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Daily Archives: January 6, 2008

Federal Agencies Must Purchase Green PCs and Monitors

Summary from the Federal Register, December 26, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 246)][Rules and Regulations][Page 73215-73218]: “The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) have agreed on an interim rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to require use of Electronic Products Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) when acquiring personal computer products such as desktops, notebooks (also known as laptops), and monitors pursuant to the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and Executive Order 13423, Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management, that includes the following language:

(h) ensure that the agency (i) when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements, meets at least 95 percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product, unless there is no EPEAT standard for such product, (ii) enables the Energy Star feature on agency computers and monitors, (iii) establishes and implements policies to extend the useful life of agency electronic equipment, and (iv) uses environmentally sound practices with respect to disposition of agency electronic equipment that has reached the end of its useful life.”

  • EPEAT (Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool) now required for all federal purchasing: “EPEAT is a system to help purchasers in the public and private sectors evaluate, compare and select desktop computers, notebooks and monitors based on their environmental attributes. EPEAT also provides a clear and consistent set of performance criteria for the design of products, and provides an opportunity for manufacturers to secure market recognition for efforts to reduce the environmental impact of its products.”
  • Related postings on e-waste
  • Open CRS Posts Recent Reports on: Democracy Promotion, National Aviation Security Policy, Pay-As-You-Go Procedures for Budget Enforcement

    January 3, 2008 – The Effect of State-Legalized Same-Sex Marriage on Social Security Benefits and Pensions January 2, 2008 – National Aviation Security Policy, Strategy, and Mode-Specific Plans: Background and Considerations for Congress December 31, 2007 – Pay-As-You-Go Procedures for Budget Enforcement December 28, 2007 – U.S. Foreign Assistance to Latin America and the Caribbean:… Continue Reading

    FDA Poised to Announced Milk and Meat from Cloned Animals Coming to Market

    Washington Post: FDA to Back Food From Cloned Animals – Move Would Defy Congress’s Wish for Delay: “Having completed a years-long scientific review, the Food and Drug Administration is set to announce as early as next week that meat and milk from cloned farm animals and their offspring can start making their way toward supermarket… Continue Reading

    President George W. Bush's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief

    “Under the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Emergency Plan/PEPFAR), the U.S. Government has committed $18.8 billion to the fight against global HIV/AIDS, exceeding its original commitment of $15 billion over five years. This commitment reaffirms the United States’ historic leadership in the global fight against HIV/AIDS. President George W. Bush has requested that… Continue Reading

    FAA Issues Special New Security Regs for Boeing Model 787

    Background: “The proposed architecture of the 787 is different from that of existing production (and retrofitted) airplanes. It allows new kinds of passenger connectivity to previously isolated data networks connected to systems that perform functions required for the safe operation of the airplane. Because of this new passenger connectivity, the proposed data network design and… Continue Reading

    Universal Declaration of Human Rights

    “On 10 December, Human Rights Day, the Secretary-General launched a year-long campaign in which all parts of the United Nations family take part in the lead up to the 60th birthday of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) on Human Rights Day 2008. The UDHR continues to hold the world record as the most… Continue Reading

    Spotlight on E-Voting Machines Brightens as Campaigns Accelerate

    New York Times Magazine, January 6, 2008: Can You Count on Voting Machines? by Clive Thompson “In the last three election cycles, touch-screen machines have become one of the most mysterious and divisive elements in modern electoral politics. Introduced after the 2000 hanging-chad debacle, the machines were originally intended to add clarity to election results.… Continue Reading