[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 215 (Tuesday, November 5, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 56918-56919]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-28369]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

10 CFR Part 430

[Docket No. EE-RM-94-403]
RIN 1904-AA67


Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Review of 
Draft Reports and Public Workshop on Clothes Washer Standards

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

ACTION: Notice of Availability and Public Workshop.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (the Department or DOE) today gives 
notice that copies of the ``Draft Report on Design Options for Clothes 
Washers'' and ``Draft Report on the Preliminary Engineering Analysis 
for Clothes Washers'' are available. In addition, the Department of 
Energy will hold a public workshop to discuss the above mentioned 
reports, comments received on the reports, the peer review of the 
reports, and other relevant topics pertaining to standards for clothes 
washers. All persons are hereby given notice of the opportunity to 
attend and participate in the public workshop.

DATES: The public workshop will be held on Friday, November 15, 1996, 
from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the reports entitled ``Draft Report on Design 
Options for Clothes Washers'' and ``Draft Report on the Preliminary 
Engineering Analysis for Clothes Washers'' 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. These documents 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.
    The workshop will be held at the U.S. Department of Energy, Room 
1E-245, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. Bryan Berringer, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Forrestal Building, Mail Station EE-
43, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121, (202) 586-
0371
Mr. P. Marc LaFrance, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Forrestal Building, Mail Station EE-
43, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121, (202) 586-
8423
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 has initiated an 
extensive standards rulemaking process improvement effort which 
includes priority setting for various products. The Department has 
determined that the clothes washers standards rulemaking be assigned a 
``High Priority'' based on potential energy savings being large. 
Therefore, the Department is initiating the first step of the new 
process, which is to consider design options for efficiency 
improvements, in developing clothes washer standards. The procedures of 
the new process can be found in the July 15, 1996, Federal Register 
notice (61 FR 36973) which outlines the planning and prioritization 
process, data collection and analysis, and decision making criteria.
    The Department has recently drafted the following documents: 
``Draft Report on Design Options for Clothes Washers'' and ``Draft 
Report on the Preliminary Engineering Analysis for Clothes Washers.'' 
The design options report identifies product classes and narrows the 
range of design options being considered in the development of 
standards. The Department is providing the preliminary engineering 
analysis primarily for information purposes, because the Department had 
previously received extensive data on manufacturer costs, energy and 
water use from the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, and was 
able to do a preliminary analysis based largely on this data. The 
engineering analysis, selection of candidate standard levels, and draft 
consumer/forecasting (energy and water) analyses will be completed 
before the Department publishes a Supplemental Advance Notice of

[[Page 56919]]

Proposed Rulemaking (ANOPR) for clothes washers planned for April 1997.
    The Department seeks information from interested parties relative 
to the validity of the design option report, and on how to conduct and 
complete the engineering analysis. These reports are currently being 
peer reviewed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Arthur D. Little, 
Inc. There will be an opportunity to suggest other parties to perform 
peer review at the workshop.
    The Department sent a letter on October 15, 1996, to all interested 
parties that have participated in past clothes washer rulemakings, 
announcing the workshop and providing the above mentioned draft reports 
for comment by November 8, 1996.
    A workshop for clothes washer standards, primarily to discuss the 
screening of design options, will be held on Friday, November 15, 1996, 
at the U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, 
Washington, DC. 20585-0121 in room 1E-245 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 
Discussion will cover the draft reports, comments received on the 
reports, the peer review of the reports, and other relevant topics 
pertaining to the standards.
    The preliminary draft agenda for the workshop is as follows:

Preliminary Draft Agenda

Opening Remarks, Introductions, Agenda Review
Overview of Clothes Washer Rulemaking Schedule
Discussion on Design Options
Discussion on Preliminary Engineering Analysis
Discussion on How to Improve Future Workshops
Closing--Next Steps

    After completion of the workshop, the Department will review all of 
the findings and other recommendations. The Department will use this 
information to develop the final engineering analysis report for review 
by interested parties. The workshop will be professionally facilitated.
    Copies of any comments and this notice are available in the DOE 
Freedom of Information Reading Room. A copy of the workshop transcript 
will be available in the DOE public reading room approximately ten days 
after the workshop.
    There will also be an opportunity to submit written comments after 
the workshop. Please notify Bryan Berringer at the above listed address 
of your intention to attend the workshop, if you wish to submit written 
comments, or if you wish to be added to the DOE mailing list for 
receipt of future notices and information concerning clothes washer 
matters relating to energy efficiency.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on October 30, 1996.
Christine A. Ervin,
Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. 96-28369 Filed 11-4-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P