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OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
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8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
of Technology Assessment (OTA) asprocess for selecting possible projectsOTA was created in 1972 to pro
tions of the broad range of impacts osociety. Those impacts include the beical, biological, economic, social, abring a long-term global and comprehprovide Congress with independassessments.
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
Does the assessment involIs there congressional inte
Does the technology impquality of life?Would the assessment proCan OTA do the assessme
All members of the Board awere involved in the priority-setnearly all congressional committeof the Board and the Advisory list, unanimous support was recei
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
Problem. Freshwater is a vital renthe Nation’s overall freshwater supplycauses serious problems. Some areas gettoo little.
Arid regions often resort to such daplies from aquifers faster than they canately, the legal and economic web that regdry areas—often does not encourage the mvidual States regulate water with an eye t
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
Carryover grain stocks primarily indays’ worth of global consumption.to hold out of production 50 millireserve stocks had declined to merkeep land idle had ceased. Although risen, the planet had moved from anfood scarcity.
Although improved weather conthere is still serious concern that the
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
Problem. Major factors that determbiology, and health services. Heal
and chronic diseases and injuries, our mcare costs and the absence of commenshave heightened interest in health promogies. Congress has been asked to fund a trol of environmental contaminants to hethe widespread impacts of adopting thesehealth care system, and society at largeis unable to fully address many health-re
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
im p r o v ed th e q u a l i t y o f h u m ang r o w t h i n h u m a n n u m b e r s t h a tand increased l i fe expectancy . h a d r e a c h e d a p p r o x i m a t e l y 2 5 0d o u b l e , h a s n o w r e a c h e d 4 b i l lyears . A growth ra te o f th is mglobal b iosphere and fo r in ternless developed countr ies wi th thr a p i d p o p u l a t i o n i n c r e a s e a r e pgoals a re jeopard ized by the ne
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
Problem. There is increasing reasduct iv i ty of American lands—croplandests—are undergoing or are facing seproductivity trends are reversed, i t i swill be unable to meet its own agricutury. Further, environmental deterioratioeffor ts in ass is t ing developing countr ipopulations’ basic human needs. The cplied and noncoordinated technologies of our land. Farmers, bowing to econo
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
Problem. Inflation, lagging pof the most critical socioeconomic Each of these problems has roots itechnology.
For example: although the massble to improve labor productivity, itransportation were used less. Furrise to increased reliance on petrolesources of petroleum. The recent pbeen a significant factor in our curr
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
Problem. As many as 1 billion inlive in abject poverty, their most fundclothing—unmet. Traditional foreign asscountries have measured progress by agnational product (GNP). However, it hasof these programs and the rise in GNP inomic plight of vast numbers of peopworsened. The “basic human needs” (BHopment strategy that concentrates resoustandard of living essential to life and dig
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
might be used to monitor compliantechnologies, by making the undetecand/ or by permitting dissemination compliance, would expand the rangemeasures, and would perhaps permagreements. The study would reviewdetermine the most appropriate natiolizing the equipment, assess the kindssible through the use of such equipmresearch in the area. The strategies w
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
“computer on a chip’ ’—has been heraldedtion of the printing press. This technologyability to organize and use information, and inexpensively incorporate “intelligenproducts and devices used by man.
Yesterday’s trip to the moon depenkitchen ranges and washing machines wilplications for the microprocessor abound.puter industry, the microprocessor is ce
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
of activities in the U.S. space prograsince the Nation placed its first satethe subject of vigorous debate condecision to pursue project Apollo fresources on the specific goal of machieve this goal deferred developpolicy for nearly two decades.
With the successful use of neaspace are expanding rapidly—beginn
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
Problem. In the past, resource growth, but new studies indicate that futly related to rates of urbanization and are at least double the rate of populatiothe future, escalating demands will besatisfy a growing, urban, middle class. this expected growth in materials and en
There are many approaches to maidentified in an earlier OTA assessment,
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
technology likely to be developed dsystematic review of their potential imon the security of the United States andcould give early warning about technoThe project would not examine items ring during the next 5 years.
OTA Role. Suggestions for systsolicited from the Department of Defabout future military equipment. The
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
Problem. The movement of goopipeline is a major element in the U.S. e‘GNP resulted from the movement of gthan 13 percent of the sales dollar fpolicy concerning the current goods mocant transition, as is the development anis anticipated that Congress will be concurrent rail and truck regulation. The legislation in both of these areas.
