Richard Nixon photo

Memorandum Directing Reductions in Energy Consumption by the Federal Government.

June 29, 1973

Memorandum for Heads of Departments and Agencies:

You are hereby directed to review the activities of your agency and your contractors which place demands on our energy resources and determine how demand can be reduced. You are to provide by July 31, 1973, an accounting of your agency's energy consumption and a plan with specific actions and timetables to reduce demands.

I have today established a nationwide goal of reducing expected energy demand by 5 percent over the next twelve months. The Federal Government goal is to reduce the expected demand for energy by 7 percent during this same period.

Steps that should be taken by all agencies include reducing the level of air conditioning in office buildings, with appropriate relaxation of employee dress standards; using more energy efficient automobiles in Federal activities; reducing employee business trips; reducing unnecessary lighting in your agency's buildings; and encouraging greater use of carpools and mass transit by your employees. In addition, several agencies have laboratories and industrial type facilities, some of which are operated by contractors, that provide special opportunities for significant energy conservation measures.

The reports that are due by July 31, 1973, are to be submitted through Secretary Morton. In addition, you are to provide such additional follow-up reports as he may require and to assist him and his new Office of Energy Conservation in identifying new conservation measures.

RICHARD NIXON

Note: The text of the memorandum was re leased at San Clemente, Calif.

Richard Nixon, Memorandum Directing Reductions in Energy Consumption by the Federal Government. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/255597

Simple Search of Our Archives