# Website Policies and Important Links

This page provides a comprehensive overview of the policies of this federally sponsored website, consistent with guidance established by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as implemented by the U.S. Department of Energy.

                                            -  Disclaimer
                                            -  Acceptable Use Policy
                                            -  User Privacy
                                            -  Copyright
                                            -  Attribution
                                            -  Accessibility/Section 508
                                            -  Website Security
                                            -  Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
                                            -  Linking to OSTI Websites
                                            -  Linking to Outside Websites
                                            -  Freedom of Information
                                            -  Information Quality
                                            -  No Fear Act
                                            -  Regulations
                                            -  USA.gov

Find information about the laws, policies, schedules, and other guidance relevant to the management of DOE-funded R&D results here.

## Disclaimer

This system is made available by an agency of the United States Government.  Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned right.

Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof.  The views and opinions of originators expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof.

Any or all uses of this system and all files on this system may be intercepted, monitored, recorded, copied, audited, inspected, transferred and disclosed to authorized site, Department of Energy, and law enforcement personnel, as well as authorized officials of other agencies, both domestic and foreign.

By using this system, the user consents to such interception, monitoring, recording, copying, auditing, inspection, transfer and disclosure at the discretion of authorized site or Department of Energy personnel.

## Acceptable Use Policy

This site employs an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) to help safeguard and enhance the use of publicly accessible information by prohibiting unauthorized excessive content requests or activities.  This includes requests initiated by any network host, individual user, or automated means to query, capture, or download data from this system.  OSTI will work with stake holders to better understand potential use cases for "creative reuse" and text and data mining.

Exemptions may be granted to individuals or organizations on a case by case basis.

Email: comments@osti.gov with any questions.

## User Privacy

## What Information Does OSTI.GOV Collect?

### Information Collected: Web Traffic

For each page that is visited on OSTI.GOV, the following technical information is automatically captured in what is called a web server log file:
                                              - Date and time of access
                                              - URL address of the web page visited
                                              - Internet domain and IP address from which our website was accessed
                                              - Type of browser and operating system used to access our site (if provided by the browser)
                                              - URL address of the referring page (if provided by the browser)
                                              - Completion or success status of the request for a web page or other online item
                                              - File size of the web page visited

This information does not contain personally identifiable information nor do we use this information to remember a user's online interactions with our site.  This information is used to track server load, identify operational problems, to prevent fraud    and to improve the effectiveness, security and integrity of the site.

### Information Collected: Web Measurement and Tracking

This site employs the use of two separate types of cookies, session and persistent, to collect non-personal information related to how users traverse the website.  A cookie is a small file that a website transfers to your computer to allow the retrieval    of specific information about your session while you are connected to a website.
                                              - Session cookies last only as long as your browser is open; once the browser is closed the cookie disappears.
                                              - Persistent cookies will remain on your hard drive until it reaches its expiration date or is deleted by you.  This type of cookie is stored on your computer so the website that placed it there can recognize and remember when you return visit and keep        track of which pages on their website you visit.

The federal government has guidelines on the use of persistent cookies (link is external) related to web measurement and tracking.  The goals of the guidelines are to enable the useful functioning of federal websites while protecting individual privacy.

This site does not automatically collect or store personal information in identifiable form about users.  Certain non-personally identifiable information is collected and stored automatically via session cookies, including:
                                              - the Internet Protocol (IP) address of the domain from which you access the Internet (i.e., 123.456.789.012) whether yours individually or provided as a proxy by your Internet Service Provider (ISP);
                                              - the domain from which you access the Internet;
                                              - the date and time you accessed the site;
                                              - the search queries, bibliographic citations viewed, and reports viewed; and
                                              - the Internet address of the Website from which you linked directly to our site.

This information is used to compile summary statistics to help us make the site more valuable to its users.  It is not shared with anyone beyond the professional support staff of this site, except when required by Law Enforcement investigation, and is    used only as a source of anonymous statistical information.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) classifies the use of this type of technology as Tier 1 usage, since we are utilizing a single session web measurement technology that does not collect any personally identifiable information (PII).

This site may also use session cookies to provide salient session-related information and to enable product-specific functions not related to web measurement and tracking.  In no case will cookies be used to capture information that might compromise or    threaten personal privacy.