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
Problem. In the winter of 1976-77fering un der record low tem peratu res end a severe drought. This destructivetemporary change in normal world wthat within decades we will be ablepossibly a year in advance. The impconsiderable. Consider, for exampleknew what weather they would face a
At the present time there is no cnique There is general agreement tho
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
Problem. In September of 1979, of the International Telecommunicationcerned with the international use of thethe World Administrative Radio ConferInternat ional Radio Regulat ions whithroughout the world. This Conference, consider all uses of the spectrum, will sthe spectrum for the rest of this centuryof national and international telecomm
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
Problem. The number of oldeyears, the proportion of the total popupercent to more than 10 percent. Curby the year 2030 almost 20 percent of
Technological breakthroughs in thcrease American life expectancy thrdevelopment of alternative technologietend lifespan itself. Because these tecrates among the middle-aged and the total population could rise even more
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
Problem. Currently the United Staon research into controlled fusion, with treactor by 2005. Although the potentiaconcerning cost, feasibility, and impacts thorough assessment of just what the wosion R&D. The purpose of this assessmenand the implications of a fusion economy
Controlled fusion is a nuclear reac joined in a way that permits capture anproduce useful power, most probably el
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
Problem. Mental health and mhealth issue in th e United States. Mencent of the pop ulation; yet only 2% pmental health care costs $17 billionpercent of the total cost of health caretional product.
Physical, psychosocial, and sociahealth care needs, thereby improving Demands for such technologies wilreasons: an increase in elderly perso
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
disappointment has been the idea thaelementary, secondary, and higher eduis also seen as a means of outreach to pneeds and to enhance the quality of lifesuccesses and failures in this area and athe employment of technology are paperience should be brought to bear ocable, microwave, communications satapes, discs, and many other new devel
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
approximately 400 percent since 1950. care dollar is currently spent on drbillion prescriptions every year at an ethe average, each outpatient physiciantions. The elderly acquire nearly threeas do younger individuals.
Used judiciously, many prescripment that helps people overcome or tunately, as much as 25 percent of p
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
Problem. Forests are dynamic sying capacity of the global environmenrenewable sources of energy and mathrough photosynthesis and ensuringwater by filtering degradable wastes, sprotecting against erosion and floodingapparently enduring, forests are in fact100 years for a tree to grow to maturitfect the availability of forest resources in
Forests cover nearly one-third of th
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
people, and more than one quarter ofLacking a decent diet and clean wateeasy prey to a whole host of infectioutremely high; the health status of adulin the Third World exacerbates the pvironments, mortality, and morbidity
People are one of the Third WorTo improve the health of those peopleand sustainable economic developmethat World.
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
Problem. The agriculture induStates. Agricultural products are one in times of crop failure elsewhere in tto produce more food than we need htion and survival for millions of peogreat success stories of American tecRevolution, which has spurred such esome areas of the developing world. largely brought the Green Revolution per-acre of American agriculture has,
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
shore fields—about double the seabedthere is increasing interest in the unmanganese nodules.
Undersea petroleum drilling is record water depth for drilling reacheof advanced platform positioning, swater, and other newly designed eqbeen extended to almost 3,500 feet.
B th t l i d t
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
The transition from oil adirect solar energy over the next several crease in energy costs. This in turn wildustry to hold down those costs. Optionlabor for energy to installations of entirethe coming energy forms efficiently.
Industry is the largest single sector 40 percent of the Nation’s energy suppunderway in industry to increase energThese efforts however concentrate on ex
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
Problem. As a result of the withe cost of housing, substantial segmbuy a home. A substantial body of rthat only a major shift toward capital-housing back to levels middle-incomtechnological innovations could have tion patterns, finance costs, and opemany contend that the regulation of tcapricious, and voluminous building c
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
Problem. Nobody really knows hperts think current volumes of pollution disagree, claiming that the seas are robuamounts of discharge. Given proper hareasonable repository for some types ofwhich wastes the ocean could accommoleast destructive disposal methods should
Waste reaches the sea in many wayscompanies barge material out into the Avia long outfall pipes The ocean receiv
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
changes in national policy toward troles for technology to play in implem
Understanding of the origins of hincreasing. Improved standards of pproblems whose scope we were unawcent of school children are handicappof the U.S. population are severelyaverage lifespan, the impairments of Developments in medicine, health,
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
During 1978, considerable congressioprehensive study of the Nation’s energyviding a comprehensive picture of supplythe future and their effects on society, OTA is also analyzing various transitionon dwindling fossil fuels to a system fue
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
the imp acts of the anticipated grow thtain. In this stud y, OTA is seeking a brwhat role it could p lay in the future
examining how coal production cancrease; and how negative impacts cahave on production. Specifically, thpresent and future mining, combusti(2) labor issues such as miner healttions; (3) factors affecting coal proenvironmental and transportation recombustion (air, water, and land); an
Solar Power Satellites
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
areas elsewhere in the world. Becausemonths, OTA is pulling together existinoriginal research, but the study will be utire range of effects—direct and indirectlong term—rather than confining itself toto rapid quantitative treatment.
