U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
EERE Communication Standards & Guidelines
Federal Requirements
Many of the requirements that we have for EERE websites come from federal laws and departmental rules. By learning about the laws and regulations that govern the EERE Web world, it's easier to understand why we require what we do.
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires federal websites to make all content accessible to users with disabilities. Disabled users may use screen readers, or have hearing issues, colorblindness, or difficulties using traditional hardware like a mouse or keyboard.
Although federally produced content is usually copyright free, that doesn't mean that everything on our websites is. Copyright law still applies to the content you get from elsewhere, such as stock image collections or your partners' websites.
The Plain Writing Act (often referred to as the "Plain Language Act") requires federal websites to be written so that their target audiences can understand them.
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