[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 176 (Thursday, September 11, 2014)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 54213-54214]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-21687]


 ========================================================================
 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. 79, No. 176 / Thursday, September 11, 2014 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 54213]]



DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

10 CFR Part 430

[Docket No. EERE-2014-BT-STD-0027]
RIN 1904-AD31


Energy Efficiency Program for Consumer Products: Energy 
Conservation Standards for Commercial Prerinse Spray Valves

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

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

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is initiating this 
rulemaking and data collection process to consider amending energy 
conservation standards for commercial prerinse spray valves. To inform 
interested parties and to facilitate this process, DOE has prepared a 
Framework Document that details the analytical approach and preliminary 
scope of coverage for the rulemaking, and identifies several issues on 
which DOE is particularly interested in receiving comments. DOE will 
hold a public meeting to discuss and receive comments on its planned 
analytical approach and issues it will address in this rulemaking 
proceeding. DOE welcomes written comments and relevant data from the 
public on any subject within the scope of this rulemaking. A copy of 
the Framework Document is available at: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/rulemaking.aspx?ruleid=100.

DATES: Meeting: DOE will hold a public meeting on September 30, 2014, 
from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Washington, DC. Additionally, DOE plans 
to conduct the public meeting via webinar. You may attend the public 
meeting via webinar, and registration information, participant 
instructions, and information about the capabilities available to 
webinar participants will be published on DOE's Web site at: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/rulemaking.aspx?ruleid=100. Participants are responsible for ensuring 
their systems are compatible with the webinar software.
    DOE must receive requests to speak at the public meeting before 
4:00 p.m., September 16, 2014. DOE must receive an electronic copy of 
the statement with the name and, if appropriate, the organization of 
the presenter to be given at the public meeting before 4:00 p.m., 
September 23, 2014.
    Comments: DOE will accept written comments, data, and information 
regarding the Framework Document before and after the public meeting, 
but no later than October 27, 2014.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the U.S. Department of 
Energy, Forrestal Building, Room 8E-089, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC 20585-0121. Please note that foreign nationals planning 
to participate 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 at (202) 586-2945 so that the 
necessary procedures can be completed. Please note that any person 
wishing to bring a laptop computer into the Forrestal Building will be 
required to obtain a property pass. Visitors should avoid bringing 
laptops, or allow an extra 45 minutes. As noted above, persons may also 
attend the public meeting via webinar.
    Interested parties are encouraged to submit comments 
electronically. However, comments may be submitted by any of the 
following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov. Follow 
the instructions for submitting comments.
     Email: [email protected]. Include docket 
number EERE-2014-BT-STD-0027 and/or regulatory identification number 
(RIN) 1904-AD31 in the subject line of the message. All comments should 
clearly identify the name, address, and, if appropriate, organization 
of the commenter. Submit electronic comments in WordPerfect, Microsoft 
Word, PDF, or ASCII file format, and avoid the use of special 
characters or any form of encryption.
     Postal Mail: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department of 
Energy, Building Technologies Program, Mailstop EE-5B, Framework 
Document for Commercial Prerinse Spray Valves, Docket No. EERE-2014-BT-
STD-0027 and/or RIN 1904-AD31, 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 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, Sixth Floor, 950 L'Enfant 
Plaza SW., Washington, DC 20024. Telephone: (202) 586-2945. If 
possible, please submit all items on a CD, in which case it is not 
necessary to include printed copies.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and docket number and/or RIN for this rulemaking. No telefacsimilies 
(faxes) will be accepted.
    Docket: The docket is available for review at http://www.regulations.gov, and will include Federal Register notices, 
framework document, notice of proposed rulemaking, public meeting 
attendee lists and transcripts, comments, and other supporting 
documents/materials throughout the rulemaking process. The 
regulations.gov Web page contains simple instructions on how to access 
all documents, including public comments, in the docket. The docket can 
be accessed by searching for docket number EERE-2014-BT-STD-0027 on the 
regulations.gov Web site. 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.
    For information on how to submit a comment, review other public 
comments and the docket, or participate in the public meeting, contact 
Ms. Brenda Edwards at (202) 586-2945 or by email: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
John Cymbalsky, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency 
and Renewable Energy, Building Technologies Program, EE-5B, 1000 
Independence Avenue SW.,

[[Page 54214]]

Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone: (202) 287-1692. Email: 
[email protected].
Celia Sher, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the General Counsel, 
GC-71, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. 
Telephone: 202-287-6122. Email: [email protected].

