[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 25 (Monday, February 9, 2009)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 6537-6538]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-2890]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 25 / Monday, February 9, 2009 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 6537]]


                Memorandum of February 5, 2009

                
Appliance Efficiency Standards

                Memorandum for the Secretary of Energy

                Under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 
                (EPCA), the Department of Energy (DOE) is required to 
                establish by certain dates energy efficiency standards 
                for a broad class of residential and commercial 
                products. These products are appliances and other 
                equipment used in consumers' homes and in commercial 
                establishments. In the Energy Policy Act of 2005 
                (EPACT), the Congress directed the DOE to develop a 
                plan to issue expeditiously efficiency standards for 
                those products with respect to which the Department had 
                not yet met the deadlines specified in the EPCA.

                In 2005, 14 States and various other entities brought 
                suit alleging that the DOE had failed to comply with 
                deadlines and other requirements in the EPCA. In 
                November 2006, the DOE entered into a consent decree 
                under which the DOE agreed to publish final rules 
                regarding 22 product categories by specific deadlines, 
                the latest of which is June 30, 2011. The consent 
                decree includes target dates for the rulemaking 
                processes and sets deadlines for issuance of final 
                rules with respect to each product category. The Energy 
                Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) directed 
                the DOE to establish energy standards for additional 
                product categories.

                The DOE remains subject to outstanding deadlines with 
                respect to 15 of the 22 product categories covered by 
                the consent decree, as well as statutory deadlines for 
                a number of additional product categories. These 
                efficiency standards, once implemented, will result in 
                significant energy savings for the American people.

                 Therefore, I request that:

                     (a) the DOE take all necessary steps, consistent 
                with the consent decree, EPACT, and EISA, to finalize 
                legally required efficiency standards as expeditiously 
                as possible and consistent with all applicable judicial 
                and statutory deadlines. Such standards include, most 
                immediately, those covered by the five energy 
                efficiency rules with deadlines prior to and including 
                August 8, 2009;
                     (b) with respect to standards subject to judicial 
                and statutory deadlines later than August 8, 2009, the 
                DOE work to complete prior to the applicable deadline 
                those standards that will result in the greatest energy 
                savings. To undertake this task, the DOE should 
                quantify, to the extent feasible and consistent with 
                statutory requirements, the expected annual energy 
                savings from the relevant standards. The DOE must, 
                however, ensure that it meets applicable deadlines for 
                all standards.

[[Page 6538]]

                 This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, 
                create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, 
                enforceable at law or in equity by a party against the 
                United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, 
                its officers, employees, or agents, or any other 
                person.

                 You are hereby authorized and directed to publish this 
                memorandum in the Federal Register.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    Washington, February 5, 2009

[FR Doc. E9-2890
Filed 2-6-09; 12:00 pm]
Billing code 6450-01-P