Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products (Energy Conservation Standards for Three Types of Consumers Products)

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

10 CFR Part 430

[Docket No. EE-RM-93-801]

Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products (Energy

Conservation Standards for Three Types of Consumers Products)

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

Energy.

Action: Supplemental Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking; extending

comment period and rescheduling public hearing.

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Summary: Because of requests from the Air Conditioning and

Refrigeration Institute, the Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association,

the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, the Association of

Home Appliance Manufacturers, the National Coal Association, the Edison

Electric Institute, the Center for Energy and Economic Development, the

National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, and the Southern

Company, and the complexity of the information contained in the

Supplemental Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the Department of

Energy has decided to extend the comment period by 60 days and

reschedule the public hearing. This notice announces that the comment

period that was to be closed on December 6, 1994, will be extended to

February 6, 1995, and the public hearing that was scheduled for

November 17, 1994, will be held on January 19, 1995.

DATES: Written comments in response to this document must be received

by February 6, 1995. Oral views, data, and arguments may be presented

at a public hearing to be held in Washington, D.C., on January 19,

1995. Requests to speak at the public hearing must be received by the

Department no later than 4 p.m. Monday, January 9, 1995. Ten copies of

statements to be given at the public hearing must be received by the

Department no later than 4 p.m., Friday, January 13, 1995.

The length of each presentation is limited to 20 minutes.

ADDRESSES: Written comments, oral statements, requests to speak at the

hearing, and requests for speaker lists are to be submitted to: U.S.

Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy,

EE-431, Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products, Docket No.

EE-RM-93-801, Room 5E-066, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence

Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-9127.

The hearing will begin at 9:30 a.m., on January 19, 1995, and will

be held at the U.S. Department of Energy, Forrestal Building, Room 1E-

245, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC.

Requests may be hand delivered to such address between the hours of

8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

Requests should be labeled ``Energy Conservation Program for Consumer

Products (Energy Conservation Standards for Three Types of Consumers

Products),'' (Docket No. EE-RM-93-801) both on the document and on the

envelope.

Copies of the transcript of the public hearing and public comments

received may be read and/or photocopied at the DOE Freedom of

Information Reading Room, U.S. Department of Energy, Forrestal

Building, Room 1E-190, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC,

20585, (202) 586-6020 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday

through Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Dr. Barry P. Berlin, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy

Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Mail Station EE-43, Forrestal

Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585, (202)

586-9127

Eugene Margolis, Esq., U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the General

Counsel, Mail Station GC-72, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence

Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-9507

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department published a Supplementary

Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (SANOPR) on October 7, 1994,

entitled ``Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products:

Supplemental Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Regarding Energy

Conservation Standards for Three Types of Consumer Products.'' (59 FR

51140).

In earlier Advance Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (Docket Nos. CE-

RM-93-801 and EE-RM-94-403), the Department expressed its intention to

consider more explicitly environmental and energy security

externalities in the development of future appliance efficiency

standards. In this regard, the Department indicated that it would

attempt to establish monetary values for these externalities if a sound

analytical basis could be found. The Supplemental Advance Notice

identified and requested comment on issues surrounding possible

analytical bases for such externality values.

While the Supplemental Advance Notice is referenced in advance

notices affecting two rulemakings, the Department welcomes comments

from all parties interested in the energy conservation program for

consumer products. DOE requests that interested parties focus their

comments on the use of externalities in the development of appliance

standards, rather than on the merits of considering externalities in

formulating other regulations or energy-related policies more

generally.

The Department emphasizes that it has not reached conclusions on

the analytical issues raised in the Supplemental Advance Notice and

that public comments on these issues will assist the Department in

determining whether a sound analytical basis exists for establishing

monetary values for externalities that might be used in developing

appliance efficiency standards.

In their letter of October 25, 1994, to the Department, the Air

Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute, Gas Appliance Manufacturers

Association, National Electrical Manufacturers Association, and

Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers had requested that the

Department withdraw the SANOPR because of alleged legal, theoretical,

and practical difficulties with proceeding with it. Failing that, their

letter requested that the Department postpone the hearing date and

extend the close of the comment period.

In its letter of October 26, 1994, to the Department, the National

Coal Association cited the complexity of the issues raised in the

SANOPR, involving ``economic theory,'' the correct role of regulatory

process in the U.S., and the scientific basis for the proposed acting,

among other things, and requested extending the comment period to

February 6, 1995, and rescheduling the hearing for January 16, 1995.

In its letter of October 27, 1994, to the Department, the Edison

Electric Institute cited the need for additional time to evaluate the

questions raised by the SANOPR, and also suggested extending the

comment period to February 6, 1995.

In its letter of October 28, 1994, to the Department, the Center

for Energy and Economic Development cited the complexity of the issues

raised by the SANOPR, and requested extending the comment period to

February 6, 1995.

In its letter of October 28, 1994, the National Rural Electric

Cooperative Association noted that the issue raised by the SANOPR is

highly controversial and complex, and requested an extension of the

comment period to have time to ``gather sufficient and pertinent

information to be of service to DOE.''

In its letter of November 1, 1994, to the Department, the Southern

Company noted that the SANOPR raises ``numerous and far reaching issues

that will impact our electric customers and shareholders,'' and

requested that the Department extend the comment period to February 6,

1995, and postpone the public hearing for at least thirty days (from

November 17, 1994).

Based on these representations, the Department is extending the

comment period to February 6, 1995, and rescheduling the hearing for

January 19, 1995. This Notice is being published in the Federal

Register after November 17, 1994, the originial date of the hearing.

Prior thereto, the Department contacted by telephone all parties that

requested to speak at the hearing and informed them of the rescheduled

date.

Issued in Washington, D.C., November 18, 1994.

Peter S. Fox-Penner,

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable

Energy.

[FR Doc. 94-28944 Filed 11-22-94; 8:45 am]

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