House Leaders Urge GAO Oversight to Ensure Federal Buildings Adopt Energy Efficiency Measures

WASHINGTON - Today, Chair Kathy Castor of the U.S. House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Chairman Bobby L. Rush of the Committee on Energy and Commerce's Subcommittee on Energy sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting an investigation into widespread noncompliance with energy efficiency measures at federal facilities.

"As the largest building manager in the country, the federal government should provide leadership by increasing energy efficiency and reducing associated emissions from the federal building stock, and Congress has acknowledged this role in statute," the Chairs wrote.

Federal agencies are required to undertake energy efficiency measures under current law. However, federal records show widespread noncompliance, with only 21 percent of buildings completing required comprehensive energy and water evaluations. In order to address these compliance issues and reduce emissions, and in order to help President Biden achieve his goals towards boosting energy efficiency and tackling the climate crisis, the Chairs have asked GAO to investigate this timely issue.

"Building energy use accounts for about 32 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions," the Chairs wrote in the letter. "Thus, decarbonizing the building sector will be critical to achieving economy-wide net-zero emissions and staving off the worst impacts of the climate crisis."

Read the full letter to Comptroller General Gene Dodaro HERE.

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