[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 183 (Friday, September 24, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 53013-53014]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-20756]


 ========================================================================
 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. 183 / Friday, September 24, 2021 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 53013]]



DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

10 CFR Part 430

[EERE-2019-BT-TP-0021]
RIN 1904-AE75


Energy Conservation Program: Test Procedures for Consumer 
Products; Early Assessment Review; Faucets and Showerheads

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

ACTION: Request for information; extension of public comment period.

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

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (``DOE'') is extending the 
public comment period for the early assessment request for information 
(``RFI'') regarding proposals to amend the test procedures for faucets 
and showerheads. DOE published the RFI in the Federal Register on 
September 2, 2021, establishing a 32-day public comment period ending 
October 4, 2021. On September 9, 2021, DOE received a comment 
requesting extension of the comment period to at least 30 days. DOE is 
extending the public comment period for submitting comments and data on 
the RFI document by an additional 15 days, to October 19, 2021, for a 
total of a 47 day comment period.

DATES: The comment period for the RFI published on September 2, 2021 
(86 FR 49261), is extended. DOE will accept comments, data, and 
information regarding this RFI received no later than October 19, 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 by email to the following address: 
[email protected]. Include ``Energy Conservation 
Program: Test Procedures for Consumer Products; Early Assessment 
Review; Faucets and Showerheads'' and docket number EERE-2019-BT-TP-
0021 and/or RIN number 1904-AE75 in the subject line of the message. 
Submit electronic comments in WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, PDF, or 
ASCII file format, and avoid the use of special characters or any form 
of encryption.
    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 corona virus (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.
    No telefacsimilies (faxes) will be accepted.
    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?D=EERE-2019-BT-TP-0021. The docket web page contains 
instructions on how to access all documents, including public comments 
in the docket.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
    Mr. Bryan Berringer, 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) 586-0371. 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 September 2, 2021, DOE published a RFI in 
the Federal Register soliciting public comment on its test procedures 
for faucets and showerheads. 86 FR 49261. Comments were originally due 
on October 4, 2021. On September 9, 2021, DOE received a comment from 
Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI) to extend at least 30 days 
the DOE comment period for the RFI for faucets and showerheads test 
procedure, extending the comment submission deadline from October 4, 
2021 up to November 3, 2021.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ DOE has posted this comment to the docket at 
www.regulations.gov/document/EERE-2019-BT-TP-0021-0002.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    DOE has reviewed the request and considered the benefit to 
stakeholders in providing additional time to review the RFI, and gather 
information/data that DOE is seeking. As noted, the RFI was issued as 
part of the preliminary stage of a rulemaking to consider amendments to 
the energy conservation standards for faucets and showerheads. If DOE 
determines that amended energy conservation standards may be 
appropriate, additional notices will be published (e.g., a notice of 
proposed rulemaking), providing interested parties additional 
opportunity to submit comments. Accordingly, DOE has determined that an 
extension of the comment period is appropriate, and is hereby extending 
the comment period by an additional 15 days, until October 19, 2020 for 
a total of a 47-day comment period.

Signing Authority

    This document of the Department of Energy was signed on September 
19, 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

[[Page 53014]]

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 September 21, 2021.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2021-20756 Filed 9-23-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P