance/sustainable buildings, electronics stewardship, alterative fuel use and reduced fuel usage under Executive Order 13423, "Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management." Please note nominations can only be submitted on-line until January, 30, 2009, by going to www.fedcenter.gov/ctcawards .

Quarterly publication of "The Corps Environment" newsletter by the USACE Environmental Community of Practice, covering recent environmental activities conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and their partners.

EPA and partners are inviting the nation's architects, product developers, educators, environmental leaders, and students to submit innovative designs that minimize waste, reuse materials, and cut greenhouse gas emissions. This free, Web-based competition supports an on-line library of competition entries and green building resources. Designs and ideas must be submitted by August 30, 2009. The two main categories are: building an entire building from foundation to roof or building products or materials

Proposed sessions should reflect the program theme of "Main Street Green: Connect to the Conversation." Proposals are due no later than 16 January 2009.

This inaugural 2007 report, "U.S. Air Force Energy, Environment, Safety and Occupational Health: Managing for Operational Sustainability", identifies, compiles and describes existing Air Force Energy, Environmental, Safety and Occupational Health programs, processes and performance information essential to supporting Air Force operations and mission capabilities.

On November 17, 2008, the U.S. Army released their first annual sustainability report. The report covers environmental, energy, and fleet sustainability activities and initiatives for the period 2004-2007.

Save the dates for the 8th Annual Federal Environmental Symposia! The symposia will be held in two locations in 2009: the first will be Symposium West, June 2-4, 2009, at Great Wolf Lodge, Grand Mound, Washingtion, and then Symposium East, June 16-18, 2009, at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland. Please mark your calendars today! A Save the Date flyer for distribution is attached.

Beginning Wednesday, October 8, 2008, EPA R10 will kick off its FREE sustainability webinar series for federal employees. Join R10 in the first of a series of free webinars designed specifically for the federal audience on how to minimize your carbon footprint. Register for the whole series at: (if you plan on attending one or more events, sign up so you get reminders and the login information) http://www.trainex.org/greenweb Instructions on how to log-in will be sent to you after you register and prior to each session. Session 1: Sustainability: Making it Real October 8th, 10:00-11:30am, PDT Join us and learn how others have made sustainability real in their work, and how you can do the same. More information at: http://yosemite.epa.gov/r10/ECOCOMM.NSF/Federal+Green+Challenge/FedGreenAcademy/

Quarterly publication from the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive promoting sustainable environmental stewardship throughout the federal government. The Spring 2008 edition focuses on sustainable design and green building practices in the Federal government.

Federal employees representing Federal departments and agencies from across the United States gathered on June 10, 2008, at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, in Washington, DC, to accept awards for their commitment to environmental stewardship. The awards presented are part of the White House "Closing the Circle" awards program under Executive Order 13423, Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management.

The Office of the Federal Environmental Executive is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2008 White House Closing the Circle (CTC) Awards. This annual program is required by Executive Order 13423, Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management, and recognizes outstanding Federal environmental stewardship.

The General Services Administration (GSA) has established an Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings to ensure full coordination of high-performance green building information and activities within the government as mandated by the recently-enacted Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. This newly created office will work in conjunction with the Department of Energy's office that will have a similar responsibility for commercial buildings. The duties of the office outlined in the legislation are to: establish a Federal Green Building Advisory Committee; identify and develop technical standards for high-performance green buildings; establish green practices for operations and maintenance of facilities; provide information and disseminate research results; identify practices and tools to achieve high-performance green buildings through budgeting and contracting; identify opportunities to demonstrate innovative technologies and concepts; and, identify incentives to encourage high-performance green buildings and technologies.

This is awarded annual to both a military winner and a civilian winner. This category recognizes the most innovative Federal government sustainable design and green building projects.

The Office of the Federal Environmental Executive has announced the winners of the 2007 White House Closing the Circle award winners. The CTC Awards recognize outstanding achievements of Federal employees and their facilities for efforts that resulted in significant contributions to or have made a significant positive impact in regard to environmental stewardship. The awards focus on waste prevention, recycling, and green purchasing activities, environmental management, green/sustainable buildings, electronics stewardship, and reduced fuel usage.

In accordance with Section 4(b) of Executive Order 13423, "Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management", implementing instructions have been issued to Federal agencies to provide detail and direction to agencies as the work to fulfill the goals and requirement of the Executive Order.

In accordance with Section 4(b) of Executive Order 13423, "Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management", implementing instructions have been issued to Federal agencies to provide detail and direction to agencies as the work to fulfill the goals and requirement of the Executive Order. Section 8 of these instructions are specific to pollution prevention. These instructions are dated March 29, 2007.

Organizations that purchase electricity generated from clean, renewable resources such as solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, biomass and low-impact hydro make up the quarterly list. The Federal Agencies on the list are: U.S. Air Force; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; U.S. Department of Energy, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.