President Trump Issues Executive Order Rescinding Federal Fleet EV Push

On May 17, President Trump issued an Executive Order designed to boost the environmental performance of federal agencies while balancing efficiency goals.

In an accompanying statement, Trump said, “We’re going to run government smoothly, efficiently, and on behalf of the very hardworking taxpayers—something that the taxpayers haven’t seen in a long time.”

As part of his order (Section 8), Trump revoked President Barrack Obama’s Executive Order 13693 of March 19, 2015 (Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade).  Obama’s revoked order included the following directive language relating to electric and alternative fuel vehicles in the federal fleet:

Sec. 3. Sustainability Goals for Agencies. In implementing the policy set forth in section 1 of this order and to achieve the goals of section 2 of this order, the head of each agency shall, where life-cycle cost-effective, beginning in fiscal year 2016, unless otherwise specified:

(g) if the agency operates a fleet of at least 20 motor vehicles, improve agency fleet and vehicle efficiency and management by:

(v) planning for agency fleet composition such that by December 31, 2020, zero emission vehicles or plug-in hybrid vehicles account for 20 percent of all new agency passenger vehicle acquisitions and by December 31, 2025, zero emission vehicles or plug-in hybrid vehicles account for 50 percent of all new agency passenger vehicles and including, where practicable, acquisition of such vehicles in other vehicle classes and counting double credit towards the targets in this section for such acquisitions; and

(vi) planning for appropriate charging or refueling infrastructure or other power storage technologies for zero emission vehicles or plug-in hybrid vehicles and opportunities for ancillary services to support vehicle-to-grid technology;

Sec. 10. Regional Coordination. Within 180 days of the date of this order, each EPA and GSA Regional office shall in coordination with Federal Executive Boards established by the Presidential Memorandum of November 10, 1961 (The Need for Greater Coordination of Regional and Field Activities of the Government), DOD and other agencies as appropriate, convene regional interagency workgroups to identify and address:

(a) sustainable operations of Federal fleet vehicles, including identification and implementation of opportunities to use and share fueling infrastructure and logistical resources to support the adoption and use of alternative fuel vehicles, including E-85 compatible vehicles, zero emission and plug-in hybrid vehicles, and compressed natural gas-powered vehicles;

Sec. 12. Supporting the Federal Fleet. (a) GSA shall ensure that vehicles available to agencies for either lease or sale, at or below market cost, through its vehicle program include adequate variety and volume of alternative fuel vehicles, including zero emission and plug-in hybrid vehicles, to meet the fleet management goals of this order.

(b) DOE shall assist the United States Postal Service (USPS) in evaluating the best alternative and advanced fuel technologies for the USPS fleet and report on such progress annually as part of the planning requirements of section 14 of this order.

The Trump rescission is effective immediately.  Within 120 days, “the Secretary of Energy, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, the Administrator of General Services, and the heads of other agencies as appropriate, is required to review existing Federal vehicle fleet requirements and report to the Chairman of CEQ and the Director of OMB regarding opportunities to optimize Federal fleet performance, reduce associated costs, and streamline reporting and compliance requirements.”

The full text of the Trump order can be reviewed here.  The revoked full Obama order is available here.