2017 Federal Green Challenge Award Winners in the South Central Region

Recognition was an important part of the Federal Green Challenge. Awards were given at the regional level in the categories of Transportation, Waste, Water, Energy, Purchasing, Electronics, and Education and Outreach.

In the South Central region, the 2017 award winners were Department of Veterans Affairs Sam Rayburn Veterans Center, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration White Sands Test Facility, the Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Agency El Paso Intelligence Center, the General Services Administration Federal Service Center, and the General Services Administration RC White Federal Building. Below are descriptions of what the awardees achieved and ways they achieved reductions.

Transportation

Department of Veterans Affairs, Sam Rayburn Memorial Veterans Center, Bonham, TX

The Sam Rayburn Memorial Veterans Center has increased its vehicle fleet by 13 electric vehicles.

Waste

National Aeronautics and Space Administration, White Sands Test Facility, Las Cruces, NM

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s White Sands Test Facility increased the amount of waste it recycled from 105.58 tons in 2015 to 554.04 tons in 2016, resulting in a 424 percent improvement.

Water

General Services Administration, RC White Federal Building, El Paso, TX

The General Services Administration’s RC White Federal Building was able to reduce its use of potable water in 2015 from 277,508 gallons to 221,408 gallons, resulting in a 20 percent improvement.

Energy

General Services Administration, Federal Service Center, Fort Worth, TX

The General Services Administration Federal Service Center reduced the amount of natural gas it consumed from 10,661,000 cubic feet in 2015 to 6,699,000 cubic feet in 2016, resulting in an 37 percent improvement.

Electronics, Purchasing, and Education and Outreach

Drug Enforcement Administration, El Paso Intelligence Center, El Paso, Texas

The Department of Justice’s Drug Enforcement Administration, El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC), in El Paso, Texas, increased its amount of Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) registered units from 71 EPEAT-registered units in 2015 to 130 in 2016, resulting in an 83 percent improvement. The El Paso Intelligence Center also reduced the amount of paper purchased from 5,000 lbs. in 2015 to 4,500 lbs. in 2016, resulting in a 10 percent improvement. The Drug Enforcement Administration, EPIC, also conducted environmental education and outreach to all of its employees.

During FY16, EPIC achieved a 73.2 percent diversion rate for solid waste by recycling 9.54 tons of commingled products, 0.27 tons of toner cartridges, 0.17 tons of various types of batteries, and 0.75 tons of wooden pallets. In addition, EPIC recycled 9.54 tons of unusable and unserviceable electronics including outdated computers, keyboards, televisions, servers, refrigerators, and small appliances. Promoting and achieving the goals of Executive Order 13693 are important to the employees at EPIC. Reducing energy, waste and water will contribute to the net-zero status in their 110,000 square-foot facility. They continue to encourage and promote green purchasing, sustainable acquisition, recycling, waste diversion and electronics stewardship. EPIC continues to work on environmental goals with their partners in Fort Bliss and in the El Paso, Texas communities.