[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 79 (Tuesday, April 25, 2006)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 23876-23877]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-6206]


 ========================================================================
 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 79 / Tuesday, April 25, 2006 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 23876]]



DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

10 CFR Part 431

[Docket No. EE-2006-STD-0126]
RIN: 1904-AB59


Energy Conservation Standards for Commercial Ice-Cream Freezers; 
Self-Contained Commercial Refrigerators, Freezers, and Refrigerator-
Freezers Without Doors; and Remote Condensing Commercial Refrigerators, 
Freezers, and Refrigerator-Freezers: Public Meeting and Availability of 
the Framework Document

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting and availability of the Framework 
Document.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE or Department) will hold an 
informal public meeting to present its proposed methodologies for 
conducting this rulemaking, discuss issues relevant to this rulemaking 
proceeding, and initiate stakeholder interaction in this rulemaking 
proceeding. The Department is also interested in information that will 
assist it in establishing energy conservation standards for ice cream 
freezers; self-contained commercial refrigerators, freezers, and 
refrigerator-freezers without doors; and remote-condensing commercial 
refrigerators, freezers, and refrigerator-freezers. (These types of 
equipment are referred to collectively hereafter as ``commercial 
refrigeration equipment.'') The Department encourages written comments 
on these subjects. This effort is the result of the directive in the 
Energy Policy Act of 2005 to DOE to establish energy conservation 
standards for such equipment by January 1, 2009. To inform stakeholders 
and facilitate this process, DOE has prepared a Framework Document, a 
draft of which is available at http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards.

DATES: The Department will hold a public meeting on Tuesday, May 16, 
2006, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT in Washington, DC. Any person 
requesting to speak at the public meeting should submit a request to 
speak before 4 p.m., Tuesday, May 2, 2006. The Department must receive 
a signed original and an electronic copy of statements to be given at 
the public meeting before 4 p.m., Tuesday, May 2, 2006. Written 
comments on the Framework Document are welcome and encouraged following 
the public meeting and should be submitted by Tuesday, May 30, 2006.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the U.S. Department of 
Energy, Forrestal Building, Room 1E-245, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20585-0121. (Please note that foreign nationals 
participating in the public meeting are subject to advance security 
screening procedures. If a foreign national wishes to participate in 
the public 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.)
    Stakeholders may submit comments, identified by docket number EE-
2006-STD-0126 and/or RIN number 1904-AB59, by any of the following 
methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     E-mail: [email protected]. 
Include EE-2006-STD-0126 and/or RIN 1904-AB59 in the subject line of 
the message.
     Mail: Ms. Brenda Edwards-Jones, U.S. Department of Energy, 
Building Technologies Program, Mailstop EE-2J, Framework Document for 
Commercial Refrigeration Equipment, EE-2006-STD-0126 and/or RIN 1904-
AB59, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. 
Telephone: (202) 586-2945. Please submit one signed paper original.
     Hand Delivery/Courier: Ms. Brenda Edwards-Jones, U.S. 
Department of Energy, Building Technologies Program, Room 1J-018, 1000 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and docket number or Regulatory Information Number (RIN) for this 
rulemaking.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to the U.S. Department of Energy, Forrestal 
Building, Room 1J-018 (Resource Room of the Building Technologies 
Program), 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC, (202) 586-
9127, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. Please call Ms. Brenda Edwards-Jones at the above telephone 
number for additional information regarding visiting the Resource Room. 
Please note that the Department's Freedom of Information Reading Room 
(formerly Room 1E-190 at the Forrestal Building) is no longer housing 
rulemaking materials.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Raba, U.S. Department of Energy, 
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building 
Technologies, EE-2J, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 
20585-0121, (202) 586-8654. E-mail: [email protected]. Francine 
Pinto, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of General Counsel, GC-72, 
1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121, (202) 586-
9507. E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Part B of Title III of the Energy Policy and 
Conservation Act (EPCA), 42 U.S.C. 6291 et seq., established an energy 
conservation program for major household appliances. The National 
Energy Conservation Policy Act (NECPA), 42 U.S.C. 6311 et seq., amended 
EPCA to add Part C of Title III, which established an energy 
conservation program for certain industrial equipment. The Energy 
Policy Act of 1992 (EPACT 1992), Public Law 102-486, included 
amendments to EPCA that expanded Title III to include certain 
commercial equipment. The recent Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT 
2005), Public Law 109-58, updated several existing standards and test 
procedures, prescribed definitions, standards, and test procedures for 
certain new consumer products and commercial equipment, and mandated 
that the Secretary of Energy (the Secretary) commence rulemakings to 
develop test procedures and standards

[[Page 23877]]

for certain other new consumer products and commercial equipment.
    In particular, section 136(c) of EPACT 2005 amends section 342 of 
EPCA by adding new subsection 342(c)(4)(A), 42 U.S.C. 6313(c)(4)(A), 
which directs the Secretary to issue by rule, no later than January 1, 
2009, energy conservation standards for the following equipment 
manufactured on or after January 1, 2012: ice-cream freezers; self-
contained commercial refrigerators, freezers, and refrigerator-freezers 
without doors; and remote-condensing commercial refrigerators, 
freezers, and refrigerator-freezers. These are the types of equipment 
covered under today's notice. In addition, section 136(f) of EPACT 2005 
directs the Secretary to issue test procedures and appropriate rating 
temperatures for the above commercial refrigeration equipment. (42 
U.S.C. 6314(a)(6)(A)-(D)) The Department intends to propose such rating 
temperatures and test procedures under a separate rulemaking.
    To begin this rulemaking, the Department prepared a Framework 
Document to explain the issues, analyses, and process it is considering 
for the development of energy conservation standards for the above 
commercial refrigeration equipment. The main focus of the public 
meeting will be to discuss the analyses and issues contained in various 
sections of the Framework Document. For each item listed, the 
Department will make a presentation with discussion to follow. In 
addition, the Department will also make a brief presentation on the 
rulemaking process for commercial refrigeration equipment. The 
Department encourages those who wish to participate in the public 
meeting to obtain the Framework Document and be prepared to discuss its 
contents. A copy of the draft Framework Document is available at http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards. However, public 
meeting participants need not limit their discussion to the topics in 
the Framework Document. The Department is also interested in receiving 
comments concerning other relevant issues that participants believe 
would affect energy conservation standards for commercial refrigeration 
equipment. The Department also welcomes all interested parties, whether 
or not they participate in the public meeting, to submit in writing by 
Tuesday, May 30, 2006, comments and information on the matters 
addressed in the Framework Document and on other matters relevant to 
consideration of standards for commercial refrigeration equipment.
    The public meeting will be conducted in an informal, conference 
style. During the public 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 public meeting and the expiration of the period for 
submitting written statements, the Department will begin collecting 
data, conducting the analyses as discussed in the Framework Document 
and reviewing the comments received.
    Anyone who would like to participate in the public meeting, receive 
meeting materials, or be added to the DOE mailing list to receive 
future notices and information regarding commercial refrigeration 
equipment, should contact Ms. Brenda Edwards-Jones at (202) 586-2945.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on April 19, 2006.
Douglas L. Faulkner,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable 
Energy.
 [FR Doc. E6-6206 Filed 4-24-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P