The Bush Administration is working to significantly increase the federal government's use of environmental management systems as a planning and implementation tool to help Federal agencies better carry out their mission and be better environmental stewards. EMSs will help to better equip agencies with the information, resources, strategy, and feedback they need to ensure they are continuously improving their performance and reducing their environmental impact. On April 1, 2002, James L. Connaughton, Chairman of CEQ, and Mitchell Daniels, Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), sent a letter to the heads of all federal agencies emphasizing the importance of developing environmental management systems as key tools to meeting the President's management and stewardship agendas. Federal agencies are required by Executive Order 13148 to implement EMSs by the end of 2005 at all applicable facilities. The Office of the Federal Environmental Executive will be working closely with CEQ, OMB, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Defense, and other agencies to develop resources and training for agencies to be able to adopt and implement this management tool.

The Federal government is also looking at broader applications of the Management System model to address other very important issues such as health & safety and security.

Training and Tools

Important Links and Resources