United States
Department of
Agriculture
File Code:
Route To:
Subject:
To:
Forest
Service
Pacific Southwest Region
1323 Club Drive
Vallejo, CA 94592
(707) 562-8737 Voice
(707) 562-9130 Text (TDD)
2170/7180
Pacific Southwest Research Station
P.O. Box 245
Berkeley, CA 94701
(510) 559-6300 Voice
(510) 559-6307 Text (TDD)
Date: April 22, 2006
Pacific Southwest Energy Initiative
Pacific Southwest Region and Research Station Employees
Following last year’s destructive hurricane season, the President and Chief Bosworth made a
commitment to reduce energy consumption and depletion of the nation’s supplies of natural gas,
gasoline, and diesel fuel. While this effort was initially aimed at protecting against energy
shortages created by the hurricanes, the Chief also called upon the agency to develop a long-term
plan to reduce our agency’s energy consumption. The impact of our energy consumption upon
our environment is commonly called our “environmental footprint.”
USDA is one of the larger departments in the federal government, and the Forest Service is the
largest agency within USDA. Combining our energy efficiency efforts with other agencies will
significantly reduce the government’s demand for energy resources.
As such, the Pacific Southwest Region and Research Station have begun a partnership that seeks
to meet the agency’s energy reduction goals. This partnership and campaign will be known as
the Pacific Southwest Energy Initiative and will be led by an employee committee from both the
Pacific Southwest Region and Research Station.
Although the Pacific Southwest Energy Initiative is still in its formative stage, there are many
opportunities for our units to begin saving energy today. In the Chief’s letter to Forest Service
leadership last fall, specific actions were listed that can be taken immediately to help reduce
energy and fuel consumption. Some of these actions include driving fewer miles, using more
fuel efficient vehicles for official travel, and working with local utility companies to develop
peak load reduction plans.
The Pacific Southwest Region and Research Station will soon be establishing energy reduction
goals and conducting energy assessments on each forest and laboratory. Additionally, the
Pacific Southwest Research Station has developed an intranet site,
http://fsweb.psw.fs.fed.us/energy/, designed to help individual employees improve energy
efficiency, reduce fuel use, offset carbon debts from travel, and help take advantage of monetary
incentives and deductions for making energy efficient choices.
We will be asking for employees to participate on the committee and to share their challenges
and successes as we work toward our reduced energy consumption goals. Successful
implementation of this initiative will result in reducing our environmental footprint and help save
valuable resources that can be directed to higher priority work. We know our employees have
Caring for the Land and Serving People
Printed on Recycled Paper
Pacific Southwest Region and Research Station Employees
many creative ideas. We look forward to utilizing your creativity and resolve to successfully
implement this initiative.
Please contact Nelson Hernandez (707) 562-9176 at the Pacific Southwest Regional Office, or
Connie Millar (510) 559-6435 at the Pacific Southwest Research Station for information.
/s/ Thomas L. Tidwell (for)
BERNARD WEINGARDT
Regional Forester
/s/ James R. Sedell
JAMES R. SEDELL
Station Director
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