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

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

10 CFR Part 430

[Docket No. EE-RM-90-201]

Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products (Energy

Conservation Standards for Eight Types of Consumers Products)

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

Energy.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking; extending comment period and

scheduling of second public hearing.

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SUMMARY: Due to requests by the Gas Appliance Manufacturers

Association, the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, the

Edison Electric Institute, the Electronic Industries Association, and

the Carolina Power & Light Company, and the large volume of information

contained in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) and in the

Technical Support Document, the Department of Energy (the Department or

DOE) has decided to extend the comment period by 60 days and schedule a

second public hearing. This notice announces that the comment period

which was to be closed on May 18, 1994, will be extended to July 18,

1994, and a second public hearing is scheduled for June 7 and 8, 1994.

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

by July 18, 1994.

Oral views, data, and arguments may be presented at a second public

hearing to be held in Washington, DC, on June 7 and 8, 1994. Requests

to speak at the hearing must be received by the Department no later

than 4 p.m., Friday, May 27, 1994, for the second public hearing. Ten

(10) copies of statements to be given at the public hearing must be

received by the Department no later than 4 p.m., Tuesday, June 1, 1994,

for the second public hearing.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and requests to speak at the public hearing

are to be submitted to: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy

Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Hearings and Dockets, ``Energy

Conservation Program for Consumer Products (Energy Conservation

Standards for Eight Types of Consumer Products)'' (Docket No. EE-RM-90-

201), Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC

20585, (202) 586-0561.

Both hearings will begin at 9:30 a.m., 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 Consumers

Products (Energy Conservation Standards for Eight Types of Consumers

Products),'' (Docket No. EE-RM-90-201), 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:

Carl E. Adams, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency

and Renewable Energy, Mail Station EE-431, Forrestal Building, 1000

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

Eugene Margolis, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of General Counsel,

Mail Station GC-72, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue SW.,

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department published a Notice of

Proposed Rulemaking on March 4, 1994, entitled ``Energy Conservation

Program for Consumer Products (Energy Conservation Standards for Eight

Types of Consumer Products)'' (59 FR 10464).

In its letter of March 14, 1994, to DOE, the Association of Home

Appliance Manufacturers requested postponement of the public hearing,

or scheduling of a second hearing and extension of the deadline for

written comments, based on ``the short time allowed to prepare for the

hearing, and the lack of publication by DOE of information on test

procedures.''

In its letter of March 16, 1994, to DOE, the Gas Appliance

Manufacturers Association requested postponement of the public hearing,

or scheduling of a second public hearing and extension of the deadline

for written comments, stating that given ``the unexpected severity of

DOE's proposed rule, a short interval between publication of the

proposed rule and a public hearing on the proposed rule does not give

GAMA or manufacturers enough time to prepare adequately for the public

hearing.''

In its letter of March 25, 1994, to DOE, the Edison Electric

Institute requested postponement, and a second public hearing and

extension of the deadline for written comments, based on ``the

significance and far-reaching implications of the proposed rule.''

In its letter of March 25, 1994, to DOE, the Electronic Industries

Association requested postponement of the public hearing and extension

of the deadline for written documents. The EIA gave as reasons: ``the

voluminous amount of the Technical Support Document, and the need for

its member companies to obtain input from their regionally-based

engineers.''

In its letter of March 25, 1994, to DOE, the Carolina Power & Light

Company stated as its reason for requesting postponement, a second

hearing and extension of the deadline for written documents that ``the

proposed rule could have significant implications for its company and

the entire electric industry.''

Based on these representations, the Department is extending the

comment period to July 18, 1994, and scheduling a second public hearing

for June 7 and 8, 1994.

Frank M. Stewart, Jr.,

Acting Chief of Staff, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

[FR Doc. 94-9284 Filed 4-18-94; 8:45 am]

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