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RESOLUTION URGING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE OF FLORIDA TO REQUIRE GREATER ENERGY EFFICIENCY FROM TELEVISION SET-TOP BOXES

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WHEREAS, more than 80 percent of U.S. households subscribe to some form of pay television service utilizing approximately 160 million set-top boxes nearly all of which are owned and installed by the cable, satellite, phone or other service provider; and
WHEREAS, these set-top boxes operate at near full power even when the consumer is not watching or recording a television show; and
WHEREAS, in 2010, set-top boxes in the United States consumed approximately 27 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity � the equivalent of the annual output of nine average coal-fired power plants or the annual household energy consumption of the entire state of Maryland; and
WHEREAS, the electricity used by these set-top boxes results in 16 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and costs U.S. households more than $3 billion each year to operate; and
WHEREAS, U.S. households spend $2 billion dollars a year to power these set-top boxes when they are not being actively used; and
WHEREAS, current set-top boxes require more electricity to operate than the average energy efficient refrigerator; and
WHEREAS, improvements in the design of set-top boxes could reduce their overall energy consumption from 30 to 50 percent by implementing energy saving designs including requiring set-top boxes to automatically power down to lower power levels when not in use; and
WHEREAS, the United States Department of Energy is currently considering whether to regulate the energy consumption of set-top boxes under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, 42 U.S.C. 6291, et seq.; and
WHEREAS, the State of Florida has made the Florida Department of State the franchising authority for cable television and may require greater energy efficiency in set-top boxes as part of cable television franchise agreements pursuant to Florida Statutes 610.102, et seq.; and
WHEREAS, the residents of Miami-Dade County would benefit from greater energy efficiency in set-top boxes,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board:
Section 1. Urges the federal government to regulate and require greater energy efficiency in set-top boxes either through new legislation, inclusion of set-top boxes under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, or through the authority of the Federal Communications Commission.
Section 2. Urges the State of Florida, as a condition of the grant or renewal of a cable television franchise agreement, to require cable operators to provide subscribers with energy efficient set-top boxes.
Section 3. Directs the Clerk of the Board to transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the members of the Miami-Dade County Congressional Delegation, the Governor, the Florida Senate President, the Florida House Speaker, the Chair and Members of the Miami-Dade State Legislative Delegation, the U.S. Secretary of Energy and Florida Secretary of State.
Section 4.�������� Directs the County�s federal and state lobbyists to advocate for the actions set forth in Sections 1 and 2 above, and authorizes and directs the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs to include this item in the 2012 federal legislative package and to amend the 2012 state legislative package to include this item.