    For information on how to submit or review public comments and on 
how to participate in the public meeting, contact Ms. Brenda Edwards, 
U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable 
Energy, Building Technologies Program, EE-5B, 1000 Independence Avenue 
SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone (202) 586-2945. Email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title III, Part B \1\ of the Energy Policy 
and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA or the Act), Public Law 94-163, (42 
U.S.C. 6291-6309, as codified) established the Energy Conservation 
Program for Consumer Products Other Than Automobiles, a program 
covering major household appliances (collectively referred to as 
``covered products'').\2\ EPCA authorizes DOE to establish 
technologically feasible, economically justified energy conservation 
standards for covered products or equipment that would be likely to 
result in significant national energy savings. (42 U.S.C. 
6295(o)(2)(B)(i)(I)-(VII))
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ For editorial reasons, upon codification in the U.S. Code, 
Part B was redesignated Part A.
    \2\ All references to EPCA in this document refer to the statute 
as amended through the American Energy Manufacturing Technical 
Corrections Act (AEMTCA), Public Law 112-210 (Dec. 18, 2012).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT 2005) expanded EPCA by 
establishing energy conservation standards for commercial prerinse 
spray valves, the subject of this notice. (42 U.S.C. 6295(dd)). The 
existing energy conservation standards for commercial prerinse spray 
valves can be found at 10 CFR 431.266 and are applicable to commercial 
prerinse spray valve units manufactured on or after January 1, 2006. 
This standard was placed in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) as 
part of a technical amendment final rule in October 2005 that placed 
energy conservation standards, test procedures, and related definitions 
prescribed by Congress into the CFR. 70 FR 60407 (Oct. 18, 2005). Under 
42 U.S.C. 6295(m)(1), within 6 years after issuance of any final rule 
establishing or amending a standard, DOE is required to publish a 
notice determining whether to amend such standards. If DOE determines 
that amendment is warranted, DOE must also issue a notice of proposed 
rulemaking including new proposed energy conservation standards by that 
same date. (42 U.S.C. 6295(m)(l)). Therefore, this rulemaking satisfies 
the requirement under 42 U.S.C. 6295(m)(1) for DOE to review the 
existing standards for commercial prerinse spray valves.
    DOE has prepared the Framework Document to explain the relevant 
issues, analyses, and processes it anticipates using when considering 
amended energy conservation standards for commercial prerinse spray 
valves. The focus of the public meeting noted above will be to discuss 
the information presented and issues identified in the Framework 
Document. At the public meeting, DOE will make presentations and invite 
discussion on the rulemaking process as it applies to commercial 
prerinse spray valves. DOE will also solicit comments, data, and 
information from participants and other interested parties.
    DOE is planning to conduct in-depth technical analyses in the 
following areas: (1) Engineering; (2) energy use; (3) product price; 
(4) life-cycle cost and payback period; (5) national impacts; (6) 
manufacturer impacts; (7) emission impacts; (8) utility impacts; (9) 
employment impacts; and (10) regulatory impacts. DOE will also conduct 
several other analyses that support those previously listed, including 
the market and technology assessment, the screening analysis (which 
contributes to the engineering analysis), and the shipments analysis 
(which contributes to the national impact analysis).
    DOE encourages those who wish to participate in the public meeting 
to obtain the Framework Document and to be prepared to discuss its 
contents. A copy of the Framework Document is available at: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/rulemaking.aspx?ruleid=100.
    Public meeting participants need not limit their comments to the 
issues identified in the Framework Document. DOE is also interested in 
comments on other relevant issues that participants believe would 
affect energy conservation standards for these products, applicable 
test procedures, or the preliminary determination on the scope of 
coverage. DOE invites all interested parties, whether or not they 
participate in the public meeting, to submit in writing by October 27, 
2014, comments and information on matters addressed in the Framework 
Document and on other matters relevant to DOE's consideration of 
coverage of and standards for commercial prerinse spray valves.
    The public meeting will be conducted in an informal, facilitated, 
conference style. There shall be no discussion of proprietary 
information, costs or prices, market shares, or other commercial 
matters regulated by U.S. antitrust laws. A court reporter will record 
the proceedings of the public meeting, after which a transcript will be 
available for purchase from the court reporter and placed on the DOE 
Web site at: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/rulemaking.aspx?ruleid=100.
    After the public meeting and the close of the comment period on the 
Framework Document, DOE will collect data, conduct the analyses as 
discussed in the Framework Document and at the public meeting, and 
review the public comments it receives.
    DOE considers public participation to be a very important part of 
the process for determining whether to amend energy conservation 
standards and, if so, in setting those amended standards. DOE actively 
encourages the participation and interaction of the public during the 
comment period at each stage of the rulemaking process. Beginning with 
the Framework Document, and during each subsequent public meeting and 
comment period, interactions with and among members of the public 
provide a balanced discussion of the issues to assist DOE in the 
standards rulemaking process. Accordingly, anyone who wishes to 
participate in the public meeting, receive meeting materials, or be 
added to the DOE mailing list to receive future notices and information 
about this rulemaking should contact Ms. Brenda Edwards at (202) 586-
2945, or via email at [email protected].

    Issued in Washington, DC, on September 4, 2014.
Kathleen B. Hogan,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency, Energy Efficiency and 
Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. 2014-21687 Filed 9-10-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P