[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 83 (Monday, May 1, 2023)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 26511-26512]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-09019]


 ========================================================================
 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. 88, No. 83 / Monday, May 1, 2023 / Proposed 
Rules  

[[Page 26511]]



DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

10 CFR Part 430

[EERE-2017-BT-STD-0014]
RIN 1904-AD98


Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for 
Residential Clothes Washers; Extension of Public Comment Period

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

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking; extension of public comment 
period.

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

SUMMARY: On March 3, 2023, the U.S. Department of Energy (``DOE'') 
published a notice of proposed rulemaking (``NOPR'') and announcement 
of public meeting proposing amended energy conservation standards for 
residential clothes washers (``RCWs'') and announcing a public meeting 
to receive comment on the proposed standards and associated analyses 
and results. (``March 2023 NOPR'') The notice provided an opportunity 
for submitting written comments, data, and information by May 2, 2023. 
On April 15, 2023, DOE received a request from the Association of Home 
Appliance Manufacturers (``AHAM'') to extend the written comment 
period. DOE has reviewed this request and is granting a 15-day 
extension of the public comment period to allow comments to be 
submitted until May 17, 2023.

DATES: The comment period for the NOPR published on March 3, 2023 (88 
FR 13520) is extended. Written comments and information regarding the 
NOPR will be accepted on or before May 17, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are encouraged to submit comments using 
the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov under docket 
number EERE-2017-BT-STD-0014. Follow the instructions for submitting 
comments. Alternatively, interested persons may submit comments, 
identified by docket number EERE-2017-BT-STD-0014, by any of the 
following methods:
    Email: [email protected]. Include the 
docket number EERE-2017-BT-STD-0014 in the subject line of the message.
    Postal Mail: Appliance and Equipment Standards Program, U.S. 
Department of Energy, Building Technologies Office, Mailstop EE-5B, 
1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121. If possible, 
please submit all items on a compact disc (``CD''), in which case it is 
not necessary to include printed copies.
    Hand Delivery/Courier: Appliance and Equipment Standards Program, 
U.S. Department of Energy, Building Technologies Office, 950 L'Enfant 
Plaza SW, 6th Floor, Washington, DC 20024. Telephone: (202) 287-1445. 
If possible, please submit all items on a CD, in which case it is not 
necessary to include printed copies.
    No telefacsimiles (``faxes'') will be accepted.
    Docket: The docket for this activity, which includes Federal 
Register notices, public meeting attendee lists and transcripts (if a 
public meeting is held), 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, not all documents listed in the index may be publicly 
available, such as information that is exempt from public disclosure.
    The docket web page can be found at www.regulations.gov/docket/EERE-2017-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: 
    Dr. Carl Shapiro, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building Technologies Office, Mailstop 
EE-5B, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121. 
Telephone: (202) 287-5649. Email: 
[email protected].
    Ms. Melanie Lampton, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the 
General Counsel, Mail Stop GC-33, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence 
Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585-0103. Telephone: (240) 751-5157. Email: 
[email protected].
    For further information on how to submit a comment, review other 
public comments and the docket, or participate in the public meeting, 
contact the Appliance and Equipment Standards Program staff at (202) 
287-1445 or by email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 29, 2021, DOE published a 
notification of the availability of a preliminary technical support 
document for RCWs (``September 2021 Preliminary Analysis''). 86 FR 
53886. In that notification, DOE sought comment on the analytical 
framework, models, and tools that DOE used to evaluate potential 
standards for RCWs. Id. On October 29, 2021, DOE extended the comment 
period for the September 2021 Preliminary Analysis by an additional 45 
days. 86 FR 59889. DOE subsequently published a notification of data 
availability (``NODA'') on April 13, 2022, presenting the results of 
additional testing conducted in furtherance of the development of the 
translations between the current test procedure and the proposed new 
test procedure. 87 FR 21816 (``April 2022 NODA''). On May 19, 2022, DOE 
reopened the comment period for the April 2022 NODA and provided 
additional information in response to stakeholder questions. 87 FR 
30433. On March 3, 2023, the DOE published a NOPR proposing amended 
energy conservation standards for residential clothes washers. 88 FR 
13520. The March 2023 NOPR announced a public meeting to receive 
comment on the proposed standards and provided for the written 
submission of comments by May 2, 2023. Id.
    On April 15, 2023, DOE received a request from AHAM to extend the 
written comment period on the March 2023 NOPR by 20 days. AHAM stated 
that it was reviewing DOE's responses to other stakeholders' comments, 
including comments requesting that DOE consider an equation-based 
approach for energy conservation standards. AHAM noted that while DOE 
did not propose such an approach, DOE indicated a willingness to 
consider it, and AHAM requires additional time to review and analyze 
how such an approach could work and provide DOE

[[Page 26512]]

with substantive feedback. (AHAM, No. 89).
    In response to the September 2021 Preliminary Analysis, the 
California investor-owned utilities (``CA IOUs'') stated that they were 
supportive of an equation-based metric that can account for the 
efficiency differences related to capacity. (CA IOUs, No. 43 at pp. 3-
4). In the March 2023 NOPR, DOE did not propose equation-based 
standards, but noted that given the close relationship between 
efficiency and capacity, DOE continues to consider whether to specify 
an equation-based standard for the top-loading standard-size product 
class. 88 FR 13540.
    DOE has reviewed the request and considered the benefit of allowing 
interested parties additional time to submit comments regarding the 
March 2023 NOPR, including feedback on an equation-based approach for 
energy conservation standards, for DOE's consideration. Accordingly, 
DOE has determined that an extension of the public comment period is 
appropriate, and is hereby extending the comment period by 15 days, 
until May 17, 2023.

Signing Authority

    This document of the Department of Energy was signed on April 25, 
2023, by Francisco Alejandro Moreno, Acting 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 April 25, 2023.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2023-09019 Filed 4-28-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P