[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 78 (Wednesday, April 23, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 19701-19702]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-10495]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
10 CFR Part 490
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
[Docket No. EE-RM-96-200]
Alternative Fueled Vehicle Acquisition Requirements for Private
and Local Government Fleets
AGENCY: Department of Energy (DOE)
ACTION: Notice of termination of proposed rule.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) will not promulgate regulations
to implement alternative fueled vehicle (AFV) acquisition requirements
for certain private and local government fleets according to the early
schedule of section 507(a)(1) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPACT).
ADDRESSES: The docket file material has been filed under ``EE-RM-96-
200.''
[[Page 19702]]
This docket will remain open indefinitely. Copies of the transcripts of
the public hearings, written comments, technical reference materials
mentioned in the Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, and any other
docket material received may be read and copied at the DOE Freedom of
Information Reading Room, U.S. Department of Energy, Room 1E-190, 1000
Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20585, telephone (202) 586-
6020 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday
except Federal holidays. For further information on this rulemaking you
should contact Ken Katz at 202-586-6116.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth Katz, 202-586-6116.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPACT authorizes DOE to pursue a rulemaking
concerning alternative fueled vehicle acquisition requirements for
private and local government fleets on two distinct schedules. First,
section 507(b) provides for an early rulemaking concerning such
requirement which must be completed by December 15, 1996. As part of
that rulemaking, section 507(a)(3) of EPACT, Pub. L. 102-486, requires
DOE to publish an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANOPR) to
begin a rulemaking to determine whether alternative fueled vehicle
(AFV) acquisition requirements for private and local government fleets
are necessary to achieve EPACT's energy security and other goals. If no
rule is promulgated by December 15, 1996, then section 507(b)(3), (c),
and (e) requires a later rulemaking (beginning no later than April
1998) to determine by January 1, 2000, whether vehicle acquisition
requirements are ``necessary'' in light of then current circumstances.
42 U.S.C. 13256(b)(3), (c) and (e). EPACT provides that if a final rule
to implement an early mandate is not promulgated by December 15, 1996,
DOE must proceed to the later rulemaking. 42 U.S.C. 13256(b).
DOE published an ANOPR for the purposes described in section 507(a)
and (b) on August 7, 1996. 61 FR 41032. This notice was intended to
stimulate comments to assist DOE in making decisions concerning future
rulemaking actions and non-regulatory initiatives to promote
alternative fuels and alternative fueled vehicles. Three hearings were
held to receive oral comments on the ANOPR on September 17, 1996, in
Dallas, Texas; on September 25, 1996, in Sacramento, California; and on
October 9, 1996, in Washington, D.C. A total of 70 persons spoke at the
three hearings and 105 written comments were received by November 5,
1996.
Based on the comments received, DOE intends to continue to
investigate the full array of measures that could be available and
effective to help meet the EPACT goals, focussing on incentives and
voluntary measures, as suggested by a great majority of commenters. A
number of commenters urged DOE to convene a forum for bringing together
all stakeholders of AFV programs with the aim of reaching a consensus
on desirable measures and strategies for achieving substantial use of
replacement fuels and AFVs. DOE intends to fully explore the
possibilities for convening such a process in the near future.
DOE will not implement private and local government fleet AFV
acquisition requirements under the early schedule of section 507(a).
Consistent with the above-described statutory limitations on early
rulemaking under section 507 (a), DOE is terminating this rulemaking
without prejudice to initiating the later rulemaking authorized by
section 507 (e) and (g).
Issued in Washington, DC, on April 11, 1997.
Christine A. Ervin,
Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. 97-10495 Filed 4-22-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P