[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 237 (Friday, December 10, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76968-76970]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-31062]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

[Case No. CW-013]


Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Decision and 
Order Granting a Waiver to the General Electric Company from the 
Department of Energy Residential Clothes Washer Test Procedure

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

ACTION: Decision and Order.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) gives notice of the 
decision and order (Case No. CW-013) that grants to the General 
Electric Company (GE) a waiver from the DOE clothes washer test 
procedure for determining the energy consumption of clothes washers. 
Under today's decision and order, GE shall be required to test and rate 
its clothes washers with larger clothes containers using an alternate 
test procedure that takes the larger capacities into account when 
measuring energy consumption.

DATES: This Decision and Order is effective December 10, 2010.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Michael G. Raymond, U.S. 
Department of Energy, Building Technologies Program, Mailstop EE-2J, 
1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone: 
(202) 586-9611, E-mail: mailto:[email protected].
    Elizabeth Kohl, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the General 
Counsel, Mail Stop GC-71, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 
20585-0103. Telephone: (202) 287-7796, E-mail: 
mailto:[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with Title 10 of the Code of 
Federal Regulations (10 CFR 430.27(l)), DOE gives notice of the 
issuance of its decision and order as set forth below. The decision and 
order grants GE a waiver from the applicable clothes washer test 
procedure in 10 CFR part 430, subpart B, appendix J1 for certain basic 
models of clothes washers with capacities greater than 3.8 cubic feet, 
provided that GE tests and rates such products using the alternate test 
procedure described in this notice. Today's decision prohibits GE from 
making representations concerning the energy efficiency of these 
products unless the product has been tested consistent with the 
provisions of the alternate test procedure set forth in the decision 
and order below, and the representations fairly disclose the test 
results. Distributors, retailers, and private labelers are held to the 
same standard when making representations regarding the energy 
efficiency of these products. 42 U.S.C. 6293(c).

    Issued in Washington, DC, on December 3, 2010.
Cathy Zoi,
Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

Decision and Order

    In the Matter of: The General Electric Company (Case No. CW-013)

I. Background and Authority

    Title III of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) sets 
forth a variety of provisions designed to improve energy efficiency. 
Part B of Title III (42 U.S.C. 6291-6309) provides for the ``Energy 
Conservation Program for Consumer Products Other Than Automobiles.'' 
\1\ Part B includes definitions, test procedures, labeling provisions, 
energy conservation standards, and the authority to require information 
and reports from manufacturers. Further, Part B authorizes the 
Secretary of Energy to prescribe test procedures that are reasonably 
designed to produce results that measure energy efficiency, energy use, 
or estimated operating costs, and that are not unduly burdensome to 
conduct. 42 U.S.C. 6293(b)(3). The test procedure for residential 
clothes washers, the subject of today's notice, is contained in 10 CFR 
part 430, subpart B, appendix J1.
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    \1\ For editorial reasons, upon codification in the U.S. Code, 
Part B was re-designated Part A.
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    DOE's regulations for covered products contain provisions allowing 
a person to seek a waiver for a particular basic model from the test 
procedure requirements for covered consumer products when (1) the 
petitioner's basic model for which the petition for waiver was 
submitted contains one or more design characteristics that prevent 
testing according to the prescribed test procedure, or (2) when 
prescribed test procedures may evaluate the basic model in a manner so 
unrepresentative of its true energy consumption characteristics as to 
provide materially inaccurate comparative data. 10 CFR 430.27(a)(1). 
Petitioners must include in their petition any alternate test 
procedures known to the petitioner to evaluate the basic model in a 
manner representative of its energy consumption characteristics. 10 CFR 
430.27(b)(1)(iii).
    The Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy 
(the Assistant Secretary) may grant a waiver subject to conditions, 
including adherence to alternate test procedures. 10 CFR 430.27(l). 
Waivers remain in effect pursuant to the provisions of 10 CFR 
430.27(m).

