---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2001 07:26:09 -0500 From: "Casselberry, Jay" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: 'Eugene Mechtly' <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Use of Metric Units by the Energy Information Administration Dear Mr. Mechtly, Thank you for your question regarding the Energy Information Administration's (EIA) website. I was asked to respond given my work on related EIA projects after passage of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 and the 1991 Executive Order 12770 dealing with use of metric system of measurement (i.e., the International System of Units) by Federal agencies. EIA was created by Congress in 1977 as a statistical agency of the U.S. Department of Energy. We provide policy-independent data, forecasts, and analyses to promote sound policy making, efficient markets, and public understanding regarding energy and its interaction with the economy and the environment. In many of our information products, we provide information that persons may utilize to convert data to metric units of measurement. As a Federal agency that conducts surveys, EIA must be very responsive to the U.S. companies that participate in EIA's surveys. This includes our consideration of the ways in which such companies maintain information in their systems. As a Federal information agency, EIA must offer products best suited to the overall needs of EIA's data users. In 2000, EIA's web site experienced over 5 million user sessions. In addition, about 17,000 users are registered with EIA's automated e-mail (listserv) to receive information from EIA. EIA has received very few requests from our customers for data expressed in metric units. The law and executive order recognize that the use of metric units is dependent on economic feasibility, practicality, and efficiency. EIA's current practice of providing conversion information for use by data users who prefer to work with energy information expressed in metric units is a reasonable solution. Sincerely, Jay Casselberry Statistics and Methods Group Energy Information Administration U.S. Department of Energy Phone: 202-287-1717 Fax: 202-287-1705 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
