Exec._Order_No._4 Establishing a State Green Procurement and Agency Sustainability Program.

5/21/08 N.Y. St. Reg. Exec. Order No. 4

NEW YORK STATE REGISTER

VOLUME XXX, ISSUE 21

May 21, 2008

EXECUTIVE ORDERS

 

Establishing a State Green Procurement and Agency Sustainability Program.

WHEREAS, The State of New York (“State”) is dedicated to the simultaneous pursuit of environmental quality, sound public health, economic prosperity and social well-being; and

WHEREAS, the production, use and disposal of materials, and the generation and use of energy, can have significant impacts on environmental quality and public health; and

WHEREAS, State government is a major consumer of materials and energy; and

WHEREAS, the State's policies include conserving, improving and protecting natural resources and the environment; preventing water, air and land pollution; and enhancing the health, safety and welfare of State residents and their overall economic and social well-being; and

WHEREAS, it is the State's policy to promote cost effective methods to reduce energy and resource consumption, and reduce or eliminate the use of hazardous substances and the generation of hazardous substances, pollution and waste at the source; and

WHEREAS, the State's solid waste management priorities include reducing the generation of solid waste, reusing materials, and recycling materials that cannot be reused; and

WHEREAS, by making sound choices in the course of their daily activities, such as the commodities, services, and technology they consume, and the amount of waste they generate, State agencies and public authorities can minimize potential environmental and health impacts on workers and the public; and

WHEREAS, the State's procurement of commodities, services and technology can be enhanced through State agency and public authority choices that minimize the potential environmental and health impacts of their activities; and

WHEREAS, State government can be a leader in environmental stewardship through the use of green procurement and sustainable management practices.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, David A. Paterson, Governor of the State of New York, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the State of New York, do hereby order as follows:

A. Definitions

1.“State agency” or “agency” shall mean any State agency, department, office, board, commission or other instrumentality of the State, other than a public authority.

2. “Public authority” or “authority” shall mean a public authority or public benefit corporation created by or existing under any State law, a majority of whose members is appointed by the Governor (including any subsidiaries of such public authority or public benefit corporation), other than an interstate or international authority or public benefit corporation.

B. Interagency Committee on Sustainability and Green Procurement

1. There is hereby established an Interagency Committee on Sustainability and Green Procurement (the “Committee”). The Committee shall be comprised of the Director of Budget, the Commissioner of General Services, the Commissioner of Environmental Conservation, the Commissioner of Health, the Commissioner of Economic Development, the President of the Urban Development Corporation, the Commissioner of Transportation, the President of the Environmental Facilities Corporation, the President of the New York State Energy, Research and Development Authority, the Chair of the Power Authority of the State of New York, and the Executive Director of the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York. The Commissioner of General Services and the Commissioner of Environmental Conservation shall serve as co-chairs of the Committee.

2. Members of the Committee may designate an executive staff member to represent them and participate on the Committee on their behalf. A majority of the members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum, and all actions and recommendations of the Committee shall require approval of a majority of the total members of the Committee.

C. Green Procurement Lists and Specifications

1. The Committee, no later than September 1, 2008, and annually thereafter, shall select a minimum of three “priority categories” of commodities, services or technology, and at least twelve “priority commodities, services and technology” within each of the priority categories, for which the Committee shall develop “green procurement lists” (“procurement lists”) and “green procurement specifications” (“procurement specifications”) for use by State agencies and public authorities in the procurement of commodities, services and technology. The Committee shall focus on commodities, services and technology that reasonably will: (a) reduce or eliminate the health and environmental risks from the use or release of toxic substances; (b) minimize risks of the discharge of pollutants into the environment; (c) minimize the volume and toxicity of packaging; (d) maximize the use of recycled content and sustainably managed renewable resources; and (e) provide other environmental and health benefits.

2. The Committee, no later than December 1, 2008, shall develop: (a) procurement specifications to be used for the development and issuance of new contracts and new solicitations for priority commodities, services and technology; and (b) procurement lists of priority commodities, services and technology that are available under existing procurement arrangements that satisfy the requirements of this order.

3. In developing the procurement lists and procurement specifications, the Committee shall consider the following factors: (a) protection of the public health and the environment, including the health of children and other vulnerable populations; (b) avoidance of risks from the use or release of toxic substances; (c) pollution reduction and prevention; (d) sustainable resource management and use, and sustainable manufacturing and production processes; (e) reduction of greenhouse gases; (f) the use of renewable resources, remanufactured components and recycled content; (g) waste reduction, recyclability and compostability; (h) quality, durability and utility; (i) minimizing adverse impacts throughout a commodity's or technology's life cycle; (j) cost; (k) extended producer liability; and (l) legal and regulatory requirements applicable to the use and procurement of commodities, services and technology.

4. The Committee may review the priority categories, priority commodities, services and technology, procurement lists and procurement specifications periodically and revise or supplement them as appropriate in a manner consistent with the requirements of this section.

5. The Committee shall establish specific goals to achieve reasonable reductions in the amount of solid waste generated and paper consumed annually by State agencies and authorities. The Committee shall also develop and implement strategies to assist State agencies and authorities to achieve such reduction goals.

