[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 231 (Wednesday, December 2, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 66428-66431]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-32079]


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FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION

16 CFR Part 305


Rule Concerning Disclosures Regarding Energy Consumption and 
Water Use of Certain Home Appliances and Other Products Required Under 
the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (``Appliance Labeling Rule'')

AGENCY: Federal Trade Commission.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Trade Commission (``Commission'') amends its 
Appliance Labeling Rule by publishing new ranges of comparability to be 
used on required labels for refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and 
freezers. The Commission also announces that the ranges of 
comparability for central air conditioners and heat pumps, which were 
published on September 16, 1996 (61 FR 48620), will remain in effect 
until further notice. Finally, the Commission is amending the portions 
of Appendices H (Cooling Performance and Cost for Central Air 
Conditioners) and I (Heating Performance and Cost for

[[Page 66429]]

Central Air Conditioners) to Part 305 that contain cost calculation 
formulas. These amendments change the figures in the formulas to 
reflect the current Representative Average Unit Cost of Electricity 
that was published on December 8, 1997 (62 FR 64574), by the Department 
of Energy (``DOE'').

EFFECTIVE DATE: March 2, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
James Mills, Attorney, Division of Enforcement, Federal Trade 
Commission, Washington, DC 20580 (202-326-3035).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Appliance Labeling Rule (``Rule'') was 
issued by the Commission in 1979 (44 FR 66466 (Nov. 19, 1979)) in 
response to a directive in the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 
1975.\1\ The Rule covers eight categories of major household 
appliances: refrigerators and refrigerator-freezers, freezers, 
dishwashers, clothes washers, water heaters (this category includes 
storage-type water heaters, instantaneous water heaters, and heat pump 
water heaters), room air conditioners, furnaces (this category includes 
boilers), and central air conditioners (this category includes heat 
pumps). The Rule also covers pool heaters (59 FR 49556 (Sept. 28, 
1994)), and contains requirements that pertain to fluorescent lamp 
ballasts (54 FR 28031 (July 5, 1989)), certain plumbing products (58 FR 
54955 (Oct. 25, 1993)), and certain lighting products (59 FR 25176 (May 
13, 1994)).
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    \1\ 42 U.S.C. 6294. The statute also requires DOE to develop 
test procedures that measure how much energy the appliances use, and 
to determine the representative average cost a consumer pays for the 
different types of energy available.
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    The Rule requires manufacturers of all covered appliances and pool 
heaters to disclose specific energy consumption or efficiency 
information (derived from the DOE test procedures) at the point of sale 
in the form of an ``EnergyGuide'' label and in catalogs. It also 
requires manufacturers of furnaces, central air conditioners, and heat 
pumps either to provide fact sheets showing additional cost 
information, or to be listed in an industry directory showing the cost 
information for their products. The Rule requires that manufacturers 
include, on labels and fact sheets, an energy consumption or efficiency 
figure and a ``range of comparability.'' This range shows the highest 
and lowest energy consumption or efficiencies for all comparable 
appliance models so consumers can compare the energy consumption or 
efficiency of other models (perhaps competing brands) similar to the 
labeled model. The Rule requires that manufacturers also include, on 
labels for some products, a secondary energy usage disclosure in the 
form of an estimated annual operating cost on a specified DOE national 
average cost for the fuel the appliance uses.
    Section 305.8(b) of the Rule requires manufacturers, after filing 
an initial report, to report annually (by specified dates for each 
product type \2\) the estimated annual energy consumption or energy 
efficiency ratings for the appliances derived from tests performed 
pursuant to the DOE test procedures. Because manufacturers regularly 
add new models to their lines, improve existing models, and drop 
others, the data base from which the ranges of comparability are 
calculated is constantly changing. Under Section 305.10 of the Rule, to 
keep the required information on labels consistent with these changes, 
the Commission publishes new ranges (but not more often than annually) 
if an analysis of the new information indicates that the upper or lower 
limits of the ranges have changed by more than 15%. Otherwise, the 
Commission publishes a statement that the prior ranges remain in effect 
for the next year.
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    \2\ Reports for refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and 
freezers are due August 1. Reports for central air conditioners and 
heat pumps are due July 1.
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New Ranges of Comparability for Refrigerators, Refrigerator-
Freezers, and Freezers

    The Commission has analyzed annual submissions of data for 
refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers. The submissions 
have resulted in new ranges of comparability figures for these 
products. In compiling these ranges of comparability, the Commission 
did not include the estimated annual energy consumption of models with 
energy consumption in excess of DOE's current energy conservation 
standards for this category, which became effective on January 1, 1993 
(16 CFR 430.32(a) (1995)). After that date, became illegal to 
distribute in commerce products that exceed those standards. Because 
the standards have been in place for almost six years, the number of 
legally produced, but nonconforming, products still in the marketplace 
is likely to be small. Therefore, it is not appropriate to include 
those products in the ranges. The new ranges will supersede the current 
ranges for refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers, which 
were published on November 13, 1995 (60 FR 56945).