Visitors to this site who have JavaScript enabled are by default anonymously tracked with persistent cookies using a web measurement technology known as Google Analytics.  Google Analytics collects the following types of information from users:
                                              - Type of user agent (web browser) used, software manufacturer, and version number.
                                              - Type of operating system
                                              - Screen colors (color processing ability of the users screen)
                                              - JavaScript support
                                              - Flash version
                                              - Screen resolution
                                              - Network location and IP address                                                         - Can include country, city, state, region, county, or any other geographic data.
                                                - Hostname
                                                - Bandwidth (internet connection speed) 
                                              - Time of visit
                                              - Pages visited
                                              - Time spent on each page of the website
                                              - Referring site statistics                                                         - The website (URL) the user came through in order to arrive at this website (for example: clicking on a hyperlink from www.osti.gov that took the user to this website)
                                                - Search engine query used (example: typing in a phrase into a search engine like Google, and clicking on a link from that search engine) 

Google Analytics data is shared with Google.  For more information on Google's Privacy Policies, visit: https://www.google.com/privacy.html (link is external)

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) classifies the use of this type of technology as Tier 2 usage, since we are utilizing a multi-session web measurement technology that does not collect any personally identifiable information (PII).

The information collected by Google Analytics is used to optimize our website; helping us determine top tasks, improve our user interface and diversify our content offerings to meet the needs of our customers. No personally identifiable information is    collected, so the anonymity of the end user is protected.  The measurement data that is collected is retained for as long as is needed for proper analysis and optimization of the website and is accessible only to employees whose job function requires    it.

Users who do not wish to participate in these web measurement and tracking activities may visit  https://www.osti.gov/optout for step-by-step instructions of how to opt-out.  Google also provides a browser plug-in that will allow you    to opt-out of all Google Analytics measurements, which you can find at https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout (link is external).  Please note that opting-out in no way    affects your access to content within the site.

Users may choose to provide personal information containing comments or questions or to enable use of specialized site features.  This information is only used to provide service to the user or to respond to a user inquiry.

### Digital Analytics Program

We participate in the Digital Analytics Program (link is external), a government-wide analytics tool for federal agencies.  As part of this participation, this website uses Google Analytics Premium.  Please refer to the following policies on Google's website for more information:
                                              - Google's main privacy policy (link is external)
                                              - Cookies and Google Analytics on Websites (link is external)
                                              - Opt out of Google Analytics Cookies (link is external)

## Copyright

OSTI is committed and empowered to provide public access to DOE-sponsored scientific and technical information.  However, public access does not connote that the materials on this or other DOE websites are in the public domain.  When accessing OSTI websites, you may encounter documents, illustrations, photographs, or other information resources that are protected by U.S. or foreign copyright laws.  OSTI provides access to such content under the authority of the government's retained license to distribute publications and data resulting from federal funding.  Although you may legally access such works via OSTI, the copyright owners retain rights that govern the reproduction, redistribution, and re-use of copyrighted works.  You are solely responsible for complying with applicable copyright law restrictions, including seeking the permission of the copyright owners when your intended activities fall outside the limited uses provided for by fair use and other legal principles.

Many documents and other materials available via OSTI are marked with a copyright notice or other statement designed to inform the reader or user of applicable restrictions (or lack thereof).  For example, documents labeled "U.S. Government Work" or similar are not copyrightable under U.S. law, and therefore may be freely copied and redistributed.  Other works, such as journal articles or conference proceedings, clearly indicate the copyright holder, year copyrighted, and so forth.  Finally, some OSTI materials may lack an explicit copyright statement; if so, you should treat these works as if they are protected by copyright.  For more information on copyright law, please visit https://copyright.gov (link is external).

## Attribution

In an effort to respect each authors intellectual and creative contributions, please give acknowledgement when re-using or redistributing U.S. Government works and other public domain works available via OSTI.  For example, if you use images or other information that originated at OSTI, please credit us as the source.  If you use a report generated at a DOE lab, please acknowledge the lab, the authors, and the DOE funding program, as appropriate.

Some metadata content found on this site has been provided by OpenAIRE ScholeXplorer (link is external) under a CC-BY (link is external) license.

## Accessibility/Section 508

## Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act

The U.S. Department of Energy is committed to making its electronic and information technologies accessible to individuals with disabilities in accordance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. 794d), as amended in 1998 (link is external).  Send feedback or concerns related to the accessibility of this website to DOE Section 508 Coordinator mailbox.

