[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 167 (Tuesday, August 27, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 44001-44002]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-21785]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

10 CFR Part 430

RIN 1904-AA83


Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of 
Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy today gives notice that copies of the 
draft ``Product Data Sheets for Standards Rulemakings Priority 
Setting'' are available for comment. The draft data sheets provide the 
priority level and rationale, schedule, and pertinent information on 
the products covered by the Office of Codes and Standards (OCS). 
Comments will be used to set the priority and schedule for the 
appliance standards program, which will be published in the 
Administration's Regulatory Agenda. The priorities will help OCS 
allocate resources to meet its mission.

DATES: Written comments in response to this notice must be received by 
September 9, 1996.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the data sheets entitled ``Product Data Sheets for 
Standards Rulemakings Priority Setting'' may be obtained from: U.S. 
Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 
Forrestal Building, EE-43, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, 
DC 20585, (202) 586-7574. This document may be read at the DOE Freedom 
of Information Reading Room, U.S. DOE, Forrestal Building, Room 1E-190, 
1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-6020, 
between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays.
    Written comments, 10 copies, are to be submitted to: U.S. 
Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 
``Product Data Sheets for Standards Rulemakings Priority Setting,'' 
Forrestal Building, EE-43, Room 1J-018, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20585.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Sandy Beall, Office of Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy, Mail 
Station EE-43, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-
0121, (202) 586-7574.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Energy's appliance 
standards program is conducted pursuant to Title III, Part B of the 
Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as amended (EPCA). 42 U.S.C. 
Secs. 6291-6309. In 1987, EPCA was amended to establish by law national 
efficiency standards for certain appliances and a schedule for DOE to 
conduct rulemakings to periodically review and update these standards. 
National Appliance Energy Conservation Act, Pub. L. 100-12 (1987). The 
products covered by these standards included refrigerators and 
freezers, room air conditioners, central air conditioners and heat 
pumps, water heaters, furnaces, dishwashers, clothes washers and 
dryers, direct heating equipment, ranges and ovens, and pool heaters. 
In 1988, EPCA was amended to include fluorescent lamp ballasts. 
National Appliance Energy Conservation Act Amendments of 1988, Pub. L. 
100-357 (1988). In conducting the rulemakings to update the standards, 
the Secretary of Energy is to set standards at levels that achieve the 
maximum improvement in energy efficiency that is technologically 
feasible and economically justified.

[[Page 44002]]

    The Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPACT) further amended EPCA to 
expand the coverage of the standards program to include certain 
commercial and industrial equipment, including commercial heating and 
air-conditioning equipment, water heaters, certain incandescent and 
fluorescent lamps, distribution transformers, and electric motors. 
Energy Policy Act of 1992, Pub. L. 102-486 (1992). EPACT also 
established maximum water flow-rate requirements for certain plumbing 
products and provided for voluntary testing and consumer information 
programs for office equipment, luminaires, and windows.
    EPCA also provides for DOE to establish test procedures to be used 
in determining compliance with efficiency standards. These test 
procedures are revised periodically to reflect new product designs or 
technologies.
    As prescribed by EPCA, energy efficiency standards are established 
by a three-phase public process: Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking 
(ANOPR), Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR), and Final Rule. The 
process to develop test procedures is similar, except that an Advance 
Notice is not required.
    On July 15, 1996, the Department published a final rule that 
outlines the procedures, and policies that will guide DOE as it works 
with stakeholders to establish new or revised energy efficiency 
standards for consumer products. The new process provides for greater 
public input, improved analytical approaches and encourages consensus-
based standards that streamline the regulatory process and reduce the 
time and cost of developing standards. A key element of the new process 
is the involvement of stakeholders in the priority setting of the 
products to increase the predictability of the rulemaking timetable.
    A workshop was held on June 14, 1996, to discuss the criteria to be 
used in planning and prioritizing future rules, and review of the draft 
product data sheets to be used to develop a priority ranking for the 
products. To assist in the development of the priorities, DOE developed 
data sheets for each product. Once DOE has received input from 
stakeholders, the priorities and schedule for the appliance standards 
program will be determined. The schedule will then be published in the 
Administration's Regulatory Agenda in October 1996.
    Based on the comments from the workshop and written comments 
received, DOE has revised the draft product data sheets and is making 
available a copy of said sheets for standards rulemakings priority 
setting. DOE will use the revised data sheets to determine the priority 
of various rulemakings in the next year. These revised sheets provide a 
priority, schedule and rationale for each product. The Department would 
like your further input on the priorities before preparing the 
Administration's Regulatory Agenda. The Regulatory Agenda will provide 
stakeholders with the actions and a schedule for those actions that DOE 
plans to accomplish in the next year.
    The priority levels will provide DOE with guidance on which 
products to focus and allocate resources towards. For the high priority 
products, DOE plans to pursue actively (meetings and workshops) and 
publish notices (Determinations, Advance Notices of Proposed Rules, 
Notices of Proposed Rules and/or Final Rules) in the next year. For the 
medium priority products, DOE plans to initiate work in support of 
rulemakings in the next year, for example, conducting a screening 
workshop for a standards rulemakings. For the low priority products, 
DOE does not plan to actively pursue rulemakings in the next two years. 
Work would be limited to basic technology investigation and monitoring 
of voluntary programs.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on August 21, 1996.
Joseph Romm,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable 
Energy.
[FR Doc. 96-21785 Filed 8-26-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P