News Releases from Region 04

EPA Recognizes DEA Southeast Laboratory in Miami with 2018 Federal Green Challenge Award for Reducing Environmental Impact, Saving Taxpayer Dollars

ATLANTA – (June 14, 2018) Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Southeast Laboratory in Miami, Fla., for reducing the facility’s environmental impact by cutting potable water use to 69 percent from 950,710 gallons to 293,964 gallons.

“Federal agencies nationwide challenge themselves to improve efficiency and minimize environmental impact, and their achievements are saving American taxpayers tens of millions of dollars,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt.

The Miami facility is one of eight federal facilities recognized for conserving resources and saving taxpayers’ money as part of the Federal Green Challenge (FGC). These efforts across the federal government have not only resulted in approximately $22 million in cost savings in the last year, but also further the goals of the President’s May 17, 2018, Executive Order (EO) Regarding Efficient Federal Operations.

“I congratulate the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Southeast Laboratory in Miami for their efforts to minimize environmental impact, increase efficiency, and achieve significant financial savings,” said EPA Region 4 Administrator Trey Glenn. “Their demonstrated commitment to efficient resource management is a tremendous example for others to follow.”

In 2017, FGC participants reduced the federal government’s environmental impact by reducing fuel oil consumption by more than 206,000 gallons, sending nearly 300 tons of end-of-life electronics to third-party certified recyclers, using almost 59 million fewer gallons of industrial, landscaping and agricultural water, and diverting over 422,000 tons of waste from landfills. Participants also prevented more than 840 tons of food from being landfilled through food donation and composting efforts.

FGC participants are leading the way in advancing the goals of the President’s EO, which directs agencies to prioritize reducing waste, cutting costs, enhancing the resiliency of Federal infrastructure and operations, and that these reductions should be tracked to ensure accountability.

The FGC is a voluntary, fiscal yearlong commitment under EPA's Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Program, in which participants focus on efficiently managing their resources to reduce the costs of building operations, maintenance, and supplies.

For more information on the Federal Green Challenge, and this year’s winners, please visit: www.epa.gov/fgc.