[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 23 (Tuesday, February 4, 2020)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 6102-6103]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-02122]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

10 CFR Parts 429 and 430

[EERE-2019-BT-TP-0012]
RIN 1904-AD86


Energy Conservation Program: Test Procedure for External Power 
Supplies

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

ACTION: Extension of public comment period.

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

SUMMARY: On December 6, 2019, the U.S. Department of Energy published a 
proposal to amend the test procedures for external power supplies. The 
proposal provided an opportunity for submitting written comments, data, 
and information by February 4, 2020. On January 21, 2020, DOE received 
a request from the USB Implementers Forum, Inc. to extend the public 
comment period by 14 days. DOE has reviewed this request and is 
granting the 14-day extension.

[[Page 6103]]


DATES: The comment period for the NOPR published on December 6, 2019 
(84 FR 67106) is extended. DOE will accept comments, data, and 
information regarding this request for information received no later 
than February 18, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are encouraged to submit comments using 
the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow 
the instructions for submitting comments. Alternatively, interested 
persons may submit comments, identified by docket number EERE-2019-BT-
TP-2012, by any of the following methods:
    (1) Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow 
the instructions for submitting comments.
    (2) Email: [email protected]. Include the docket number 
EERE-2019-BT-TP-2012 or regulatory information number (RIN) 1904-AD86 
in the subject line of the message.
    (3) 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.
    (4) 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.
    No telefacsimilies (faxes) will be accepted. For detailed 
instructions on submitting written comments and additional information 
on the rulemaking process, see section V of the proposal published on 
December 6, 2019.
    Docket: The docket, which includes Federal Register notices, public 
meeting attendee lists and transcripts, 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 http://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=EERE-2019-BT-TP-0012. The 
docket web page will contain simple 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, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building 
Technologies Office, EE-2J, 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 20585-0121. 
Telephone: (202) 586-8145. Email: [email protected].
    For further information on how to submit a comment or review other 
public comments and the docket contact the Appliance and Equipment 
Standards Program staff at (202) 287-1445 or by email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 6, 2019, DOE published a notice 
of proposed rulemaking (``NOPR'') to revise its test procedure for 
testing the energy efficiency of a regulated external power supply 
(``EPS''). 84 FR 67106. The NOPR raised a variety of definitional 
issues, including the possibility of adding a definition for 
``commercial and industrial power supply'' to DOE's regulations to 
differentiate between EPSs and other non-consumer power supplies that 
are not subject to the test procedure. The proposal also sought 
feedback on how to address an adaptive EPS that conforms to the 
Universal Serial Bus Power Delivery (``USB-PD EPS'') specifications in 
a manner more representative of its actual use. Further, the NOPR 
sought feedback regarding proposed instructions for testing single-
voltage EPSs that have multiple output busses. Lastly, DOE proposed to 
reorganize the test procedure to centralize definitions, consolidate 
generally applicable requirements, and better delineate requirements 
for single-voltage, multiple-voltage, and adaptive EPSs.
    The USB Implementers Forum, Inc. (``USB-IF''), an organization 
supporting the advancement and adoption of USB technology, requested a 
two-week extension of the public comment period for the NOPR (USB-IF, 
No. 6, at p. 1) on January 21, 2020.
    DOE believes that extending the comment period to allow additional 
time for interested parties to submit comments is appropriate. 
Therefore, DOE is extending the comment period until February 18, 2020, 
to provide interested parties additional time to prepare and submit 
comments. Comments received between the original February 4, 2020, 
closing date and the new February 18, 2020, closing date are considered 
timely filed. Therefore, individuals who submitted late comments during 
the original comment period do not need to re-submit comments.

    Signed in Washington, DC, on January 27, 2020.
Alexander N. Fitzsimmons,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency, Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. 2020-02122 Filed 2-3-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P