[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 69 (Wednesday, April 10, 2002)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 17304-17305]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-8619]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

10 CFR Part 430

[Docket No. EE-RM/STD-01-350]
RIN 1904-AA-78


Energy Efficiency Program for Consumer Products: Energy 
Conservation Standards for Residential Furnaces and Boilers

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

ACTION: Notice of public workshop.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE or Department) is convening a 
public workshop to discuss and receive comments on issues related to 
residential furnaces and boilers venting installations and to discuss 
the Department's research concerning venting systems.

DATES: The public workshop will be held on Wednesday, May 8, 2002, from 
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Written comments should be submitted by June 7, 
2002.

ADDRESSES: The workshop 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 workshop, 
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.)
    On or about April 22, 2002, DOE will place a set of presentations 
describing the Department's research into this issue and workshop 
agenda on the DOE website at: http://www.eren.doe.gov/buildings/codes--
standards/. Written comments are welcome, especially following the 
workshop. 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: Energy 
Conservation Standards for Residential Furnaces and Boilers, Docket 
Number: EE-RM/STD-01-350, EE-41, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, 
Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone: (202) 586-2945. You should label 
comments both on the envelope and on the documents and submit them for 
DOE receipt by June 7, 2002. Please submit one signed copy and a 
computer diskette or CD (in WordPerfectTM 8 format)--no 
telefacsimiles. The 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 transcript of the public workshop, the public 
comments received, 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 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cyrus Nasseri, U.S. Department of 
Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, EE-41, 1000 
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121, (202) 586-9138, 
email: [email protected], or Francine Pinto, U.S. Department of 
Energy, Office of General Counsel, GC-72, 1000 Independence Avenue, 
SW., Washington, DC 20585-0103, (202) 586-9507, email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Part B of Title III of the Energy Policy and 
Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA or Act), Pub. L. 94-163, as amended by 
the National Energy Conservation Policy Act (NECPA), Pub. L. 95-619; 
the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act of 1987 (NAECA), Pub. L. 
100-12; the National Appliance Energy Conservation Amendments of 1988 
(NAECA 1988), Pub. L. 100-357; and the Energy Policy Act of 1992 
(EPACT), Pub. L. 102-486, created the Energy Conservation Program for 
Consumer Products other than Automobiles. The consumers' products 
subject to this Program include residential furnaces, boilers and 
mobile home furnaces. (42 U.S.C. 6295(f)).
    Since the fiscal year 2001, the Department has been pursuing a 
rulemaking activity for the purpose of determining whether amended 
energy conservation standards for covered residential furnaces, boilers 
and mobile home furnaces are justified. On June 19, 2001, the 
Department published a notice announcing a public workshop and the 
availability of the framework document for residential furnace and 
boiler efficiency standards. 62 FR 32914. On July 17, 2001, the 
Department conducted a workshop (the ``framework workshop'') to explain 
and discuss the process, analyses, and issues that are involved in this 
proceeding.
    During and after the framework workshop, the Department received 
comments from residential furnace and boiler manufacturers, trade 
associations and other interested parties expressing concern regarding 
the effect of increased standards on the venting system of these 
products. The concern is that with increased furnace efficiency, the 
flue gas temperature is reduced and the moisture in flue gas may 
condense and cause corrosion in the vent system, which can lead to 
potential safety problems if the corrosive liquid perforates the vent 
system and allows harmful gases to enter living space. Reduced flue gas 
temperature also makes the flue gas less buoyant and reduces the 
efficacy of venting systems during furnace operating cycles.
    Because of the above concern, it is necessary to understand the 
flue gas condensation phenomenon, including how the condensation begins 
to affect the furnace vent system at increased furnace efficiency and 
what technology options mitigate condensation. The Department has 
reviewed the consensus standards on safe installation of gas appliances 
developed by American Gas Association (AGA) and the National Fire 
Protection Association (NFPA). These consensus standards are contained 
in the National Fuel Gas Code (NFGC), also known as Z223.1/NFPA 54. The 
NFGC establishes guidelines for venting category I gas-fired furnaces 
by means of venting tables which list allowable furnace input ratings 
versus vent lengths. The Department has reviewed the methodology used 
in the NFGC tables, test data (e.g., jacket loss) reported by various 
organizations, as well as a computer simulation model (e.g., VENT-II) 
which was used in the past to evaluate venting system performance. The 
Department has also reviewed information on current venting practices 
and codes and potential design options for venting system treatment.
    The workshop announced in today's notice is the next step in the 
rulemaking process for determining whether to amend the energy 
conservation standards for covered residential furnaces, boilers and 
mobile home furnaces. A detailed agenda for this workshop is currently 
under development and as noted above, will be posted on the 
Department's web site on or about April 22, 2002. The agenda items will 
cover issues related to Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) 
limits for non-condensing furnaces based on the NFGC and furnace test 
data, current venting practices and codes, the effect of higher Steady 
State Efficiency (SSE) on the

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NFGC tables and design options that may decrease condensation in the 
venting system. For each agenda item, the Department will make a 
presentation summarizing the current status and will initiate a 
discussion regarding the accuracy and completeness of data and analysis 
tools. During these discussions, the Department is particularly 
interested in receiving comments and views of interested parties 
concerning the venting issues referenced above and possible approaches 
to enhance the accuracy of the analysis tools and data. The Department 
encourages those who wish to participate in the workshop to make 
presentations that address these issues. If you would like to make a 
presentation during the workshop, please inform Ms. Edwards-Jones at 
least two weeks before the date of the workshop and provide her with a 
copy of your written presentation material at least one week before the 
date of the workshop.
    The workshop will be conducted in an informal, conference style. A 
court reporter will be present to record the minutes of the meeting. 
There shall be no discussion of proprietary information, costs or 
prices, market shares, or other commercial matters regulated by the 
U.S. antitrust laws. After the workshop and expiration of the period 
for submitting written comments, the Department will proceed with 
collecting data and conducting analyses concerning possible amended 
standards for residential furnaces, boilers and mobile home furnaces.
    If you would like to participate in the workshop, receive workshop 
materials, or be added to the DOE mailing list to receive future 
notices and information regarding residential furnaces, boilers and 
mobile home furnaces, please contact Ms. Brenda Edwards-Jones at (202) 
586-2945.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on April 5, 2002.
David K. Garman,
Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. 02-8619 Filed 4-9-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P