Governor Togiola issues directive geared at fighting global warming
Governor Togiola Tulafono is making good on his promise to help preserve the environment and fight against global warming through a directive that requires departments and agencies to take steps in reducing the emission of green house gases.
The directive details commitments by ASG based on the Governor’s Executive Order issued late last year and aimed at reducing green house gas emissions produced by the government.
(The Executive Order was issued last year during the 18th Meeting of the US Coral Reef Task Force).
This includes a ban on the importation of older vehicles and detergents that contain high phosphorus levels. With regards to vehicle purchases, Togiola is requiring the American Samoa Government to purchase only model year 2008 vehicles that have a minimum combined USEPA fuel efficiency rating of 20 miles per gallon (mpg).
The Governor said the Central Procurement Office will be tasked with ensuring that ASG no longer purchases 4-wheel drive vehicles except in circumstances where a definite need can be shown.
According to the Governor’s directive, effective January 1, 2009, the Customs Division “will enforce a ban on the importation of vehicles for private or government use,” manufactured prior to model year 1999.
The Procurement Office shall ensure that ASG will add hybrid vehicles (passenger and light-duty trucks) to its fleet beginning with a hybrid purchase rate of 5% for model year 2008, and incrementally increasing at the rate of 5% per year to 50% by model year 2017.
The Attorney General’s Office and the Division of Weights and Measures, as part of their duties shall, effective January 1, 2008, ensure that all fueling stations in the territory (private, commercial, and government), have installed auto shut-off and vapor recovery nozzles on all fuel pumps.
Effective October 1, 2007, the Customs Division of the ASG Treasury Department was directed to ban the importation of all detergents with phosphorus levels greater than 11%
And it doesn’t stop there.
The Governor has directed the Procurement Office, in conjunction with the Territorial Energy Office, to ensure that all ASG departments, offices, and agencies begin immediate replacement of all incandescent light bulbs in ASG facilities with compact fluorescent bulbs.
The Office of Procurement is also responsible for ensuring that the purchase of all ASG appliances and electronics have an USEPA energy star approval.
Togiola’s directive provides that department and agencies with jurisdiction shall designate a contact individual within the department/agency who will file a written report with the Governor’s Office within 30 days of the directive. The report must outline the progress and any problems encountered in the implementation of the directive.
Governor Togiola continues to crusade against global warming and the protection of our coral reefs and says that American Samoa is committed to doing its share to address the adverse impacts of global warming and resulting climate change, and he challenges the federal government, the public sector, and regional jurisdictions to join the fight.
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