| Abstract |
On August 3, 1993, President Clinton signed Executive Order 12856, entitled Federal Compliance with Right-To-Know Laws and Pollution Prevention Requirements. This Order requires that Federal agencies comply with the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA) and Pollution Prevention Act of 1990. Moreover, the Order sets a new standard for Federal environmental excellence by extending this compliance requirement to many activities not currently monitored in private industry. To ensure that Federal agencies and facilities fulfill the provisions of Executive Order 12856, the Order directs that all Federal agencies with covered facilities develop a strategy for implementation of the Executive Order. Sixteen Federal agencies have prepared pollution prevention strategies that will direct implementation of the Executive Order at more than 2,400 covered Federal facilities. Agencies that have prepared strategies include the Department of Veterans Affairs, which does not currently have facilities covered by the Executive Order but has nevertheless prepared a pollution prevention strategy covering various non-reporting aspects of the Executive Order. The United States Postal Service and Smithsonian Institution are not legally covered by the Executive Order, but have prepared formal agency pollution prevention strategies and committed to implement the Executive Order. Additional supplemental strategies have been prepared by branches or services of several Federal departments. This document outlines the collective Federal commitment to pollution prevention and community right-to-know as established by the Executive Order. |