Changes Applicable to Disclosures for Central Air Conditioners and 
Heat Pumps

    The 1995 data submission for central air conditioners and heat 
pumps has been completed, and the Commission has determined that the 
upper and lower limits of the ranges of comparability for these 
products, which were published on September 16, 1996 (61 FR 48620), 
have not changed by more than 15%. Therefore, the Commission is 
announcing that those ranges will remain in effect until further 
notice.
    The Commission is amending in this Notice, however, the cost 
calculation formulas appearing in the Appendices (H and I) to Part 305 
that contain, for central air conditioners and heat pumps, heating and 
cooling performance costs and the ranges of comparability. These 
formulas must be provided on fact sheets and in directories so 
consumers can calculate their own costs of operation for the central 
air conditioners and heat pumps that they are considering purchasing. 
This amendment changes the figures in the formulas to reflect the 
current Representative Average Unit Cost of Electricity--8.42 cents per 
kilo watt-hour--that was published on December 8, 1997, by DOE (62 FR 
64574) and by the Commissioner on December 29, 1997 (62 FR 67560).

Amendments

    In consideration of the foregoing, the Commission amends Appendices 
A1 through A8, B1 through B3, H, and I of its Appliance Labeling Rule 
by publishing the following ranges of comparability for use in the 
labeling and catalog sales of refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and 
freezers and the following amendments to the cost calculation formulas 
that manufacturers of central air conditioners and heat pumps must 
include on fact sheets and in directories, beginning March 2, 1999.

List of Subjects in 16 CFR Part 305

    Advertising, Energy conservation, Household appliances, Labeling, 
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    Accordingly, 16 CFR Part 305 is amended as follows:

PART 305--[AMENDED]

    1. The authority citation for Part 305 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 6294.

    2. Appendix A1 to Part 305 is revised to read as follows:

[[Page 66430]]



      Appendix A1 to Part 305--Refrigerators With Automatic Defrost
                           [Range Information]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Range of
                                                        estimated annual
                                                             energy
   Manufacturer's rated total refrigerated volume in    consumption (kWh/
                      cubic feet                              yr.)
                                                       -----------------
                                                          Low      High
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Less than 2.5.........................................      327      327
2.5 to 4.4............................................      301      398
4.5 to 6.4............................................      370      434
6.5 to 8.4............................................      419      419
8.5 to 10.4...........................................      419      467
10.5 to 12.4..........................................      391      454
12.5 to 14.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
14.5 to 16.4..........................................      588      588
16.5 and over.........................................      438     668
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* No data submitted for units meeting Federal Energy Conservation
  Standards effective January 1, 1993.

    3. Appendix A2 to Part 305 is revised to read as follows:

  Appendix A2 to Part 305--Refrigerators and Refrigerator-Freezers With
                             Manual Defrost
                           [Range Information]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Range of
                                                        estimated annual
                                                             energy
   Manufacturer's rated total refrigerated volume in    consumption (kWh/
                      cubic feet                              yr.)
                                                       -----------------
                                                          Low      High
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Less than 2.5.........................................      256      307
2.5 to 4.4............................................      301      358
4.5 to 6.4............................................      268      377
6.5 to 8.4............................................      378      405
8.5 to 10.4...........................................      343      430
10.5 to 12.4..........................................      435      435
12.5 to 14.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
14.5 to 16.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
16.5 to 18.4..........................................      438      438
18.5 to 20.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
20.5 to 22.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
22.5 to 24.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
24.5 to 26.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
26.5 to 28.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
28.5 and over.........................................      (*)      (*)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* No data submitted for units meeting Federal Energy Conservation
  Standards effective January 1, 1993.

    4. Appendix A3 to Part 305 is revised to read as follows:

  Appendix A3 to Part 305--Refrigerator-Freezers With Partial Automatic
                                 Defrost
                           [Range Information]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Range of
                                                        estimated annual
                                                             energy
   Manufacturer's rated total refrigerated volume in    consumption 9kWh/
                      cubic feet                              yr.)
                                                       -----------------
                                                          Low      High
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Less than 10.5........................................      376      510
10.5 to 12.4..........................................      454      538
12.5 to 14.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
14.5 to 16.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
16.5 to 18.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
18.5 to 20.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
20.5 to 22.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
22.5 to 24.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
24.5 to 26.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
26.5 to 28.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
28.5 and over.........................................      (*)     (*)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* No data submitted for units meeting Federal Energy Conservation
  Standards effective January 1, 1993.