For more information about Section 508, please visit the DOE Section 508 (link is external) website.

### Persons with Disabilities

This Website complies with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (link is external), which requires that individuals with disabilities who are members of the public or are Federal employees have access to and use of information and data comparable to that provided to the public at large, unless it is determined that such access would impose undue burden or compromise functionality of the Website.

### PDF or Other Image Based Documents

If you use assistive technology (such as a Braille reader, a screen reader, TTY, etc.) and the format of any material on this website interferes with your ability to access the information, please contact the designated contact individual listed on the "Contact Us" or "Feedback" page.

## Website Security

This website is part of a Federal computer system used to accomplish Federal functions.  The Department of Energy uses software programs to monitor this website for security purposes to ensure it remains available to all users and to protect information in the system.

By accessing this website, you are expressly consenting to these monitoring activities.  Unauthorized attempts to defeat or circumvent security features; to use the system for other than intended purposes; to deny service to authorized users; to access, obtain, alter, damage; or destroy information; or otherwise to interfere with the system or its operation are prohibited.

Evidence of such acts may be disclosed to law enforcement authorities and result in criminal prosecution under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986 and the National Information Infrastructure Protection Act of 1996, codified at section 1030 of Title 18 of the United States Code, or other applicable criminal laws.

## Vulnerability Disclosure Policy

The DOE OSTI Vulnerability Disclosure Policy is intended to give security researchers clear guidelines for conducting vulnerability discovery activities directed at DOE OSTI web properties, and submitting discovered vulnerabilities to OSTI.  Find more information about the policy here.

## Linking to OSTI Websites

Links may be made to the OSTI website from other personal and organizational websites as long as OSTI endorsement or approval is not implied. We request that you link to the OSTI site rather than downloading portions of it to another web server, so that our viewers will see our most up-to-date information. OSTI product logos may be used on your site to link to OSTI products.

## Linking to Outside Websites

OSTI's websites include links to a variety of websites and other content hosted or maintained by third parties. These links are provided for convenience's sake, and do not constitute any endorsement or recommendation of the third parties, their websites, or their view or opinions. Further, OSTI and DOE accept no liability for any linked sites or their content, and make no warranty as to the quality, safety, suitability, or reliability of linked sites. In short, you click on these links at your own risk.

## Freedom of Information

With changing pandemic and telework conditions for employees, requests sent by regular mail, or requests sent by facsimile, may take longer to process. We ask that requesters submit FOIA requests electronically through the Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information National FOIA.gov (link is external) website. Once on the website please click the "Start FOIA Request" button to begin your request.

Most publicly-releasable information is already available through OSTI web products. If you do not find information you are seeking through OSTI web products, it may not yet be in a digitized format or it may not be in OSTI's collection. You may request that documents be digitized by contacting the comments@osti.gov, and we will respond promptly during regular business hours. You also have the option of filing a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.

OSTI Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

## Information Quality

For details about the Information Quality Act, see the Department of Energy Information Quality Guidelines (link is external).

## No Fear Act

As appropriate, this website provides information in compliance with the "No Fear" Act (link is external).  You may review Government-wide data pertaining to the "No Fear" Act (link is external).

Federal Law requires an employer to post a notice describing the laws prohibiting job discrimination based on protected legal classes. To view a summary of these laws, please read the "Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal (link is external)" information provided by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

For current U.S. Department of Energy information regarding minority programs, civil rights, equal employment opportunity, as well as diversity and inclusion messages from the Secretary of Energy and DOE leadership, please visit the Office of Economic Impact and Diversity (link is external) website.

## Regulations

Regulations.gov (link is external) is an online resource for all regulations (or rulemakings) issued by U.S. government agencies.  On this site, the following can be found:

All Federal regulations that are open for public comment (i.e., proposed rules) and closed for comment (i.e., final rules) as published in the Federal Register (link is external).

Many Federal agency notices published in the Federal Register.

Additional supporting materials, public comments, and Federal agency guidance and adjudications.

## USA.gov

USA.gov (link is external) is an interagency initiative administered by the U.S. General Services Administration (link is external).  The site provides official information and services from the U.S. government.

Find information about the laws, policies, schedules, and other guidance relevant to the management of DOE-funded R&D results here.