IM 2013-068, Washington Office Environmental Management System Policy

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240
http://www.blm.gov

January 31, 2013

In Reply Refer To:

1700 (280) P

EMS TRANSMISSION 02/05/2013

Instruction Memorandum No. 2013-068

Expires: 09/31/2014

To: All Field Office Officials

From: Acting, Deputy Director

Subject: Washington Office Environmental Management System Policy

Program Area: All Program Areas

Purpose: The purpose of this Instruction Memorandum (IM) is to establish the Bureau of Land Management Washington Office (BLM WO) policy for the implementation of its Environmental Management System (EMS) and provide guidance for EMS objectives and targets Bureau-wide.

An EMS is a set of management processes and procedures that allows an organization to integrate environmental concerns and issues into day-to-day decisions and practices, thereby improving both its environmental and economic performance. An EMS is a cyclical process consisting of “plan-do-check-act” that is focused on continuous environmental improvement, innovation, and more efficient operations.

The EMS for the BLM WO provides a framework for identifying and addressing the environmental aspects of field operations and facilities and improving environmental management Bureau-wide. Implementation of the WO EMS complies with Executive Orders 13423 and 13514 and Departmental Manual 515 DM 4 dated August 13, 2008.

Policy/Action: The BLM’s mission has always included sustainable management of the public lands. The BLM WO is implementing an EMS to strengthen its existing commitment to the protection and reclamation of the public lands, pollution prevention, and lessening the environmental impact of its operations. The EMS will become an integral part of the BLM’s day-to-day operations and be incorporated into the long-term planning process across all programs to allow for continual environmental improvement.

The BLM is committed to managing facilities and performing operations in such a manner as to protect the environment, employees, and public health. In addition, it is also the BLM’s policy to:

Conserve U.S. natural and cultural resources
Invest in renewable energy
Restore ecosystems impacted by energy and water development
Conserve energy and water
Understand and manage climate change impacts
Promote and implement sustainable practices including green acquisition, electronic stewardship, and sustainable building construction, operations, and leasing
Comply with applicable Federal, State, local, tribal laws, regulations, and policies
Manage processes, systems, and technology to improve efficiency and productivity
Measure and report performance and identify opportunities for continual improvement
Document and communicate the EMS policy to all employees and the public

For the 2013 EMS cycle, the BLM WO has established Bureau-wide objectives and targets that focus on sustainable practices and improving environmental performance in alignment with federally-established sustainability and environmental program goals and the Department of the Interior’s May 25, 2011 Sustainability Policy. These objectives and targets are:

1)      Continue to incorporate Guiding Principles for Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings in the building inventory by inspecting 30,000 square foot (sq. ft.) of building space in Fiscal Year (FY) 13 and 45,000 sq. ft. in FY14 for compliance with the Guiding Principles.
2)      Decrease petroleum use by fleet 10 percent annually through FY15 versus the FY12 baseline.
3)      Increase the availability of alternative energy sources for fleet by developing new sources at three offices by FY14.
4)      Reduce Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions annually, and 20 percent by FY20 versus a FY08 baseline.
5)      Maintain a 50 percent diversion rate for solid waste.
6)      Reduce potable water use annually and 20 percent by FY20 versus a FY08 baseline.
7)      Ensure that 95 percent of procurements have procedures to include energy efficient, bio-based, environmentally preferred products by reviewing 5 to 10 percent of contracts for compliance.

All State and Field Offices have taken measures to achieve the Executive Orders upon which these objectives and targets have been based. Reporting of accomplishments in each of the applicable target areas has been on-going for several years. State Offices are encouraged to incorporate objectives and targets similar to these established for the WO EMS, at the time of their next EMS cycle. A focus on these key sustainability goals will ensure each office has an action plan or strategy to help the BLM achieve the national objectives.

Timeframe: The WO EMS will be initiated in January 2013 and be reviewed and updated annually.

Background: Executive Orders 13423 and 13514 require the implementation of EMS by all Federal agencies. The Office of Management and Budget Environmental Management Scorecard incorporates metrics to measure the success of implementing EMS throughout Federal agencies. Departmental Manual 515 DM 4 issued August 13, 2008, states, “All bureaus and offices, will at all appropriate organizational levels and facilities, develop, implement, and maintain an EMS.” Further, BLM Washington Office IM-2006-148 committed the BLM to the implementation of an EMS Bureau-wide.

Budget Impact: Contractor support to facilitate the development and implementation of the EMS is provided by WO-280. Any budget impact to field operations will depend on the specific elements of the EMS plan.

Manual/Handbook Sections Affected: None.

Coordination: The EMS policy and requirements have been coordinated with the EMS Leadership Team, comprised of the Assistant Director from each Directorate and the BLM Deputy Assistant Director (Operations) and the Field Committee.

Contact: Any questions regarding this IM can be directed to Kim Harriz, Environmental Quality and Protection (WO-280), at (202) 912-7126.

Signed by: Authenticated by:

Janine Velasco Robert M. Williams

Acting, Deputy Director Division of IRM Governance,WO-560