[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 100 (Wednesday, May 26, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 28298-28299]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-10883]
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Proposed Rules
Federal Register
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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.
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 100 / Wednesday, May 26, 2021 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 28298]]
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
10 CFR Parts 429 and 431
[EERE-2016-BT-STD-0004]
RIN 1904-AD61 and 1904-AD77
Energy Conservation Program: Test Procedure and Energy
Conservation Standards for Circulator Pumps and Small Vertical In-Line
Pumps
AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Request for information; extension of public comment period.
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SUMMARY: On May 7, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy (``DOE'')
published a request for information (``RFI'') restarting rulemaking
activities to consider potential test procedures and energy
conservation standards for circulator pumps and small vertical in-line
pumps. The notification provided an opportunity for submitting written
comments, data, and information by July 6, 2021. DOE received requests
from Grundfos, the Hydraulic Institute (``HI''), and Taco, Inc. on May
7, 2021, May 10, 2021, and May 14, 2021, respectively, asking DOE to
extend the public comment period until August 30, 2021. Additionally,
DOE received a request from Xylem Inc. to extend the comment period
until September 30, 2021. On May 14, 2021, HI sent a follow-up request
providing more information on why an extension is necessary. DOE has
reviewed these requests and is granting an extension of the public
comment period to allow public comments to be submitted until July 30,
2021.
DATES: The comment period for the RFI published on May 7, 2021 (86 FR
24516) is extended. DOE will accept comments, data, and information
regarding this RFI received no later than July 30, 2021.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are encouraged to submit comments using
the Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://www.regulations.gov. Follow
the instructions for submitting comments. Alternatively, interested
persons may submit comments by email to the following address:
[email protected]. Include ``Circulator Pumps RFI'' and docket
number EERE-2016-BT-STD-0004 and/or RIN number 1904-AD61 in the subject
line of the message. Submit electronic comments in WordPerfect,
Microsoft Word, PDF, or ASCII file format, and the use of special
characters or any form of encryption. No telefacsimilies (``faxes'')
will be accepted.
Although DOE has routinely accepted public comment submissions
through a variety of mechanisms, including postal mail and hand
delivery/courier, the Department has found it necessary to make
temporary modifications to the comment submission process in light of
the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. DOE is currently accepting only
electronic submissions at this time. If a commenter finds that this
change poses an undue hardship, please contact Appliance Standards
Program staff at (202) 586-1445 to discuss the need for alternative
arrangements. Once the Covid-19 pandemic health emergency is resolved,
DOE anticipates resuming all of its regular options for public comment
submission, including postal mail and hand delivery/courier.
Docket: The docket for this activity, which includes Federal
Register notices, comments, and other supporting documents/materials,
is available for review at www.regulations.gov. All documents in the
docket are listed in the 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: www.regulations.gov/docket/EERE-2016-BT-STD-0004. 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, 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].
Ms. Amelia Whiting, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the General
Counsel, GC-33, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121.
Telephone: (202) 586-2588. 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 May 7, 2021, DOE published an RFI seeking
data and information regarding development and evaluation of new test
procedures that would be reasonably designed to produce test results
which reflect energy use during a representative average use cycle for
the equipment without being unduly burdensome to conduct. Additionally,
the RFI solicited information regarding the development and evaluation
of potential new energy conservation standards for circulator pumps and
small vertical in-line pumps, and whether such standards would result
in significant energy savings and be technologically feasible and
economically justified. 86 FR 24516, 24516. Interested parties in the
matter, Grundfos (on May 7, 2021), HI (on May 10, 2021), Xylem Inc. (on
May 11, 2021), and Taco, Inc. (on May 14, 2021), requested an extension
of the public comment period for the RFI. (Grundfos, No. 105 at p. 1;
HI, No. 106 at p. 1; Xylem Inc., No. 107, at p. 1; Taco, Inc., No. 108,
at p. 1).\1\ Grundos, HI, Xylem Inc., and Taco, Inc. commented that the
July 6, 2021 deadline is insufficient to collect the data and
information requested because the pump industry is already tasked with
responding to a separate RFI on Commercial and Industrial pumps in
which comments are due on July 1, 2021. (Grundos, No. 105 at p. 1; HI,
No. 106 at p. 1; Xylem Inc., No. 107 at p. 1; Taco, Inc., No 108 at p.
1) HI submitted a subsequent request on May 14, 2021 further
[[Page 28299]]
detailing the reasons that necessitate the extension request. (HI, No.
109, page 1.).
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\1\ The parenthetical reference provides a reference for
information located in DOE's rulemaking docket. (Docket No. EERE-
2016-BT-STD-0004, which is maintained at www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=EERE-2016-BT-STD-0004). The references are arranged
as follows: (Commenter name, comment docket ID number, page of that
document).
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DOE has reviewed the requests and is extending the comment period
to allow additional time for interested parties to submit comments. As
noted, the RFI was issued as part of the preliminary stages of
rulemaking to consider amendments to the test procedure and energy
conservation standards for circulator pumps and vertical in-line pumps.
If DOE determines that amended test procedures and/or energy
conservation standards may be appropriate, additional notifications
will be published (e.g., a notice of proposed rulemaking) providing
interested parties with an additional opportunity to submit comment. As
such, DOE has determined that an extension until the end of July is
sufficient for this preliminary stage. Therefore, DOE is extending the
comment period to July 30, 2021.
Signing Authority
This document of the Department of Energy was signed on May 18,
2021, by Kelly Speakes-Backman, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary
and Acting Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy, pursuant to delegated authority from the Secretary of Energy.
That document with the original signature and date is maintained by
DOE. For administrative purposes only, and in compliance with
requirements of the Office of the Federal Register, the undersigned DOE
Federal Register Liaison Officer has been authorized to sign and submit
the document in electronic format for publication, as an official
document of the Department of Energy. This administrative process in no
way alters the legal effect of this document upon publication in the
Federal Register.
Signed in Washington, DC, on May 19, 2021.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2021-10883 Filed 5-25-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P