[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 168 (Thursday, August 29, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 53374-53375]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-21115]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

10 CFR Part 430

[Docket No. EERE-2012-BT-TP-0016]
RIN 1904-AC76


Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Test 
Procedures for Refrigerators, Refrigerator-Freezers, and Freezers

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

ACTION: Extension of public comment period.

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SUMMARY: On July 10, 2013, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) 
published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) for test procedures 
for refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers in the Federal 
Register. This document announces an extension of the public comment 
period for submitting comments on two specific issues on which DOE had 
sought comment. The comment period on all other issues in the NOPR 
remains unchanged.

DATES: DOE will accept comments, data, and information regarding this 
rulemaking published July 10, 2013 (78 FR 41610) received no later than 
September 23, 2013, except on the items specified in this notice, for 
which DOE will accept comments, data, and information until no later 
than January 31, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Any comments submitted must identify the NOPR for test 
procedures for refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers and 
provide docket number EERE-2012-BT-TP-0016 and/or Regulation 
Identification Number (RIN) 1904-AC76, by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Email: [email protected]. 
Include the docket number EERE-2012-BT-TP-0016 and/or RIN 1904-AC76 in 
the subject line of the message.
     Mail: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department of Energy, 
Building Technologies Program, Mailstop EE-2J, 1000 Independence Avenue 
SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. If possible, please submit all items on 
a compact disc (CD), in which case it is not necessary to include 
printed copies. [Please note that comments and CDs sent by mail are 
often delayed and may be damaged by mail screening processes.]
     Hand Delivery/Courier: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department 
of Energy, Building Technologies Program, 950 L'Enfant Plaza SW., Suite 
600, Washington, DC 20024. Telephone (202) 586-2945. If possible, 
please submit all items on CD, in which case it is not necessary to 
include printed copies.
    Docket: The docket is available for review at www.regulations.gov, 
including Federal Register notices, framework documents, public meeting 
attendee lists and transcripts, comments, and other supporting 
documents/materials. All documents in the docket are listed in the 
www.regulations.gov index. However, not all documents listed in the 
index may be publicly available, such as information that is exempt 
from public disclosure.
    The rulemaking Web page can be found at: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/rulemaking.aspx/ruleid/75.
    This Web page contains links to supporting materials and 
information for this rulemaking on the regulations.gov site. The 
regulations.gov Web page contains instructions on how to access all 
documents in the docket, including public comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Lucas Adin, U.S. Department of 
Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building 
Technologies, EE-2J, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 
20585-0121. Telephone: (202) 287-1317. Email: [email protected].
    In the Office of the General Counsel, contact Mr. Michael Kido, 
U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the General Counsel, GC-71, 1000 
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone: (202) 
586-8145. Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    On July 10, 2013, DOE published a notice of proposed rulemaking 
(NOPR) that would amend the test procedures for residential 
refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers (collectively, 
residential refrigerators). (78 FR 41610) That notice provided a 
comment deadline of September 23, 2013. On August 7, 2013 the 
Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) requested that DOE 
extend this comment period for two very specific issues raised in the 
July notice. Those issues, which involved DOE's proposed inclusion of 
an icemaking test procedure (Issue Item 2) along with the possible 
inclusion of certain testing requirements for built-in residential 
refrigerators (Issue Item 15), would, in AHAM's view, require 
additional time for manufacturers to fully evaluate. (AHAM Comment 
Extension Request, No. 24). AHAM requested an extension of the comment 
period until January 31, 2014. (See 78 FR at 41658 and 78 FR at 41661). 
AHAM recommended that the comment period on the other issues in the 
NOPR remain open until September 23, 2013. In its request, AHAM stated 
that this extension was necessary due to the timing of the NOPR, which 
was published while manufacturers were preparing their annual DOE 
certification reports. AHAM also noted that manufacturers are in the 
process of product development and testing in preparation for the 
amended energy conservation standards, the compliance date of which is 
September 15, 2014. Because of these issues, AHAM stated that 
manufacturers would need additional time to perform laboratory testing 
to evaluate the proposals in the NOPR.
    Because DOE is likely to rely to a significant extent on the data 
and information that manufacturers provide in making any final 
determinations on these issues, DOE has determined that an extension of 
the public comment period is appropriate and is hereby extending the 
comment period on the issues identified by AHAM. DOE will consider any 
comments on Items 2 and 15 in section E of the July 10, 2013 NOPR that 
are received by midnight on January 31, 2014, and deems any comments 
received by that time on these issues to be timely submitted. For all 
other issues in the NOPR, DOE will consider any comments received by 
midnight on September 23, 2013, and deems any comments on all other 
remaining issues that are received by that time to be timely submitted.
    DOE notes that the granting of this extension will likely lengthen 
the time necessary for finalization of any

[[Page 53375]]

proposals regarding the items for which the comment extension was 
granted. Because the other items in the NOPR may affect the manner in 
which manufacturers perform the test procedures for compliance with the 
amended energy conservation standards, which DOE understands some 
manufacturers may begin using well in advance of the September 15, 2014 
compliance date, DOE believes it necessary to finalize those proposals 
as expeditiously as is feasible. Accordingly, DOE may finalize a rule 
that addresses all issues other than Items 2 and 15 (i.e. the icemaking 
test procedure and additional testing requirements for built-in 
refrigerators) prior to the resolution of these two items.
    DOE also notes that the extension of the comment period for these 
two items will not exceed the 270-day comment period limit imposed by 
EPCA. See 42 U.S.C. 6293(b)(2).

    Issued in Washington, DC, on August 23, 2013.
Kathleen B. Hogan,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency, Energy Efficiency and 
Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. 2013-21115 Filed 8-28-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P