[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 150 (Monday, August 9, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 43429-43430]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-16828]
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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.
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 150 / Monday, August 9, 2021 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 43429]]
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
10 CFR Part 430
[EERE-2021-BT-STD-0003]
RIN 1904-AF13
Energy Conservation Program for Appliance Standards: Procedures,
Interpretations, and Policies for Consideration in New or Revised
Energy Conservation Standards and Test Procedures for Consumer Products
and Commercial/Industrial Equipment
AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Extension of public comment period.
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SUMMARY: On July 7, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy (``DOE'')
published a notice of proposed rulemaking (``NOPR'') pertaining to
procedures, interpretations, and policies for consideration in new or
revised energy conservation standards and test procedures for consumer
products and commercial/industrial equipment. The notice provided an
opportunity for submitting written comments, data, and information by
August 23, 2021. On July 29, 2021, DOE received a request from the
Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, the Air Conditioning,
Heating, and Refrigeration Institute, and the National Electrical
Manufacturers Association (``Joint Commenters''), to extend the public
comment period to September 13, 2021. DOE has reviewed this request and
is granting an extension of the public comment period to allow public
comments to be submitted until September 13, 2021.
DATES: The comment period for the NOPR published on July 7, 2021 (86 FR
35668) is extended. DOE will accept comments, data, and information
regarding this NOPR on or before September 13, 2021.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are encouraged to submit comments using
the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments. Alternatively, interested persons
may submit comments, identified by docket number EERE-2021-BT-STD-0003
by any of the following methods:
1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
2. Email: To [email protected]. Include docket
number EERE-2021-BT-STD-0003 in the subject line of the message.
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 suspending receipt of
public comments via postal mail and hand delivery/courier. 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, not all
documents listed in the index may be publicly available, such as
information that is exempt from public disclosure.
The docket web page can be found at: www.regulations.gov/docket/EERE-2021-BT-STD-0003. The docket web page contains instructions on how
to access all documents, including public comments, in the docket.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. John Cymbalsky, U.S. Department of
Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building
Technologies Office, EE-5B, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC
20585-0121. Telephone: (202) 287-1692. Email:
[email protected].
Mr. Pete Cochran, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the General
Counsel, GC-33, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121.
Telephone: (202) 586-9496. 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 April 12, 2021, DOE proposed major
revisions to the Department's ``Procedures, Interpretations, and
Policies for Consideration of New or Revised Energy Conservation
Standards and Test Procedures for Consumer Products and Certain
Commercial/Industrial Equipment'' (``Process Rule'') in a notice of
proposed rulemaking that accepted comments on those proposed revisions
through May 27, 2021 (86 FR 18901). In a subsequent NOPR that published
on July 7, 2021, DOE proposed additional revisions to the Process Rule
and requested comment on the proposals and any potential alternatives
(86 FR 35668). These additional proposed revisions are consistent with
current DOE practice and would remove unnecessary obstacles to DOE's
ability to meet its statutory obligations under the Energy Policy and
Conservation Act (``EPCA''). On July 29, 2021, interested parties in
the matter, the Joint Commenters, requested an extension of the public
comment period for the NOPR to September 13, 2021.\1\ The Joint
Commenters asked for this additional time due to their assertion that
the proposed rule is complex and multi-faceted which requires more time
to effectively review it and formulate their comments. The Joint
Commenters also stated that they would need more time after the public
webinar to formulate and submit their comments.
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\1\ The joint commenters submitted the request to DOE via email
and is available in the docket at https://www.regulations.gov/document/EERE-2021-BT-STD-0003-0047.
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DOE has reviewed the request and is extending the comment period to
September 13, 2021 to allow additional
[[Page 43430]]
time for interested parties to submit comments.
Signing Authority
This document of the Department of Energy was signed on August 2,
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 August 3, 2021.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2021-16828 Filed 8-6-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P