    5. Appendix A4 to Part 305 is revised to read as follows:

  Appendix A4 to Part 305--Refrigerator-Freezers With Automatic Defrost
      With Top-Mounted Freezer Without Through-the-Door Ice Service
                           [Range Information]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Range of
                                                        estimated annual
                                                             energy
   Manufacturer's rated total refrigerated volume in    consumption (kWh/
                      cubic feet                              yr.)
                                                       -----------------
                                                          Low      High
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Less than 10.5........................................      427      525
10.5 to 12.4..........................................      449      568
12.5 to 14.4..........................................      496      624
14.5 to 16.4..........................................      437      666
16.5 to 18.4..........................................      518      697
18.5 to 20.4..........................................      526      741
20.5 to 22.4..........................................      559      767
22.5 to 24.4..........................................      598      800
24.5 to 26.4..........................................      609      825
26.5 to 28.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
28.5 and over.........................................      (*)      (*)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*No data submitted for units meeting Federal Energy Conservation
  Standards effective January 1, 1993.

    6. Appendix A5 to Part 305 is revised to read as follows:

  Appendix A5 to Part 305--Refrigerator-Freezers With Automatic Defrost
     With Side-Mounted Freezer Without Through-the-Door Ice Service
                           [Range Information]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Range of
                                                        estimated annual
                                                             energy
   Manufacturer's rated total refrigerated volume in    consumption (kWh/
                      cubic feet                              yr.)
                                                       -----------------
                                                          Low      High
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Less than 10.5........................................      452      525
10.5 to 12.4..........................................      480      480
12.5 to 14.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
14.5 to 16.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
16.5 to 18.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
18.5 to 20.4..........................................      710      783
20.5 to 22.4..........................................      685      825
22.5 to 24.4..........................................      720      848
24.5 to 26.4..........................................      776      875
26.5 to 28.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
28.5 and over.........................................      911      950
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* No data submitted for units meeting Federal Energy Conservation
  Standards effective January 1, 1993.

    7. Appendix A6 to Part 305 is revised to read as follows:

  Appendix A6 to Part 305--Refrigerator-Freezers With Automatic Defrost
    With Bottom-Mounted Freezer Without Through-the-Door Ice Service
                           [Range Information]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Range of
                                                        estimated annual
                                                             energy
   Manufacturer's rated total refrigerated volume in    consumption (kWh/
                      cubic feet                              yr.)
                                                       -----------------
                                                          Low      High
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Less than 10.5........................................      463      463
10.5 to 12.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
12.5 to 14.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
14.5 to 16.4..........................................      666      666
16.5 to 18.4..........................................      706      709
18.5 to 20.4..........................................      593      757
20.5 to 22.4..........................................      524      789
22.5 to 24.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
24.5 to 26.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
26.5 to 28.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
28.5 and over.........................................      (*)     (*)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* No data submitted for units meeting Federal Energy Conservation
  Standards effective January 1, 1993.

    8. Appendix A7 to Part 305 is revised to read as follows:

[[Page 66431]]



  Appendix A7 to Part 305--Refrigerator-Freezers With Automatic Defrost
       With Top-Mounted Freezer With Through-the-Door Ice Service
                           [Range Information]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Range of
                                                        estimated annual
                                                             energy
   Manufacturer's rated total refrigerated volume in    consumption (kWh/
                      cubic feet                              yr.)
                                                       -----------------
                                                          Low      High
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Less than 10.5........................................      (*)      (*)
10.5 to 12.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
12.5 to 14.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
14.5 to 16.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
16.5 to 18.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
18.5 to 20.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
20.5 to 22.4..........................................      840      840
22.5 to 24.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
24.5 to 26.4..........................................      905      905
26.5 to 28.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
28.5 and over.........................................      (*)      (*)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* No data submitted for units meeting Federal Energy Conservation
  Standards effective January 1, 1993.

