[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 40 (Tuesday, March 1, 2022)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 11326-11327]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-04188]


 ========================================================================
 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. 87, No. 40 / Tuesday, March 1, 2022 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 11326]]



DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

10 CFR Part 430

[EERE-2021-BT-STD-0035 and EERE-2021-BT-TP-0036]


Energy Conservation Program: Test Procedures and Energy 
Conservation Standards for Consumer Products; Consumer Air Cleaners; 
Reopening of Comment Period

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

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

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SUMMARY: On January 25, 2022, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE or the 
Department) published in the Federal Register a request for information 
(RFI) regarding Test Procedures and Energy Conservation Standards for 
Consumer Air Cleaners. On February 10, 2022, DOE received a joint 
comment from the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), San Diego Gas 
and Electric (SDG&E), Southern California Edison (SCE), the Appliance 
Standards Awareness Project (ASAP), and the Association of Home 
Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), (collectively, the ``Joint 
Commenters''), requesting a 45-day extension of the public comment 
period for the RFI. DOE has reviewed these requests and is reopening 
the public comment period to allow comments to be submitted until April 
10, 2022.

DATES: The comment period for the RFI published in the Federal Register 
on January 25, 2022 (87 FR 3702) is reopened. Written comments, data, 
and information are requested and will be accepted on and before April 
10, 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-2021-BT-STD-0035 
and EERE-2021-BT-TP-0036, by any of the following methods:
    1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments.
    2. Email: to [email protected] or 
[email protected]. Include docket number EERE-2021-BT-
STD-0035 and EERE-2021-BT-TP-0036 in the subject line of the message.
    No telefacsimilies (``faxes'') will be accepted. For detailed 
instructions on submitting comments and additional information on this 
process, see section IV of this document.
    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, 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 pages can be found at: www.regulations.gov/docket/EERE-2021-BT-TP-0036 and www.regulations.gov/docket/EERE-2021-BT-STD-0035. The docket web page contains instructions on how to access all 
documents, including public comments, in the docket.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
    Dr. Stephanie Johnson, 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) 287-1943. 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 January 25, 2022, DOE published in the 
Federal Register a request for information (RFI) Regarding Test 
Procedures and Energy Conservation Standards for Consumer Air Cleaners. 
The RFI provided an opportunity for submitting written comments, data, 
and information on the proposal by February 24, 2022. 87 FR 3702 DOE is 
seeking comment from interested parties on the RFI.
    On February 10, 2022, DOE received a comment extension request from 
the Joint Commenters arguing that further time is needed because they 
are actively engaged in a negotiation regarding the scope, test 
procedure, and energy efficiency standards for consumer air cleaners 
and are working to develop substantive comments to the RFI consistent 
with their discussions.\1\ (Joint Commenters, No. 1 at p. 1)
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    \1\ See www.regulations.gov/comment/EERE-2021-BT-STD-0035-0002.
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    DOE has reviewed the request and is reopening the comment period to 
allow additional time for interested parties to submit comments. The 
RFI was published in the Federal Register on January 25, 2022, and a 
30-day comment period was provided from the date of publication. In 
light of the submitted request, DOE believes that additional time is 
warranted, and that reopening the comment period until April 10, 2022 
is sufficient. Therefore, DOE is reopening the comment period until 
April 10, 2022.

Signing Authority

    This document of the Department of Energy was signed on February 
22,

[[Page 11327]]

2022, by Kelly J. 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 February 23, 2022.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2022-04188 Filed 2-28-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P