Nuclear war is not a comfortable supossible lies at the foundation of U.S. study will not pretend to predict what anrather it will give a sense of what kindsand of the nature of the uncertainties whsuch a war. A careful explanation of thereasons why many of them cannot be re
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
separately: integrated carbon steelmakin(includ ing “min i -mi l ls ” ), and a l loy / spresents unique opportunities and proble
The study is examining ways in whonstrations of new steelmaking techniquStates and by our major competitors. Itbarriers to the introduction of new techFederal programs and regulations (inclucontrols, and health and safety regulationrange of possible legislative solutions to and their impact assessed.
MATERIALS
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
This study examines the potenrecycling resources from municipal sand analyze both the policy optionsimpacts of implementing such optionCommerce and the House Committeement considers: (1) markets for suchrous metals, glass, and energy; (2) srecovery; (3) the economic and techities for recovering resources; (4) ecfor recovered resources; (5) the effectof recovered goods; and (6) mandato
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
Opportunities and Vulnerabilities of Imported Nonfuel Minerals
Requested by the House Committee
dorsed by other House and Senate comfuture availability of selected mineral impthe domestic and international economieof U.S. reliance on foreign sources of from dependence on imported minerals w
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
This report is also analyzing thevaccine as a preventive health measu
Further, this report is identifyingcines, such as consumer awarenessavailability and cost, incentives toresulting from vaccination, and GovAll of these factors need to be codesigning programs, either to prevent
Computer Technology and the Q
Physician training involves theplication of that knowledge in the cai t t h l i i ht b
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
health and promote growth, this developmtechnological revolution in the productiessential components of that revolutionmechanization, and improved nutrition an
There has been a growing concern abiotics in feed has on the development recognition that some of these drugs caus
At the request of the Senate CommForestry, OTA is assessing the risks, reacontinued use of these drugs. Also being the economic contributions and impact odrugs. The effect on food prices of bannin
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
gies to manage pests. The third objand impact of U.S. advances in pestin developing countries.
Environmental Contaminants inIn the past decade, various food
toxic substances in the environmentnated livestock feed and products inof Virginia contaminated fish andtamination has led to actual or potsevere economic setbacks to the fcontaminated.
R d b h H C
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
These “other” renewable ocean currents, waves, and salinity gradien
OTA is comm issioning stud iesto pinpoint the status of the rese
already and in place in France, whean electricity-generating plant.
Disposal of Nuclear Waste
Although we are more than thrgrowing volume of high-level wastplant operations is almost all still inof this radioactive waste is essential pose a threat to human life for over 1
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
enhancing beneficial impacts and mifor local development.
Technological Innovation and He
Environmental Regulation
Regulatory policies to minimize safety, and the environment have becThe purpose of this project is to evregard to their effectiveness and effiction of technological change are comvironmental goals and with the goal ing this objective requires understantegrated with technical market and
46
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
The civil aviation industry in the Uworld aircraft market for the past 40 yearsbase provided by NASA and DOD R&D,
technological development. This superiorisortiums in Western Europe, backed by thvelopments such as the A-300 Airbus.
Potential new developments in aviatto continue its contribution to the Nation’tion of the extent of Federal support of where long-term and high-risk R&D proje
Requested by the House Committee
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
natural hazards and their social, ecsequences. Staff studies and worktrends, and offered some policy owork based on the lifecycle of a natu
A five-volume preliminary analinclude:
q
q
q
q
Confronting Nature: A PreRelated to Natural HazardsIssues and Options in Flood Cr i ter ia for Evaluat ing thEmergency Preparedness andCriteria for Evaluating the Imquake Hazards Reduction Act
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
more adequate expression of human impadelineating approaches such as social acU.N. and the OECD have also initiated simsolute necessity of measures other than ement in the Third World. To date, howevshould be measured and how, and 2) the the indicators can be presented in a useful
The overall goal of this project is to of life concept to technology policymaking
q An analysis of current efforts by the private sector to develop variosocial accounting
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress
Application of Solar Technology to ToA Technology Assessment of Coal SluEnhanced Oli Recovery Potential in thGas Potential From Devonian Shales oAnalysis of the Proposed National EneNuclear Proliferation and SafeguardsA Review of the U.S. Environmental P
Research Outlook—1976=80Comparative Analysis of the 1976 ERDAn Analysis of the ERDA Plan and ProgAn Analysis identifying issues in the F
8/14/2019 OTA Priorities 1979, With Brief Descriptions of Priorities and of Assessments in Progress