D. Sustainability and Environmental Stewardship Progams

1. Each State agency and authority shall develop and implement a Sustainability and Environmental Stewardship Program, which shall include:

(a) specific projects, programs and policies designed to achieve compliance with the requirements of this Order; and

(b) specific projects, programs and policies designed to reduce the public health and environmental impacts of the activities and operations of the agency or authority, including: (i) the reduction or elimination of the use and generation of toxic substances, pollution and waste; (ii) the reduction, reuse, recycling and composting of solid waste; (iii) increasing energy efficiency; (iv) increasing the use of renewable energy sources; (v) conserving water and other natural resources; and (vi) maximizing the use of environmentally preferable or “green” commodities, services and technology.

2. Commencing no later than July 1, 2008, all copy paper, janitorial paper and other paper supplies purchased by each State agency or authority shall be composed of 100% post-consumer recycled content to the maximum extent practicable, and all copy and janitorial paper shall be processed chlorine-free to the extent practicable, unless such products do not meet required form, function or utility, or the cost of the product is not competitive.

3. Commencing no later than July 1, 2008, all State agency and authority publications shall be printed on 100% post-consumer recycled content paper. Where paper with 100% post-consumer recycled content is not available, or does not meet required form, function and utility, paper procurements shall use post-consumer recycled content to the extent practicable. Non-recycled content shall be derived from a sustainably-managed renewable resource to the extent practicable, unless the cost of the product is not competitive.

4. State agencies and authorities shall rely on and use the procurement lists and specifications issued by the Committee when developing new solicitations and contracts for the procurement of commodities, services and technology, and for the procurement of commodities, services and technology under existing contracts, unless the head of the agency or authority determines: (a) that such commodities, services or technology will not meet required form, function or utility; (b) the cost of the commodities, services or technology is not competitive; or (c) there is an emergency or other compelling public health or safety reason not to purchase such commodities, services or technology. Such form, function, utility or other determination shall be presented in the procurement record, and notice of the determination shall be provided to the Committee Chairs.

5. All State agencies and authorities shall, to the extent practicable: (a) implement effective programs to source separate recyclable materials, including paper, metal, glass and plastic, that will maximize materials recovery; (b) implement effective programs to reduce waste; (c) use locally available compost, mulch and soil amendments produced from secondary materials; and (d) utilize secondary materials in construction.

E. Training and Staff

1. State agencies and authorities, no later than September 1, 2008, shall assign an employee to serve as a Sustainability and Green Procurement Coordinator (“Coordinator”). Coordinators shall be given full management support and provided with the necessary resources to enable the agency or authority to comply with this order.

2. The Committee shall design and implement training and outreach programs for Coordinators and assist them with the training of appropriate staff, vendors and contractors.

3. The Commissioner of General Services, no later than September 1, 2008, shall select an employee to serve as Director of Green Procurement, who shall assist the Commissioner of General Services in carrying out his or her duties under this order.

4. The Office of General Services, the Department of Environmental Conservation, the Environmental Facilities Corporation, and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority are authorized to assist State agencies and authorities in complying with this order, including through the development and implementation of Sustainability and Environmental Stewardship Programs.

F. Reporting

1. The Committee, no later than December 1, 2008, shall develop a format for a progress report to be used by State agencies and authorities to inform the Committee of: (a) the progress each agency and authority has made toward achieving the goals described in or established pursuant to this Order; (b) the effectiveness of the procurement lists and specifications; and (c) the specific sustainability projects that have been implemented and the effectiveness of such programs.

2. Each State agency and authority, no later than March 1, 2009, and on March first each year thereafter, shall submit a progress report to the Committee in the form and containing the information specified by the Committee. At a minimum, such report shall describe the agency or authority's efforts regarding waste reduction and recycling activities, recycled products procurement, quantities of waste generated and materials recycled, incentives and disincentives to waste reduction and recycling, and recommendations for additional measures to encourage efficient use of the State's resources.

3. The Committee, on or before June 1, 2009, and on June first each year thereafter, shall submit a report to the Governor, which shall compile the information submitted by State agencies and authorities pursuant to this section and report on progress made on the implementation of this order.

G. Sustainability and Green Procurement Advisory Council

There is hereby established a Sustainability and Green Procurement Advisory Council (“Council”), which shall consist of 11 members appointed by the Governor who have experience in the fields of green procurement, public health, waste prevention and recycling, energy efficiency, workplace safety, labor relations, environmental protection, environmental justice, or chemical manufacturing. The Governor shall select a Chair of the Council from among its members. The Council shall meet at the times requested by the Committee and provide such advice and assistance as the Committee may require.

H. Miscellaneous

1. Every agency and public authority of this State shall furnish such information and assistance as the Committee determines is reasonably necessary to accomplish its purposes.

2. Executive Order 142, issued on January 16, 1991, is hereby revoked and superseded by this Executive Order.

(L.S.)

GIVEN under my hand and the Privy Seal of the State in the City of Albany, this twenty-fifth day of April in the year two thousand eight.

BY THE GOVERNOR/S/ David A. Paterson/s/ Charles O'ByrneSecretary to the Governor