National Energy Action Month, 2014

Proclamation 9182 of September 30, 2014

National Energy Action Month, 2014

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Safeguarding America's energy future is an economic,
environmental, and national security imperative. The
energy choices we make today will have a substantial
impact on the world we leave to our children and
grandchildren. By pursuing an aggressive All-of-the-
Above energy strategy, we can support economic growth
and job creation, enhance energy security, and lay the
foundation for a low-carbon energy future. During
National Energy Action Month, we embrace our profound
obligation to leave generations to come a cleaner,
safer, more stable world, and we resolve to stand up,
speak out, and fight for the urgent action this pivotal
moment in history demands.

Our country's energy sector is undergoing a significant
transformation, and today we are closer to energy
independence than we have been in decades. The United
States generates more renewable energy--from sources
like wind and solar power--than ever before, we are the
number one natural gas producer in the world, and we
are building the first nuclear power plants in over
three decades. These gains have brought jobs back to
America and created more than 55,000 new jobs. And
since I took office, domestic energy-related emissions
of carbon dioxide have declined. As our Nation produces
more traditional energy and sets the groundwork for the
energy sources of the future, our achievements
demonstrate that there is no contradiction between a
sound environment and a thriving economy.

A low-carbon, clean energy strategy can be an engine of
growth for decades to come, but transitioning our
economy takes time, and there is more work to do. That
is why my Administration has made the largest
investment in clean energy in American history, and why
I have taken action to ensure our Nation is a leader in
the energy sources of tomorrow. We have partnered with
businesses that know investing in renewable energy is
not only good for the environment, but also for their
bottom line, and we are supporting training programs
that will help 50,000 workers learn the skills clean
energy companies are looking for. The Government is
leading the way by deploying renewable energy on public
lands and across federally subsidized housing and
military installations. And I continue to support
incentives for private investment in these energy
sources, including Federal financing, which--during my
Administration--has brought over $30 billion of capital
to the clean energy sector.

As we are advancing low-carbon technologies and
developing cleaner fuels, we are also working to
promote energy efficiency. Cutting our energy waste is
one of the fastest, easiest, and cheapest ways to
create jobs, save families money, and reduce our carbon
pollution. The buildings we live and work in are
responsible for about one-third of our greenhouse
gases, and my Better Buildings Challenge is on track to
improve the energy efficiency of thousands of multi-
family homes, commercial buildings, and industrial
plants by 20 percent by the year 2020. We have set new
fuel standards for our cars and trucks so they will go
twice as far on a gallon of gas by the middle of the
next decade and invested billions of dollars in energy
upgrades to Federal buildings. We have concrete
strategies that are proven

to create jobs and reduce emissions, and we must all
pledge to do our part.

The threat of climate change requires us to act now. We
have a chance to improve public health, protect our
environment, and better our world, and the American
people have the skills and innovative spirit needed to
seize this opportunity. This month, we look forward and
boldly declare our intent to rise to the challenge of a
changing world. As caretakers of our planet, let us
resolve to build a cleaner, more prosperous, and more
secure world for all of humanity.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim October 2014 as
National Energy Action Month. I call upon the citizens
of the United States to recognize this month by working
together to achieve greater energy security, a more
robust economy, and a healthier environment for our
children.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
thirtieth day of September, in the year of our Lord two
thousand fourteen, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
ninth.