[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 91 (Wednesday, May 11, 2022)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 28782-28783]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-10085]


 ========================================================================
 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. 91 / Wednesday, May 11, 2022 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 28782]]



DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

10 CFR Part 431

[EERE-2022-BT-STD-0014]
RIN 1904-AF39


Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for 
Small Electric Motors; Extension of Comment Period

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

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

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

SUMMARY: On April 20, 2022, the U.S. Department of Energy (``DOE'') 
published a request for information (``RFI'') regarding energy 
conservation standards for small electric motors. The RFI provided an 
opportunity for submitting written comments, data, and information by 
May 20, 2022. DOE received requests from the European Committee of 
Manufacturers of Electrical Machines and Power Electronics on April 29, 
2022, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association on May 3, 2022, 
the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers also on May 3, 2022, 
and the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute on May 
4, 2022, each asking DOE to extend the public comment period for an 
additional 30 days. DOE has reviewed these requests and is granting an 
extension of the public comment period to allow comments to be 
submitted until June 20, 2022.

DATES: The comment period for the RFI published on April 20, 2022 (87 
FR 23471), is extended. DOE will accept comments, data, and information 
regarding the RFI received no later than June 20, 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-2022-BT-STD-0014 
by any of the following methods:
    (1) Federal eRulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments.
    (2) Email: [email protected]. Include the 
docket number EERE-2022-BT-STD-0014 or regulatory information number 
(``RIN'') 1904-AF39 in the subject line of the message.
    No telefacsimiles (``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, 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-2022-BT-STD-0014. 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 April 20, 2022, DOE published an RFI 
undertaking a review to determine whether to amend the current energy 
conservation standards for small electric motors. Specifically, the 
request for information (``RFI'') sought data and information to help 
DOE evaluate whether amended energy conservation standards would result 
in significant savings of energy; be technologically feasible; and be 
economically justified. 87 FR 23471. The RFI set a comment period 
deadline of May 20, 2022.
    Interested parties in the matter, the European Committee of 
Manufacturers of Electrical Machines and Power Electronics (``CEMEP'') 
requested a 30-day extension of the public comment period to review and 
comment on the RFI given the global impact of a highly interconnected 
motor industry (CEMEP, EERE-2022-BT-STD-0014, No. 2 at p. 1). The 
National Electrical Manufacturers Association (``NEMA'') also requested 
a 30-day extension of the public comment period because NEMA staff and 
members of the Motor and Generator product section are wholly-occupied 
with developing responses to, and follow-on items for, the preliminary 
Technical Support Document for Electric Motor energy conservation 
standards (NEMA, EERE-2022-BT-STD-0003, No. 3 at p. 1). Additionally, 
the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (``AHAM'') requested a 
30-day extension because of the overlap with several other rulemakings 
that AHAM has been involved in reviewing and commenting on (AHAM, EERE-
2022-BT-STD-0014, No. 4 at p. 1). Finally, the Air-Conditioning, 
Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (``AHRI'') requested a 30-day 
extension of the comment period due to conflicts with

[[Page 28783]]

several other rulemakings affecting AHRI members (AHRI, EERE-2022-BT-
STD-0014, No. 5 at p. 1).
    DOE has reviewed the requests and is extending the comment period 
to allow additional time for interested parties to submit comments. In 
light of the submitted requests, DOE believes that additional time is 
warranted, and is extending the comment period for 30 additional days, 
as requested. Therefore, comments on this RFI will be accepted until 
June 20, 2022.

Signing Authority

    This document of the Department of Energy was signed on May 5, 
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 May 6, 2022.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2022-10085 Filed 5-10-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P