[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 5 (Friday, January 7, 2022)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 890-891]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-28542]
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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. 87, No. 5 / Friday, January 7, 2022 /
Proposed Rules
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
10 CFR Parts 429 and 430
[EERE-2020-BT-TP-0012]
RIN 1904-AE49
Energy Conservation Program: Test Procedures for Battery
Chargers; Extension of Comment Period
AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking; extension of public comment
period.
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SUMMARY: On November 23, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy (``DOE'')
published a notice of proposed rulemaking and request for comment
proposing to amend the test procedures for battery chargers to improve
test procedure representativeness. The document provided a comment
period deadline for submitting written comments, data, and information
by January 24, 2022. DOE received a joint request from interested
parties seeking a 30-day extension of the public comment period. DOE
has reviewed this request and is granting an extension of the public
comment period for 14 days to allow public comments to be submitted
until February 7, 2022.
DATES: The comment period for the proposal published on November 23,
2021 (86 FR 66878) is extended. DOE will accept comments, data, and
information regarding this proposal that are received no later than
February 7, 2022.
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-2020-BT-TP-0012,
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-2020-BT-TP-0012 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 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-2020-BT-TP-0012. 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-5B,
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 November 23, 2021, the U.S. Department of
Energy (``DOE'') published a notice of proposed rulemaking and request
for comment proposing to amend the test procedures for battery chargers
to improve test procedure representativeness. 86 FR 66878. The proposal
would: Establish a new appendix Y1 that would expand coverage of
inductive wireless battery chargers and establish associated
definitions and test provisions; establish a new test procedure
approach that relies on separate metrics for active mode, stand-by, and
off-mode (consequently removing the battery charger usage profiles and
unit energy consumption calculation); and update the wall adapter
selection criteria. DOE also proposed changes to appendix Y to
reorganize two subsections, to clarify symbology and references, to
correct an incorrect cross reference and section title, to update the
list of battery chemistries, and to terminate an existing test
procedure waiver because the covered subject models have been
discontinued. DOE further proposed to mirror these changes in the newly
proposed appendix Y1. DOE is seeking comment from interested parties on
the proposals. The document provided an opportunity for submitting
written comments, data, and information by January 24, 2022.
On December 16, 2021, DOE received a joint request from the
Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, Consumer Technology
Association, Information Technology Industry Council, National
Electrical Manufacturers Association, Outdoor Power Equipment
Institute, Plumbing Manufacturers Institute, and Power Tool Institute
requesting a 30-day extension of the period comment period. These joint
requesters noted that the comment period occurred during the
Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years holidays and because of vacation
schedules, it has been difficult to gather members for meetings to
review the proposal and develop meaningful
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comment. The joint request also noted that additional time is needed to
fully evaluate the significant and complex changes, including new
metrics, being proposed and that the statutory deadline for battery
chargers is not in danger of being missed. (Joint Requesters, No. 17 at
p. 1).\1\
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\1\ The parenthetical reference provides a reference to the
comment extension request in DOE's rulemaking docket. (Docket No.
EERE-2020-BT-TP-0012, which is maintained at www.regulations.gov/comment/EERE-2020-BT-TP-0012-0017). The references are arranged as
follows: (Commenter name, comment docket ID number, page of that
document).
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DOE has reviewed the request from these interested parties and has
decided to extend the comment period to allow additional time for
interested parties to submit comments. DOE has determined that an
extension of 14 days is sufficient for this stage of the rulemaking.
Therefore, DOE is extending the comment period until February 7, 2022.
Signing Authority
This document of the Department of Energy was signed on December
28, 2021, by Kelly Speakes-Backman, Principal Deputy 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 December 30, 2021.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2021-28542 Filed 1-6-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P