[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 176 (Tuesday, September 13, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56044-56045]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-19762]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Notice of Request for Information (RFI) on Collection, 
Transportation, Sorting, Processing and Second Life Applications for 
End-of-Life Lithium Ion Batteries

AGENCY: Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains; Office of 
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; Department of Energy.

ACTION: Request for information.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) invites public comment on 
its request for information (RFI) number DE-FOA-DE-FOA-0002833 to help 
inform DOE's implementation of the lithium-ion battery recycling 
programs funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also 
commonly known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). This RFI 
covers the lithium-ion battery recycling programs described in BIL. 
Specifically, this RFI seeks input on how federal investments can help 
accelerate the collection, transportation, processing, and recycling of 
batteries and scrap materials; enable second-life applications of 
lithium-ion batteries previously used to power electric vehicles; 
support high-quality jobs for American worker; s and how the Program 
can most impactfully support equity, environmental, and energy justice 
principles and priorities.

DATES: Responses to the RFI must be received by October 14, 2022 by 5 
p.m. eastern.

ADDRESSES: Comments to the RFI must be provided in writing. Interested 
parties are to submit their written comments electronically to [email protected] and include ``BIL-Battery Recycling 
RFI'' in the subject line of the email. Email attachments can be 
provided as a Microsoft Word (.docx) file or an Adobe PDF (.pdf) file, 
prepared in accordance with the detailed instructions in the RFI. 
Documents submitted electronically should clearly indicate which topic 
areas and specific questions are being addressed and should be limited 
to no more than 25 MB in size. The complete RFI [DE-FOA-0002833] 
document is located at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Samuel Gillard, (202) 586-8055, [email protected]. Further instructions can be found in 
the RFI document [DE-FOA-0002833] posted on EERE Exchange at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BIL invests $335 million over the five-
year period (Fiscal Years 2022-2026) in the lithium ion battery 
recycling programs outlined in Sections 40207 (e), 40207 (f)(2), 
(f)(3), (f)(4) and 40208. The purpose of this RFI is to solicit 
feedback from industry, manufacturers, minority-owned businesses, 
academia, research laboratories, institutes, government agencies, State 
and local officials, labor unions, Tribes, community-based 
organizations (CBOs), environmental justice organizations, retailers 
and other stakeholders on issues related to design and implementation 
of the Battery Recycling Provisions.
     Section 40207(e) titled Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling 
Prize covers the continuation of the Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling 
Prize Competition for additional rounds after completion of the current 
round.
     Section (f)(2) titled Battery Recycling Research, 
Development, and

[[Page 56045]]

Demonstration Grants will total $60M for FY2022 to FY2026. DOE shall 
award multiyear grants to anticipated eligible entities for research, 
development, and demonstration projects to create innovative and 
practical approaches to increase the reuse and recycling of batteries.
     Section (f)(3) titled State and Local Programs will total 
$50M for the period of FY2022 to FY2026. It is anticipated that DOE 
shall establish a program which will award grants, on a competitive 
basis, to the following anticipated entities of States and units of 
local government to assist in the establishment or enhancement of State 
battery collection, recycling, and reprocessing programs.
     Section (f)(4) titled Retailers As Collection Points will 
total $15M for the period of FY2022 to FY2026. DOE shall award grants, 
on a competitive basis. It is anticipated that these grants will be 
restricted to retailers that sell covered batteries or covered battery-
containing products to establish and implement a system for the 
acceptance and collection of covered batteries and covered battery-
containing products, as applicable, for reuse, recycling, or proper 
disposal.
     Section 40208 titled Electric Drive Vehicle Battery 
Recycling and Second-Life Program will total $200M for the period of 
FY2022 to FY2026. The DOE shall carry out a program of research, 
development, and demonstration of second-life applications for electric 
drive vehicle batteries that have been used to power electric drive 
vehicles; technologies and processes for final recycling and disposal 
of the [electric drive vehicle batteries] Specific questions can be 
found in the RFI. The RFI [DE-FOA-0002833] is available at: https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/.
    Confidential Business Information: Pursuant to 10 CFR 1004.11, any 
person submitting information that he or she believes to be 
confidential and exempt by law from public disclosure should submit via 
email two well-marked copies: one copy of the document marked 
``confidential'' including all the information believed to be 
confidential, and one copy of the document marked ``non-confidential'' 
with the information believed to be confidential deleted. Submit these 
documents via email. DOE will make its own determination about the 
confidential status of the information and treat it according to its 
determination. Further instructions and disclaimers related to the 
disclosure, identification, and handling of proprietary or otherwise 
confidential business information, as well as the full Freedom of 
Information Act disclosure, can be found in the RFI [DE-FOA-0002833], 
available at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/.
    To the extent that the Federal Register Notice conflicts with or 
otherwise contradicts the guidelines set forth in the RFI, the language 
in the RFI is controlling and should be followed
    Signing Authority: This document of the Department of Energy was 
signed on August 31, 2022, by David Howell, Acting Director and 
Principal Deputy Director of the Office of Manufacturing and Energy 
Supply Chains and Director of the Vehicle Technologies Office, Office 
of 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 September 8, 2022.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2022-19762 Filed 9-12-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P