[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 246 (Monday, December 23, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70520-70522]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-27630]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[EERE-2019-BT-PET-0019-0008]


Energy Efficiency Program for Industrial Equipment: Interim 
Determination Classifying North Carolina Advanced Energy Corporation as 
a Nationally Recognized Certification Program for Electric Motors and 
Small Electric Motors

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

ACTION: Notice of interim determination and request for public 
comments.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces an interim determination classifying 
North Carolina Advanced Energy Corporation as a nationally recognized 
certification program under the Department of Energy's (DOE's) 
regulations regarding recognition of nationally recognized 
certification programs and procedures for recognition and withdrawal of

[[Page 70521]]

recognition of accreditation bodies and certification programs for 
electric and small electric motors.

DATES: DOE will accept comments, data, and information with respect to 
the Advanced Energy Petition until January 22, 2020.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number ``EERE-
2019-BT-PET-0019-0008,'' 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 and/or RIN in the subject line of the message.
    Postal Mail: Appliance and Equipment Standards Program, U.S. 
Department of Energy, Building Technologies Office, Mailstop EE-5B, 
1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC, 20585-0121. Telephone: 
(202) 287-1445. If possible, please submit all items on a compact disc 
(``CD''), in which case it is not necessary to include printed copies.
    No telefacsimilies (faxes) will be accepted.
    Hand Delivery/Courier: Appliance and Equipment Standards Program, 
U.S. Department of Energy, Building Technologies Office, 950 L'Enfant 
Plaza, SW, Suite 600, Washington, DC, 20024. Telephone: (202) 287-1445. 
If possible, please submit all items on a CD, in which case it is not 
necessary to include printed copies.
    Docket: The docket for this activity, which includes Federal 
Register notices, comments, and other supporting documents/materials, 
is available for review at http://www.regulations.gov. All documents in 
the docket are listed in the http://www.regulations.gov index. However, 
some documents listed in the index, such as those containing 
information that is exempt from public disclosure, may not be publicly 
available.
    The docket web page can be found at https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=EERE-2019-BT-PET-0019. The docket web page contains 
instructions on how to access all documents, including public comments, 
in the docket.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jeremy Dommu, U.S. Department of 
Energy, Building Technologies Program, EE-5B, 1000 Independence Avenue 
SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone: (202) 586-9870. Email: 
[email protected].
    Mr. Michael Kido, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the General 
Counsel, GC-33, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585-0103. 
Telephone: (202) 586-8145. Email: [email protected].
    For further information on how to submit a comment, review other 
public comments and the docket, or to request a public meeting, contact 
the Appliance and Equipment Standards Program staff at (202) 287-1445 
or by email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background and Authority

    Part C of Title III of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as 
amended (``EPCA'') contains energy conservation requirements for, among 
other things, electric motors and small electric motors, including test 
procedures, energy efficiency standards, and compliance certification 
requirements. 42 U.S.C. 6311-6316.\1\ Section 345(c) of EPCA directs 
the Secretary of Energy to require manufacturers of electric motors 
``to certify through an independent testing or certification program 
nationally recognized in the United States, that [each electric motor 
subject to EPCA efficiency standards] meets the applicable standard.'' 
42 U.S.C. 6316(c). The United States Department of Energy (``DOE'' or, 
in context, ``the Department'') codified this requirement at 10 CFR 
431.17(a)(5). DOE also established certain compliance testing 
requirements for manufacturers of small electric motors. 77 FR 26608 
(May 4, 2012) Manufacturers of small electric motors have the option of 
either self-certifying the efficiency of their small electric motors or 
they can use a certification program nationally recognized in the U.S 
to certify them. (10 CFR 431.445) DOE developed a regulatory process 
for the recognition, and withdrawal of recognition, for certification 
programs nationally recognized in the U.S. The criteria and procedures 
for national recognition of an energy efficiency certification program 
for electric motors are codified at 10 CFR 431.20--10 CFR 431.21 for 
electric motors and at 10 CFR 431.447--10 CFR 431.448 for small 
electric motors. Each step of the process and evaluation criteria are 
discussed below.
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    \1\ For editorial reasons, upon codification in the U.S. Code, 
Part C was re-designated Part A-1.
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    For a certification program to be classified by DOE as being 
nationally recognized in the United States for the testing and 
certification of electric motors and small electric motors, the 
organization operating the program must submit a petition to the 
Department requesting such classification, in accordance with the 
aforementioned sections.
    For the Department to grant such a petition, the petitioner's 
certification program must:
    (1) Have satisfactory standards and procedures for conducting and 
administering a certification system, and for granting a certificate of 
conformity;
    (2) Be independent of electric motor and small electric motor 
manufacturers (as applicable), importers, distributors, private 
labelers or vendors;
    (3) Be qualified to operate a certification system in a highly 
competent manner; and
    (4) Be expert in the following test procedures and methodologies:
    (a) For electric motors, it must be expert in the content and 
application of the test procedures and methodologies in IEEE Std 112-
2004 Test Method B or CSA C390-10. It must have satisfactory criteria 
and procedures for the selection and sampling of electric motors tested 
for energy efficiency. (10 CFR 431.20(b)); and
    (b) For small electric motors, it must be expert in the content and 
application of the test procedures and methodologies in IEEE Std 112-
2004 Test Methods A and B, IEEE Std 114-2010, CSA C390-10, and CSA 
C747, or similar procedures and methodologies for determining the 
energy efficiency of small electric motors. It must have satisfactory 
criteria and procedures for the selection and sampling of electric 
motors tested for energy efficiency. (10 CFR 431.447(b))
    The petition requesting classification as a nationally recognized 
certification program must contain a narrative statement explaining why 
the organization meets the above criteria, be accompanied by 
documentation that supports the narrative statement, and be signed by 
an authorized representative. (10 CFR 431.20(c), and 10 CFR 
431.447(c)).

