[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 205 (Tuesday, October 23, 2001)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 53554-53555]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-26672]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

10 CFR Part 430


Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products and Commercial 
and Industrial Equipment

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of 
Energy.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE or Department) will hold a 
public meeting to explore potential new products to be included in the 
existing appliance standards program and/or voluntary programs. This 
meeting will continue the September 11, 2001, public meeting where DOE 
discussed the priorities of the existing appliance standards program, 
possible expansion of the scope of the program, and criteria and the 
process for applying the criteria in considering new products for 
either standards or voluntary programs. In addition, the Department is 
interested in receiving comments on the preliminary data sheets for 
potential new products and recommendations as to whether or not these 
products should be further considered for a standard and/or for a 
voluntary program such as Energy Star.

DATES: The public meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 6, 2001, 
from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Written comments should be submitted by 
November 20, 2001.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the U.S. Department of Energy, 
Forrestal Building, Room 1E-245, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, 
Washington, DC 20585. (Please note that foreign nationals visiting DOE 
Headquarters are subject to advance security screening procedures. If 
you are a foreign national and wish to participate in the meeting, 
please inform DOE of this fact as soon as possible by contacting Ms. 
Brenda Edwards-Jones at (202) 586-2945 so that the necessary procedures 
can be completed.)
    A list identifying the proposed priority for standards rulemakings 
that are currently mandated by statute, a list of possible new products 
that have been identified by various stakeholders, comments on the 
August 28, 2001, Federal Register notice of the September 11, 2001, 
public meeting, including the transcript and presentation material from 
the September 11, 2001, public meeting, and preliminary data sheets for 
potential new products can be found on the DOE website at: http://www.eren.doe.gov/buildings/codes_standards/index.htm
    Written comments are welcome, especially following the meeting. 
Please submit written comments to: Ms. Brenda Edwards-Jones, U.S. 
Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 
Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products, EE-41, 1000 
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone: (202) 
586-2945; Telefax: (202) 586-4617. You should label comments both on 
the envelope and on the documents and submit them for DOE receipt by 
November 20, 2001. Please submit one signed copy and a computer 
diskette (WordPerfect 8) or 10 copies (no telefacsimiles). The

[[Page 53555]]

Department will also accept electronically-mailed comments, e-mailed to 
[email protected], but you must supplement such comments 
with a signed hard copy.
    Copies of the agenda and attendees of the public meeting, the 
public comments received, the list of current rulemakings and possible 
new products, and this notice may be read at the Freedom of Information 
Reading Room, U.S. Department of Energy, Forrestal Building, Room 1E-
190, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-
3142, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Raymond, U.S. Department of 
Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, EE-41, 1000 
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121, (202) 586-9611, 
email: [email protected] pertaining to priority setting for 
current rulemakings, and Bryan Berringer, U.S. Department of Energy, 
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, EE-41, 1000 
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121, (202) 586-0371, 
email: [email protected] pertaining to possible new products, 
or Francine Pinto, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of General 
Counsel, GC-72, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585-
0103, (202) 586-7432, email: [email protected]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 2001, the National Energy Policy 
Development Group (NEPD Group) reported a National Energy Policy to the 
President. One of the recommendations called for the President to 
direct the Secretary of Energy to take steps to improve the energy 
efficiency of appliances. The recommendation included supporting the 
existing appliance standards program, setting higher standards where 
technologically feasible and economically justified, and expanding the 
scope of the program to include additional consumer products and 
commercial and industrial equipment where technically feasible and 
economically justified.
    The Federal Register notice dated August 28, 2001 (66 FR 45188), 
announced the September 11, 2001, public meeting and requested written 
comments be submitted by October 11, 2001. The September 11 public was 
to discuss the priorities of the existing appliance standards program 
and any possible expansion of the scope of the program to include 
additional consumer products and commercial and industrial equipment. 
However, as a result of the tragic events of September 11, 2001, the 
public meeting was cut short. At the September 11 public meeting, the 
interested parties discussed the criteria DOE should consider in 
deciding whether to expand the scope of the program, including the 
factors, data and analysis methods that might be used by DOE in its 
decision making process. Following the September 11 public meeting, DOE 
received written comments supporting adding a new factor, impact on 
innovation to the existing priority setting criteria.
    DOE developed the list of possible new commercial and residential 
products from various independent sources which was presented at the 
September 11 public meeting. DOE has incorporated an additional 
criterion suggested at the September 11 public meeting, and developed 
preliminary data sheets for potential new products. This list as well 
as a listing of current rulemakings and the preliminary data sheets can 
be found on the following web-site: http://www.eren.doe.gov/buildings/codes_standards/index.htm
    The November 6, 2001, public meeting will be to: continue the 
discussion of the possible expansion of the scope of the program, and 
review the comments received in response to the August 28, 2001, notice 
of public meeting; discuss how these comments should be incorporated 
into the process; review the preliminary data sheets developed; and 
discuss how these products should be considered for prioritization. The 
outcome of the meeting would be to screen out products which do not 
merit further consideration for either a standard and/or voluntary 
program.
    The meeting will be conducted in an informal, conference style. 
There will not be any discussion of proprietary information, costs or 
prices, market shares, or other commercial matters regulated by the 
U.S. antitrust laws.
    After the meeting and expiration of the period for submitting 
written statements, the Department will begin consideration of the 
comments received.
    If you would like to participate in the meeting, receive meeting 
materials, or be added to the DOE mailing list to receive future 
notices and information regarding the energy conservation program for 
consumer products and commercial and industrial equipment, please 
contact Ms. Brenda Edwards-Jones at (202) 586-2945.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on October 17, 2001.
David K. Garman,
Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. 01-26672 Filed 10-22-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P