Building on a Tradition

Back in 2005, ITI worked with Reps. Mike Rogers, R-Mich. and Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., on the introduction and then enactment during the 109th Congress of a small bill (HR 5646) that focused on better understanding data center energy efficiency.  We followed that up in 2007 by helping to draft and then supporting the successful Eshoo/Rogers amendment that became Section 453 of the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) in the 110th Congress.   

Now, we are back again in another bipartisan effort to drive innovation through more efficient technologies at the federal level.

ITI is proud to support, and will actively seek enactment of, the bill being introduced today by Reps. Rogers and Eshoo, along with Reps. David McKinley, R-W.Va., Peter Welch, D-Vt., Cory Gardner, R-Colo., and Paul Tonko, D-N.Y.  The Energy Efficient Government Technology Act (EEGTA) is about the federal government further leveraging data centers and other information and communications technologies for significant reductions in energy consumption and greenhouse gases, while at the same time achieving substantial cost savings and improved productivity.  It is about enabling the federal government to provide better government, at a lower cost to the taxpayer.

A key foundation of the bill is the partnership already established between our industry and the federal government on data center efficiency.  Great strides have been achieved in this area since 2005.  Enactment of this bill will help to ensure even greater advances, building on the important and ongoing activities at The Green Grid in coordination with the U.S. Department of Energy and others.

Another key foundation is the President's Executive Order 13514, "Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance,"  which, after three years in force, continues to spur improvement in the federal government's efforts on sustainability and energy efficiency.  ITI has been helping to build on this strong foundation, showcasing how information and communications technologies (ICT) can, and do, serve as a key enabler to achieving the President's performance goals.  Last fall, the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions issued a report highlighting eight case studies of ICT helping to attain the President's sustainability goals while also reducing costs.   We applauded those case studies, and we are actively supporting Administration efforts to secure many, many more such highlights.  We see the new Eshoo/Rogers bill as an important enabler to this end.

Public Policy Tags: Energy, Intelligent Efficiency

Related