[[Page 76969]]

    Any interested person who has submitted a petition for waiver may 
also file an application for interim waiver of the applicable test 
procedure requirements. 10 CFR 430.27(a)(2). The Assistant Secretary 
will grant an interim waiver request if it is determined that the 
applicant will experience economic hardship if the interim waiver is 
denied, if it appears likely that the petition for waiver will be 
granted, and/or the Assistant Secretary determines that it would be 
desirable for public policy reasons to grant immediate relief pending a 
determination on the petition for waiver. 10 CFR 430.27(g).

II. GE's Petition for Waiver: Assertions and Determinations

    On June 22, 2010, GE filed a petition for waiver from the test 
procedure applicable to automatic and semi-automatic clothes washers 
set forth in 10 CFR part 430, subpart B, appendix J1. In particular, GE 
requested a waiver to test its clothes washers on the basis of the 
residential test procedures contained in 10 CFR part 430, Subpart B, 
Appendix J1, with a revised Table 5.1 extended to larger container 
volumes. GE's petition was published in the Federal Register on 
September 23, 2010. 75 FR 57915. DOE received no comments on the GE 
petition.
    GE's petition seeks a waiver from the DOE test procedure because 
the mass of the test load used in the procedure is based on the basket 
volume of the test unit, which is currently not defined for the basket 
sizes of the basic models cited in its waiver application. In the DOE 
test procedure, the relation between basket volume and test load mass 
is defined for basket volumes between 0 and 3.8 cubic feet. GE has 
designed a series of clothes washers that contain basket volumes 
greater than 3.8 cubic feet. In addition, if the current maximum test 
load mass is used to test these products, the tested energy use would 
be less than the actual energy usage, and could evaluate the basic 
model in a manner so unrepresentative of its true energy consumption 
characteristics as to provide materially inaccurate comparative data. 
DOE notes that Whirlpool Corporation and Samsung Electronics America, 
Inc. received interim waivers for similar products with basket volumes 
greater than 3.8 cubic feet on August 22, 2006 (71 FR 48913) and 
September 16, 2010 (75 FR 57937), respectively.
    Table 5.1 of Appendix J1 defines the test load sizes used in the 
test procedure as linear functions of the basket volume. GE has 
submitted a proposed revised table to extend the maximum basket volume 
from 3.8 cubic feet to 5.1 cubic feet, a table the same as one 
developed by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM). 
AHAM provided calculations to extrapolate Table 5.1 of the DOE test 
procedure to larger container volumes. DOE believes that this is a 
reasonable procedure because the DOE test procedure defines test load 
sizes as linear functions of the basket volume. AHAM's extrapolation 
was performed on the load weight in pounds, however, and AHAM and GE 
appear to have used the conversion ratio of 1/2.2 (or 0.45454545) to 
convert pounds to kilograms. Samsung and Whirlpool used the more 
accurate conversion value of 0.45359237. In a recently published notice 
of proposed rulemaking (NOPR), DOE published a Table 5.1 with some 
small differences from the Table 5.1 used by Whirlpool and Samsung, and 
somewhat larger differences from the Table 5.1 used by AHAM and GE. (75 
FR 57556, Sept. 21, 2010). The differences are due to the conversion 
factor and to rounding. Differences in energy and water use will also 
be in the range of 0.2%. The Table 5.1 values in the alternate test 
procedure presented below are from DOE's NOPR.
    As DOE has stated in the past, it is in the public interest to have 
similar products tested and rated for energy consumption on a 
comparable basis, and DOE will consider using the same alternate test 
procedure in future waiver decisions. DOE further notes that when the 
residential clothes washer test procedure rulemaking process is 
complete, any amended test procedure will supersede the alternate test 
procedure described in this waiver.

III. Consultations with Other Agencies

    DOE consulted with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) staff 
concerning the GE petition for waiver. The FTC staff did not have any 
objections to granting a waiver to GE.