    9. Appendix A8 to Part 305 is revised to read as follows:

  Appendix A8 to Part 305--Refrigerator-Freezers With Automatic Defrost
       With Side-Mounted Freezer With Through-the-Door Ice Service
                           [Range Information]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Range of
                                                        estimated annual
                                                             energy
   Manufacturer's rated total refrigerated volume in    consumption (kWh/
                      cubic feet                              yr.)
                                                       -----------------
                                                          Low      High
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Less than 10.5........................................      (*)      (*)
10.5 to 12.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
12.5 to 14.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
14.5 to 16.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
16.5 to 18.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
18.5 to 20.4..........................................      734      934
20.5 to 22.4..........................................      714      967
22.5 to 24.4..........................................      685     1000
24.5 to 26.4..........................................      760     1042
26.5 to 28.4..........................................      735     1080
28.5 and over.........................................      765    1144
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* No data submitted for units meeting Federal Energy Conservation
  Standards effective January 1, 1993.

    10. Appendix B1 to Part 305 is revised to read as follows:

      Appendix B1 to Part 305--Upright Freezers With Manual Defrost
                           [Range Information]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Range of
                                                        estimated annual
                                                             energy
   Manufacturer's rated total refrigerated volume in    consumption (kWh/
                      cubic feet                              yr.)
                                                       -----------------
                                                          Low      High
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Less than 5.5.........................................      250      349
5.5 to 7.4............................................      (*)      (*)
7.5 to 9.4............................................      373      416
9.5 to 11.4...........................................      448      456
11.5 to 13.4..........................................      468      474
13.5 to 15.4..........................................      509      534
15.5 to 17.4..........................................      562      565
17.5 to 19.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
19.5 to 21.4..........................................      615      627
21.5 to 23.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
23.5 to 25.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
25.5 to 27.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
27.5 to 29.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
29.5 and over.........................................      685     685
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(*) No date submitted for units meeting Federal Energy Conservation
  Standards effective January 1, 1993.

    11. Appendix B2 To Part 305 is revised to read as follows:

    Appendix B2 to Part 305--Upright Freezers With Automatic Defrost
                           [Range Information]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Range of
                                                        estimated annual
                                                             energy
   Manufacturer's rated total refrigerated volume in    consumption (kWh/
                      cubic feet                              hr.)
                                                       -----------------
                                                          Low      High
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Less than 5.5.........................................      504      516
5.5 to 7.4............................................      (*)      (*)
7.5 to 9.4............................................      (*)      (*)
9.5 to 11.4...........................................      (*)      (*)
11.5 to 13.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
13.5 to 15.4..........................................      728      774
15.5 to 17.4..........................................      784      821
17.5 to 19.4..........................................      876      878
19.5 to 21.4..........................................      800      896
21.5 to 23.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
23.5 to 25.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
25.5 to 27.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
27.5 to 29.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
29.5 and over.........................................      687      687
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* No data submitted for units meeting Federal Energy Conservation
  Standards effective January 1, 1993.

    12. Appendix B3 to Part 305 is revised to read as follows:

     Appendix B3 to Part 305--Chest Freezers and All Other Freezers
                           [Range Information]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Range of
                                                        estimated annual
                                                             energy
   Manufacturer's rated total refrigerated volume in       consumption
                      cubic feet                            (kWh.yr.)
                                                       -----------------
                                                          Low      High
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Less than 5.5.........................................      212      260
5.5 to 7.4............................................      291      293
7.5 to 9.4............................................      322      322
9.5 to 11.4...........................................      347      349
11.5 to 13.4..........................................      391      399
13.5 to 15.4..........................................      434      441
15.5 to 17.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
17.5 to 19.4..........................................      493      493
19.5 to 21.4..........................................      529      529
21.5 to 23.4..........................................      552      588
23.5 to 15.4..........................................      620      629
25.5 to 27.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
27.5 to 29.4..........................................      (*)      (*)
29.5 and over.........................................      (*)      (*)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* No data submitted for units meeting Federal Energy Conservation
  Standards effective January 1, 1993.

Appendix H--[Amended]

    13. In section 2 of Appendix H or Part 305, the text and formulas 
are amended by removing the figure ``8.31 cents'' wherever it appears 
and by adding, in its place, the figure ``8.42 cents''. In addition, 
the text and formulas are amended by removing the figure 
``12.47 cents'' wherever it appears and by adding, in its place, the 
figure ``112.64 cents''.

Appendix I--[Amended]

    14. In section 2 of Appendix I of Part 305, the text and formulas 
are amended by removing the figure ``8.31 cents'' wherever it appears 
and by adding, in its place, the figure ``8.42 cents''. In addition, 
the text and formulas are amended by removing the figure 
``12.47 cents'' wherever it appears and by adding, in its place, the 
figure ``12.64 cents''.

    By direction of the Commission.
Donald S. Clark,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-32079 Filed 12-1-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6750-01-M