EPA Moves Regional Head Quarters to the Suburbs

From Sustainable Cities Collective:

"An average resident in the vicinity of the current EPA Region 7 headquarters emits 0.39 metric tons of carbon dioxide per month, slightly more than half the regional average of 0.74 tons per month. Symbolically, it's a great location for an agency that is attempting to address global warming ... the transportation carbon emissions associated with the new location are a whopping 1.08 metric tons per person per month. That's nearly three times the average associated with the current location and one and a half times the regional average. This is not just some random corporation making a crappy location decision: this is the agency charged with protecting the environment for the United States of America."

EPA officials have attempted to justify the move by citing the fact that the new building is LEED certified, while the old headquarters building is not. Kaid Benfield argues that the suburban location of the new headquarters more than cancels any environmental benefits of a LEED certified building.