IV. Conclusion

    After careful consideration of all the material that was submitted 
by GE, the interim waivers granted to Whirlpool and Samsung, the 
clothes washer test procedure rulemaking, and consultation with the FTC 
staff, it is ordered that:
    (1) The petition for waiver submitted by the General Electric 
Company (Case No. CW-013) is hereby granted as set forth in the 
paragraphs below.
    (2) GE shall not be required to test or rate the following GE 
models on the basis of the current test procedure contained in 10 CFR 
part 430, subpart B, appendix J1. Instead, it shall be required to test 
and rate such products according to the alternate test procedure as set 
forth in paragraph (3) below:
    PTWN8055*, PTWN8050*, PFWS4600*, PFWS4605*, PFWH4400*, PFWH4405*, 
GFWS3600*, GFWS3605*, GFWS3500*, GFWS3505*, GFWH3400*, GFWH3405*, 
GFWH2400*, GFWH2405*
    (3) GE shall be required to test the products listed in paragraph 
(2) above according to the test procedures for clothes washers 
prescribed by DOE at 10 CFR part 430, appendix J1, except that, for the 
GE products listed in paragraph (2) only, the expanded Table 5.1 below 
shall be substituted for Table 5.1 of appendix J1.

                                           Table 5.1--Test Load Sizes
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               Container volume                     Minimum load          Maximum load          Average load
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            cu. ft                   liter
-----------------------------------------------     lb         kg         Lb         kg         lb         kg
             >= <.                   >= <
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0-0.8.........................          0-22.7       3.00       1.36       3.00       1.36       3.00       1.36
0.80-0.90.....................       22.7-25.5       3.00       1.36       3.50       1.59       3.25       1.47
0.90-1.00.....................       25.5-28.3       3.00       1.36       3.90       1.77       3.45       1.56
1.00-1.10.....................       28.3-31.1       3.00       1.36       4.30       1.95       3.65       1.66
1.10-1.20.....................       31.1-34.0       3.00       1.36       4.70       2.13       3.85       1.75
1.20-1.30.....................       34.0-36.8       3.00       1.36       5.10       2.31       4.05       1.84
1.30-1.40.....................       36.8-39.6       3.00       1.36       5.50       2.49       4.25       1.93
1.40-1.50.....................       39.6-42.5       3.00       1.36       5.90       2.68       4.45       2.02
1.50-1.60.....................       42.5-45.3       3.00       1.36       6.40       2.90       4.70       2.13
1.60-1.70.....................       45.3-48.1       3.00       1.36       6.80       3.08       4.90       2.22

[[Page 76970]]

