Energy Office, Agriculture Department July 5, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is proposing to amend 7 CFR part 2902, Guidelines for Designating Biobased Products for Federal Procurement, to add six sections to designate the following six items that are made with biobased products that would be afforded Federal procurement preference, as provided for under section 9002 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002: Mobile equipment hydraulic fluids; urethane roof coatings; water tank coatings; diesel fuel additives; penetrating lubricants; and bedding, bed linens, and towels. USDA also is proposing a minimum biobased content for each of these items. Once USDA designates an item, Federal agencies are required generally to purchase biobased products within these designated items where the purchase price of the procurement item exceeds $10,000 or where the quantity of such items or of functionally equivalent items purchased over the preceding fiscal year equaled $10,000 or more. USDA additionally proposes to revise section 2902.2 to add definitions for ``biodegradability'' and ``functional unit'' and section 2902.8 to adopt applicable ASTM International performance tests to verify biodegradability.