[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
 ________________________________________________________________________
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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. 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