Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

10 CFR Part 430

RIN 1904-AA83

Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products

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

Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy today gives notice that copies of the

draft ``Product Data Sheets for Standards Rulemakings Priority

Setting'' are available for comment. The draft data sheets provide the

priority level and rationale, schedule, and pertinent information on

the products covered by the Office of Codes and Standards (OCS).

Comments will be used to set the priority and schedule for the

appliance standards program, which will be published in the

Administration's Regulatory Agenda. The priorities will help OCS

allocate resources to meet its mission.

DATES: Written comments in response to this notice must be received by

September 9, 1996.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the data sheets entitled ``Product Data Sheets for

Standards Rulemakings Priority Setting'' may be obtained from: U.S.

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

Forrestal Building, EE-43, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington,

DC 20585, (202) 586-7574. This document may be read at the DOE Freedom

of Information Reading Room, U.S. DOE, Forrestal Building, Room 1E-190,

1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-6020,

between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday,

except Federal holidays.

Written comments, 10 copies, are to be submitted to: U.S.

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

``Product Data Sheets for Standards Rulemakings Priority Setting,''

Forrestal Building, EE-43, Room 1J-018, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW.,

Washington, DC 20585.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Sandy Beall, Office of Energy

Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy, Mail

Station EE-43, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-

0121, (202) 586-7574.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Energy's appliance

standards program is conducted pursuant to Title III, Part B of the

Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as amended (EPCA). 42 U.S.C.

Secs. 6291-6309. In 1987, EPCA was amended to establish by law national

efficiency standards for certain appliances and a schedule for DOE to

conduct rulemakings to periodically review and update these standards.

National Appliance Energy Conservation Act, Pub. L. 100-12 (1987). The

products covered by these standards included refrigerators and

freezers, room air conditioners, central air conditioners and heat

pumps, water heaters, furnaces, dishwashers, clothes washers and

dryers, direct heating equipment, ranges and ovens, and pool heaters.

In 1988, EPCA was amended to include fluorescent lamp ballasts.

National Appliance Energy Conservation Act Amendments of 1988, Pub. L.

100-357 (1988). In conducting the rulemakings to update the standards,

the Secretary of Energy is to set standards at levels that achieve the

maximum improvement in energy efficiency that is technologically

feasible and economically justified.

[[Page 44002]]

The Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPACT) further amended EPCA to

expand the coverage of the standards program to include certain

commercial and industrial equipment, including commercial heating and

air-conditioning equipment, water heaters, certain incandescent and

fluorescent lamps, distribution transformers, and electric motors.

Energy Policy Act of 1992, Pub. L. 102-486 (1992). EPACT also

established maximum water flow-rate requirements for certain plumbing

products and provided for voluntary testing and consumer information

programs for office equipment, luminaires, and windows.

EPCA also provides for DOE to establish test procedures to be used

in determining compliance with efficiency standards. These test

procedures are revised periodically to reflect new product designs or

technologies.

As prescribed by EPCA, energy efficiency standards are established

by a three-phase public process: Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

(ANOPR), Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR), and Final Rule. The

process to develop test procedures is similar, except that an Advance

Notice is not required.

On July 15, 1996, the Department published a final rule that

outlines the procedures, and policies that will guide DOE as it works

with stakeholders to establish new or revised energy efficiency

standards for consumer products. The new process provides for greater

public input, improved analytical approaches and encourages consensus-

based standards that streamline the regulatory process and reduce the

time and cost of developing standards. A key element of the new process

is the involvement of stakeholders in the priority setting of the

products to increase the predictability of the rulemaking timetable.

A workshop was held on June 14, 1996, to discuss the criteria to be

used in planning and prioritizing future rules, and review of the draft

product data sheets to be used to develop a priority ranking for the

products. To assist in the development of the priorities, DOE developed

data sheets for each product. Once DOE has received input from

stakeholders, the priorities and schedule for the appliance standards

program will be determined. The schedule will then be published in the

Administration's Regulatory Agenda in October 1996.

Based on the comments from the workshop and written comments

received, DOE has revised the draft product data sheets and is making

available a copy of said sheets for standards rulemakings priority

setting. DOE will use the revised data sheets to determine the priority

of various rulemakings in the next year. These revised sheets provide a

priority, schedule and rationale for each product. The Department would

like your further input on the priorities before preparing the

Administration's Regulatory Agenda. The Regulatory Agenda will provide

stakeholders with the actions and a schedule for those actions that DOE

plans to accomplish in the next year.

The priority levels will provide DOE with guidance on which

products to focus and allocate resources towards. For the high priority

products, DOE plans to pursue actively (meetings and workshops) and

publish notices (Determinations, Advance Notices of Proposed Rules,

Notices of Proposed Rules and/or Final Rules) in the next year. For the

medium priority products, DOE plans to initiate work in support of

rulemakings in the next year, for example, conducting a screening

workshop for a standards rulemakings. For the low priority products,

DOE does not plan to actively pursue rulemakings in the next two years.

Work would be limited to basic technology investigation and monitoring

of voluntary programs.

Issued in Washington, DC, on August 21, 1996.

Joseph Romm,

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable

Energy.

[FR Doc. 96-21785 Filed 8-26-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450-01-P