 
1.70-1.80.....................       48.1-51.0       3.00       1.36       7.20       3.27       5.10       2.31
1.80-1.90.....................       51.0-53.8       3.00       1.36       7.60       3.45       5.30       2.40
1.90-2.00.....................       53.8-56.6       3.00       1.36       8.00       3.63       5.50       2.49
2.00-2.10.....................       56.6-59.5       3.00       1.36       8.40       3.81       5.70       2.59
2.10-2.20.....................       59.5-62.3       3.00       1.36       8.80       3.99       5.90       2.68
2.20-2.30.....................       62.3-65.1       3.00       1.36       9.20       4.17       6.10       2.77
2.30-2.40.....................       65.1-68.0       3.00       1.36       9.60       4.35       6.30       2.86
2.40-2.50.....................       68.0-70.8       3.00       1.36      10.00       4.54       6.50       2.95
2.50-2.60.....................       70.8-73.6       3.00       1.36      10.50       4.76       6.75       3.06
2.60-2.70.....................       73.6-76.5       3.00       1.36      10.90       4.94       6.95       3.15
2.70-2.80.....................       76.5-79.3       3.00       1.36      11.30       5.13       7.15       3.24
2.80-2.90.....................       79.3-82.1       3.00       1.36      11.70       5.31       7.35       3.33
2.90-3.00.....................       82.1-85.0       3.00       1.36      12.10       5.49       7.55       3.42
3.00-3.10.....................       85.0-87.8       3.00       1.36      12.50       5.67       7.75       3.52
3.10-3.20.....................       87.8-90.6       3.00       1.36      12.90       5.85       7.95       3.61
3.20-3.30.....................       90.6-93.4       3.00       1.36      13.30       6.03       8.15       3.70
3.30-3.40.....................       93.4-96.3       3.00       1.36      13.70       6.21       8.35       3.79
3.40-3.50.....................       96.3-99.1       3.00       1.36      14.10       6.40       8.55       3.88
3.50-3.60.....................      99.1-101.9       3.00       1.36      14.60       6.62       8.80       3.99
3.60-3.70.....................     101.9-104.8       3.00       1.36      15.00       6.80       9.00       4.08
3.70-3.80.....................     104.8-107.6       3.00       1.36      15.40       6.99       9.20       4.17
3.80-3.90.....................     107.6-110.4       3.00       1.36      15.80       7.16       9.40       4.26
3.90-4.00.....................     110.4-113.3       3.00       1.36      16.20       7.34       9.60       4.35
4.00-4.10.....................     113.3-116.1       3.00       1.36      16.60       7.53       9.80       4.45
4.10-4.20.....................     116.1-118.9       3.00       1.36      17.00       7.72      10.00       4.54
4.20-4.30.....................     118.9-121.8       3.00       1.36      17.40       7.90      10.20       4.63
4.30-4.40.....................     121.8-124.6       3.00       1.36      17.80       8.09      10.40       4.72
4.40-4.50.....................     124.6-127.4       3.00       1.36      18.20       8.27      10.60       4.82
4.50-4.60.....................     127.4-130.3       3.00       1.36      18.70       8.46      10.80       4.91
4.60-4.70.....................     130.3-133.1       3.00       1.36      19.10       8.65      11.00       5.00
4.70-4.80.....................     133.1-135.9       3.00       1.36      19.50       8.83      11.20       5.10
4.80-4.90.....................     135.9-138.8       3.00       1.36      19.90       9.02      11.40       5.19
4.90-5.00.....................     138.8-141.6       3.00       1.36      20.30       9.20      11.60       5.28
5.00-5.10.....................     141.6-144.4       3.00       1.36      20.70       9.39      11.90       5.38
5.10-5.20.....................     144.4-147.2       3.00       1.36      21.10       9.58      12.10       5.47
5.20-5.30.....................     147.2-150.1       3.00       1.36      21.50       9.76      12.30       5.56
5.30-5.40.....................     150.1-152.9       3.00       1.36      21.90       9.95      12.50       5.65
5.40-5.50.....................     152.9-155.7       3.00       1.36      22.30      10.13      12.70       5.75
5.50-5.60.....................     155.7-158.6       3.00       1.36      22.80      10.32      12.90       5.84
5.60-5.70.....................     158.6-161.4       3.00       1.36      23.20      10.51      13.10       5.93
5.70-5.80.....................     161.4-164.2       3.00       1.36      23.60      10.69      13.30       6.03
5.80-5.90.....................     164.2-167.1       3.00       1.36      24.00      10.88      13.50       6.12
5.90-6.00.....................     167.1-169.9       3.00       1.36      24.40      11.06      13.70       6.21
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Notes: (1) All test load weights are bone dry weights.
(2) Allowable tolerance on the test load weights are 0.10 lbs (0.05 kg).

    (4) Representations. GE may make representations about the energy 
use of its clothes washer products for compliance, marketing, or other 
purposes only to the extent that such products have been tested in 
accordance with the provisions outlined above and such representations 
fairly disclose the results of such testing.
    (5) This waiver shall remain in effect consistent with the 
provisions of 10 CFR430.27(m).
    (6) This waiver is issued on the condition that the statements, 
representations, and documentary materials provided by the petitioner 
are valid. DOE may revoke or modify this waiver at any time if it 
determines the factual basis underlying the petition for waiver is 
incorrect, or the results from the alternate test procedure are 
unrepresentative of the basic models' true energy consumption 
characteristics.
    (7) Grant of this waiver does not release a petitioner from the 
certification requirements set forth at 10 CFR 430.62.

Issued in Washington, DC, on December 3, 2010.

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Cathy Zoi,
Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

[FR Doc. 2010-31062 Filed 12-9-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P