II. Discussion

    Pursuant to Sec. Sec.  431.20, 431.21, 431.447 and 431.448, on 
February 11, 2019, North Carolina Advanced Energy Corporation 
Efficiency Verification Services (``Advanced Energy'') submitted to DOE 
a Petition for Recognition related to the group's motor efficiency 
verification services. That petition, titled, ``Energy Efficiency 
Evaluation of Electric Motors and Small Electric Motors to US 
Department of Energy Regulations as stipulated in 10 CFR part 431, 
subpart B and Subpart X'' (``Petition'' or ``Advanced Energy 
Petition''), was accompanied by a cover letter from Advanced Energy to 
the

[[Page 70522]]

Department containing four separate sections including individual 
narrative statements--(1) Standards and Procedures, (2) Independent 
Status, (3) Qualification of Advanced Energy to Operate a Certification 
System, and (4) Expertise in Electric Motor Test Procedures. The 
petition included supporting documentation on these subjects. The 
Department is required to publish in the Federal Register such 
petitions for public notice and solicitation of comments, data and 
information as to whether the Petition should be granted. 10 CFR 
431.21(b) and 10 CFR 431.448(b). In accordance with requirements in 10 
CFR 431.21(b) and 10 CFR 431.448(b), DOE published Advanced Energy's 
petition in the Federal Register on July 8, 2019 and requested public 
comments. 84 FR 32437.
    In response to the notice of petition, DOE did not receive any 
comments. In addition, based on DOE's review of Advanced Energy's 
certification program, DOE has tentatively determined that Advanced 
Energy meets the requirements at 10 CFR 431.20-10 CFR 431.21 for 
electric motors and at 10 CFR 431.447-10 CFR 431.448 for small electric 
motors because they (1) have satisfactory standards and procedures for 
conducting and administering a certification system, (2) are 
independent of electric motor and small electric motor manufacturers, 
and (3) have expertise with both the electric motors and small electric 
motors test procedures. Therefore, after reviewing the materials 
submitted by Advanced Energy and comparing them against the required 
criteria under the relevant regulations, DOE finds no specific cause to 
reject Advanced Energy's request for recognition as a nationally 
recognized certification program for electric motors and small electric 
motors.
    The Department hereby announces its interim determination pursuant 
to 10 CFR 431.21(d) and 10 CFR 431.448(d) that Advanced Energy is 
classified as a nationally recognized certification program for 
electric motors and small electric motors and will accept comments on 
this interim determination until January 22, 2020. Any person 
submitting written comments to DOE with respect to the Advanced Energy 
Petition must also, at the same time, send a copy of such comments to 
Advanced Energy. As provided under Sec. Sec.  431.21(c) and 431.448(c), 
Advanced Energy may submit to the Department a written response to any 
such comments. After receiving any such comments and responses, the 
Department will issue a final determination on the Advanced Energy 
Petition, in accordance with Sec.  431.21(e), and Sec.  431.448(e) of 
10 CFR part 431.

    Signed in Washington, DC, on December 6, 2019.
Alexander N. Fitzsimmons,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency, Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. 2019-27630 Filed 12-20-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6450-01-P